Your wedding photographer was likely one of the biggest wedding expenses, are we right? And your wedding photos are the only thing that will live on long after the big day is over. If you’re wondering how to protect your investment, Joe Appel Photography is sharing his ideas for what to do with your wedding photos after the big day. After you receive the images back from your photographer, you and your spouse will likely spend the next few days poring over the photos reliving the memories of one of the best days of your lives. You’ll almost certainly share some of your favorites on social media. That photo of your Uncle Ron owning the dance floor during “Livin’ on a Prayer” will make the family group text for sure. But what’s next? Talking about digital file management is a subject that puts everyone to sleep but it’s so important! The earlier you take action on this, the better. The good news is that it’s not that complicated either. Here are four things you can do to preserve and enjoy your wedding photos for life.
From Joe…
Whether your photographer provides image files through download or some sort of physical medium, the first thing to do is make multiple copies. Store them in different places such as a few hard drives — maybe even a solid state drive that’s dedicated to your photos. When you upgrade devices, don’t forget to transfer those image files to the new one. Also look into different cloud storage solutions like Google Photos or Apple’s Photos app. There are others worth a look but these ones in particular are easy to use and hosted by big companies who will be around for a long time.
Google and Apple also make it super easy to share your photos and to access them on multiple devices. Sharing isn’t just a digital thing, however, so make hard copies of your pictures. Consider printing your favorites at the very least. Nothing beats small prints (4×6 or 5×7) for looking at photos in person with other people. Your photographer can help with prints, and they can probably also make a lovely personalized box to store them.
Print your photos! Hang them on your walls! If you find it a bit overwhelming, your professional photographer can guide you through the many wall art options available. This is especially true when it comes to framed, fine art enlargements printed on acid-free archival paper or other large format display pieces. There’s something for every space – from a one bedroom apartment to a 3200-square foot, 2-story home.
Heirloom-quality albums are the ultimate way to enjoy and preserve your photos. Your photographer can help you to choose and design a custom album. Professionally printed albums aren’t available to the general public and are more expensive than the albums you can get through places like Shutterfly. However, there’s a big difference in quality and construction. In addition to the top-notch printing and use of archival materials, many professional album companies offer a lifetime warranty on the construction of the book. It’s an investment that pays a lifetime of dividends and will become a family treasure.
