Oh, snap! The wedding planning chaos has finally ended, and you’ve enjoyed your incredible wedding day with your friends, family, and new spouse! If you’re like most brides, you most likely hired a professional photographer and/or videographer to capture all of the sweet moments that happened.

There’s been a variety of photo-taking trends that have evolved over the years, with one of the most popular being having your own customized, unique Instagram hashtag.

It’s an excellent solution and a creative way to keep track of all of the photos your guests will take throughout the evening, but it can still be somewhat of a hassle combing through the hashtags… and don’t even get me started on the occasional, annoying typos!

We’ll be covering all the different ways to collect a myriad of photos from guests at your wedding: whether it’s through an app, an online sharing platform, cloud services, or collecting physical photos, read on to learn about all the ways you can be sure to preserve the memories from your big day.

Where can my wedding guests upload photos?

Nowadays, I would assume that most people would be considered decently “tech-savvy.” That being said, the act of uploading photos is a relatively quick and painless process that your wedding guests can absolutely partake in!

Popular online platforms for uploading media include Dropbox, Google Photos, Google Drive, Flickr, Shutterfly, and more social-media-oriented apps like Instagram and Facebook.

Social media apps tend to be the most user-friendly, not only because of how easy it is to upload from a phone instantly but also because of the ease of sharing and commenting!

If you want to go for something that’s more geared towards high-quality photo sharing, and something that’ll include an easy link or access point for the less tech-savvy folks, head towards Google Photos, Flickr, or DropBox!

How do you share wedding photos after the wedding?

The hardest part is definitely waiting for your photos and videos to come back from your hardworking photographer and videographer! But once you’ve got them in your hands, disseminating them is an entirely different issue. Most couples will first pick and choose a few of their favorite photos to share from the day.

Whether you choose to send out your precious memories electronically or through physical copies (framed photos make a wonderful gift for family members), just be sure to do it in a timely manner – which means shortly after you’ve received them from the wedding photographer!

The general etiquette dictates that it’s better to share photos with your family members first, and then post them on social media for a wider audience. You don’t really want Mom and Dad to see your photos for the first time on Instagram, do you?

How do wedding photographers share their photos?

Most wedding photographers typically share their photos electronically, whether on their professional website’s online gallery or via Dropbox, Google Drive, Flickr, etc. Some will go the extra mile and load them onto a USB drive for a physical memento!

Online galleries will tend to be password protected, and the couple can choose their favorites to either be sent immediately for printing or saving. It’s a convenient way to have all of their photography needs met in a one-stop place.

More often than not, after a long day of shooting a wedding, the photographer will choose their best photos from the day and send out a glimpse or teaser to the happy couple. By curating a list of gorgeous images, photographers actually make the bride’s job easier!

There’s also a bit of marketing that’s built into the work. Photographers can have their work shared through the happy couple’s social media platforms, with your permission, of course, which can potentially help generate future inquiries and clients!

By sharing their work, their business grows. Ask any bride how they found their photographer nowadays, and I’m sure the answer will be either through a referral or great reviews!

How many wedding photos should you share?

This is somewhat of a two-part question. Sharing with your family is one thing, and posting on your social media feed is another.

While there are tons of written (and unwritten) etiquette rules surrounding all things weddings, I would say the answer to this question actually depends on the couple.

For social media: are you the type to keep things private and intimate? You could share one or two (you know, that particular photo, the showstopper, the *gasp* – inducing moment) on your personal feeds and then share more of the posed group photos privately with your immediate family and friends.

If you’re the type to spam everybody’s feeds with photos, then go ahead – in this modern age, most people have understood that their personal social media feeds are just that. Post however many your heart desires!

When it comes to sharing photos with family members and other wedding guests, the general rule of thumb is to share the photos that they are in, as well as any others you deem fit to share.

Obviously, your grandma and aunties will want to see all of them… so hopefully, they can figure out how to do the whole “open the links” thing.

How do I collect photos from an Instagram hashtag?

Crowdsourcing photos from a big party is actually a pretty smart move. You know everybody’s going to have their phones out to capture all of the special moments – the speeches, the dances, the toasts, the kisses, and literally everything in between.

