The first 6 things you should do when you get your wedding photos back
1 - Download + backup the files. *** Do not skip this step! ***
Download the entire gallery, not just your favorites, to your computer. Make sure to select “high resolution” to save the highest quality images. You can also save a second set of images at “web size,” which is perfect for posting on facebook/instagram without compression (when your social app compresses your photo to make it a smaller file, it can get pixelated/overly grainy which can sometimes look pretty terrible).
As soon as your download finishes, make a second copy of ALL of the files on a separate drive. An external hard drive, thumb drives, or cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox are all great options. (I’ve linked the drives I use personally below). If anything ever happens to your computer, you’ll still have access to your wedding photos. If you keep your photos on a hard drive or thumb drive, it’s also not a bad idea to keep that precious drive in a fireproof safe.
2 - Date night?
Make a plan to cozy up on the couch with your ~new spouse~ and your favorite red wine, champagne, Chinese takeout, homemade pasta, cheesecake, popcorn, or fresh baked cookies, and flip through the photos together for the first time on your TV! Just hook up an HDMI cable to your laptop, or cast your screen with an app, and get to scrolling. :)
Make sure to save your favorites as you scroll so you can quickly get back to your list when you’re ready to print/post online.
3 - Post on your socials!
As soon as you get your gallery is the best time to post your photos on socials! Your friends and family will be dying to see and reminisce about the day with you.
I also recommend making a dedicated wedding album on your facebook page, and be sure to include some favorite shots taken by friends and family who attended, and scans of guest book polaroids if you have them.
This is what you’ve been waiting for, so get to posting!
4 - Share your gallery + send prints to family.
Your friends and family, especially those who were directly involved in your day or who couldn’t be in attendance will want to see your photos when you get them back. Share your gallery link or some highlights with immediate family, wedding party, and anyone who went the extra mile for your wedding right away.
Most loved ones don’t expect to receive prints from you, but sending close relatives a few copies of wedding day highlights and a selection of family formals focused on their side of the family is a nice touch.
5 - Print + frame your favorites.
Pick a handful of your most favorite images from your wedding day (don’t go overboard), and print them at a variety of sizes to display around your home. Hallways, mantles, and bedside tables are perfect places for your frames. You can purchase prints and pre-framed prints of all sizes directly from your gallery that I send you with your images.
Also, moms and grandmas tend to really like framed prints as gifts. ;)
6 - Make yourself a quality album
Albums are a nice way to remember your wedding and have your photos within reach. It’s great for sharing with visitors, looks beautiful on your shelf, and it’s wonderful to pull out the album on your anniversary or special dates. Personally, I love flipping through my mom and grandma’s wedding albums and seeing the wedding trends and traditions that were popular for past generations.
If you’re tech/design-savvy, there are plenty of places online to make yourself an album. If you think you’d rather have this done for you, I offer album design services.
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