Annoyed wedding photographer spells out why phones at a wedding are the worst in viral Facebook post

'We cannot do our best work with people getting in our way'

Wedding photographer Thomas Stewart has "had enough" of wedding guests getting in the way of his work (Thomas Stewart Photography)

An Australian photographer has written a plea to brides and grooms-to-be beseeching them to have technology-free weddings.

Photographer Thomas Stewart, of Thomas Stewart Photography, wrote an impassioned open letter on Facebook about how camera-toting wedding guests often get in the way of both the photographer and the happy couple on their special day.

Mr Stewart, who says he has “had enough”, also posted a photograph he took of a groom having to lean sideways to see his bride coming down the aisle because he was being blocked by wedding guests taking photographs with the camera phones.

He wrote: “Guests with phones, iPads and cameras get right in your photographer’s way… You’re paying a photographer quite a bit of money; that means you want great photos. We cannot do our best work with people getting in our way.

“These same guests will get in YOUR way,” he continues. “You will miss moments of your own wedding day because there’ll be an iPad in the way. You will miss seeing your partner’s face in the aisle.”

He recommends having an “unplugged wedding ceremony” where couples tell their guests beforehand “no technology, please”.

“Write it on a chalkboard which guests can see as they arrive on the day. Tell your celebrant/minister/priest to tell the guests at the start of the ceremony. HIRE A PLANE TO WRITE IT IN THE SKY!”

Right, I've had enough. I want to talk to you all about guests using mobile phones / cameras at weddings. I want to...

Posted by Thomas Stewart Photography on Thursday, 5 November 2015

The post has been shared over 42,000 times and has received more than 20,000 comments.

Mr Stewart’s letter echoes a similar blog post written in 2013 by American photographer Corey Ann, of Corey Ann Photography, detailing why “unplugged weddings” should be more of a priority for newlyweds.

She posted photographs taken that were ruined by flashes from guests’ cameras, as well as guests stepping directly onto the aisle to take their pictures.

Ms Ann wrote: “Bottom line: my priority [on] the day of the wedding is on my clients. They have paid me their hard-earned money to make sure I document their wedding and when an overzealous guest gets in the way, it makes me sad.”