If you’re like most couples, you’ve probably created a punny wedding hashtag (make it original so nobody else is using it) and gotten the bridal party on board. Maybe you’ve even offered a separate photo booth or backdrop area for the picture-taking to happen, with # signage everywhere.

But after the magical day is all said and done, you’re now tasked with the Herculean task of collecting them from Instagram.

Is it tedious? It can be! But it doesn’t have to be. Simply type your wedding hashtag into the search bar and scroll away to your hearts’ content while re-living those blissful moments.

You’ll see a small “bookmark” icon at the bottom right of the photo where you can save it to an Instagram folder. (Not sure where these folders are? Click on the three lines on the top right of your profile feed and head towards the “Saved” tab.)

Now, these photos aren’t saved to your camera roll – just on Instagram. So I hope you never forget your password or get your account hacked! For your absolute favorite pictures from the night, it’s a good move to reach out to the original poster and ask if they can send you high-resolution photos from their phone.

How can I share my wedding photos on Google Drive?

Google Drive is relied on by so many people every single day. With wedding photographers, it keeps everything streamlined, organized, and easy to access. For brides, I believe you’d be hard-pressed to find one that didn’t utilize something similar just to stay on top of all the moving parts! That being said, Google Drive (and Google Photos) is a great way to share your photos.

You can easily create albums and add your collaborators’ emails for an easy system of depositing their candid shots directly from their phones! For mere viewing purposes, a simple link can be generated and sent out via email or text messages.

How do I share my wedding photos on Dropbox?

With Dropbox, you have a couple of options. By creating folders, you can keep all of your pictures organized by uploading them, and then it’s just as simple as inviting your wedding guests, friends, and family to view the pictures. You can also give them access to edit the folders as well!

Now that we’ve discussed collecting all your photos via the power of the internet and electronic sharing, let’s discuss another way to gather photos the old-school way! If you’re considering implementing things like an Instax or disposable cameras, there are lots of pros and cons to think about.

Should I use Disposable Cameras At The Wedding?

I can’t recall a wedding that I’ve attended in the past 5 years that didn’t have disposable cameras! They are a great way to capture candid moments and events in the moment when your professional photographer probably won’t (or can’t)! After all, they can’t be everywhere.

The biggest thing about disposable cameras is that they’re extremely attractive to kids… that is if they’re old enough to understand how to work one! The risk you run is that some of the photos could potentially be of random things instead of people’s faces. I’m pretty sure at the end of the night, most disposable cameras tend to end up in kids’ hands.

Disposable cameras are a wonderful thing to have placed at each table (or at the entrance of the reception area) for your guests to snap all of the pics before they end up getting stolen by little hands.

Just be sure to have an obvious collection point for the cameras – think a cute, lined wicker basket or receptacle with signage so your guests will have peace of mind knowing their precious photos will make their way back to you at the end of the night! This kind of collaborative photo sharing is fun, exciting, and involving for all the guests.

How Can I Use Instax Mini Cameras At The Wedding?

Instax Mini Cameras are basically disposable cameras for the new generation. They come in a variety of colors, sizes, and capabilities, which makes them a super cute addition to your overall wedding aesthetic.

The best part about these nifty Instax cameras is the instant gratification of having a physical photo in your hands just seconds after snapping – watching it develop over a couple of minutes really lends a nostalgic feel to the whole experience.

As I mentioned before, the kicker when it comes to collecting physical photos is always “how can I ensure that I’ll get them all back?” Again, if you want to go this route, be sure to create signage, a box, or an obvious receptacle for guests to drop their photos in!

You can also think ahead and stock the ‘photo station’ with extra film, or even go the extra mile and include silly props, or signs with your customized hashtag and wedding date.

Having an Instax camera at your wedding is guaranteed to give you and your partner a thousand laughs, reliving each moment and seeing the evening unfold in real time for your wedding guests. Just be sure to keep those Instax films in a cute keepsake photo album!

One of the main downsides to having either disposable cameras or a couple of Instax cameras is that the physical photos can’t be uploaded online easily – you might find yourself tediously sorting through the pictures and painstakingly recapturing them on your phone.

However, there is a silver lining – you have precious, personal, physical photos in your hands. While the age of capturing, collecting, and sharing photos has gotten so much easier, there is something special about having physical photo evidence of your incredible, unforgettable night – a beautiful gallery of timeless moments.