Put the Phones Away and Pass the Cake

Inspired by the LA Times feature on the rise of analog and tech free weddings, one thing is clear. Couples are no longer planning events for the algorithm. They are planning them for the feeling.

As a Dallas wedding planner, I am seeing a delightful shift. Less screen glow. More candle glow. Less posting. More toasting.

The LA Times recently highlighted how more couples are choosing unplugged ceremonies and analog details to bring guests back into the moment. Not someday. Not later on a camera roll. Right now, in real time, in good shoes, holding a drink, probably crying a little.

And honestly, it feels magical.

The Unplugged Ceremony Is the New Luxury

According to the LA Times piece on tech free wedding trends, couples are increasingly asking guests to keep their phones tucked away during ceremonies. Not because they are strict. Because they are sentimental.

There is something wildly powerful about a room where every face is lifted, every eye is present, and nobody is watching love through a five inch screen.

Photographers capture it better. Guests feel it deeper. The couple remembers it clearer.

Presence is becoming the new premium feature.

Nostalgia Is the New Wow Factor

The article points out a growing appetite for analog touches like disposable cameras, handwritten notes, film photography, and interactive guest books that are not digital. I am seeing couples take this even further and turn nostalgia into entertainment.

Think voicemail guest books on vintage phones. Typewriter stations for love notes. Film photo corners with real flash and real anticipation. Guests love it because it feels playful and unexpected. Nothing to charge. Nothing to sync. Just press the button and hope for the best.

Perfect.

Analog Details Feel More Personal

Digital is efficient. Analog is emotional.

When guests sign a book with ink, record a message with their actual voice, or snap a blurry film photo, the memory carries texture. The LA Times article notes that couples are leaning toward tactile experiences that feel handmade and human.

We are talking about paper goods with personality. Sketch artists painting scenes live. Vinyl DJs spinning actual records. Yes, people gather around and watch. It becomes part of the show.

You cannot scroll past a live painter capturing your first dance. You stay. You watch. You feel.

Why This Trend Is Landing So Well in Dallas

Dallas weddings love a statement. What surprises people is that quiet can be a statement too.

A tech light wedding stands out now. It feels intentional. Guests talk more. Dance longer. Laugh louder. The energy shifts from documenting the party to actually being at the party.

The LA Times piece frames this as a response to digital overload. I would frame it as a romance upgrade.

The Big Idea

The best weddings have always been about connection. The analog trend is not about rejecting technology forever. It is about choosing a few sacred hours where love gets full bandwidth and Wi Fi gets the night off.

If you are planning a wedding and wondering what guests will remember, it will not be your hashtag.

It will be how it felt in the room.