What to Do When You Get Your Wedding Photos: A Smart Checklist from Em Frampton Photography

You’ve waited months, counted down the days, and now the moment’s finally here... you’ve received your wedding photos!

As a wedding photographer, one of my favourite moments is when couples open their gallery for the first time. It’s emotional, nostalgic, and often a little overwhelming (in the best way). But once that excitement settles, many couples wonder:

“What do we actually do next?”

If you’re wondering what to do when you get your wedding photos, this guide walks you through meaningful, practical steps to make the most of your gallery... from preserving your images to sharing them beautifully.

1. Relive the Moment...Together

Before you start downloading or sharing anything, take time to experience your gallery together.

Make it special: pour a glass of wine, cozy up on the couch, and play your wedding playlist in the background. Your photos are a story, and viewing them together lets you relive your day as it unfolded...all the laughter, nerves, and tiny details you might have missed.

Insider tip: Write down your top 10 favorite moments as you go. It’ll make choosing your print or album selections easier later.

2. Download Everything — and Back It Up Twice

Once the nostalgia wave passes, it’s time to protect those memories.

After you receive your wedding gallery, download all your photos in full resolution — even if you think you’ll only use a few right away. Then, create at least two backups:

• One on an external hard drive

• One in cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud)

  
  

Pro tip: Label your folders clearly — something like “Frampton Wedding – 2025 – Full Resolution” — so you can easily find them years later.

Extra credit: Create a smaller folder with your “everyday” favourites for sharing and printing, while keeping the master set untouched.

3. Curate a “Highlights” Folder for Sharing

You’ll probably want to send your photos to family and friends right away. Instead of overwhelming everyone with 800+ images, create a highlights folder with 20–30 favourites that tell the story of your day.

This keeps your gallery shareable and curated — and ensures the photos circulating online are the ones that represent your day (and your photographer’s work!) best.

Bonus tip: Share a link with your guests and bridal party so they can easily access your favourite moments — it’s a thoughtful way to include everyone who celebrated with you.

4. Print Something Right Away

Digital galleries are amazing, but nothing compares to holding a photo in your hands.

Within the first month of receiving your wedding gallery, choose one image to print — a large wall print, a keepsake frame, or even a set of thank-you cards. You’ll be surprised how much joy it brings to see your wedding memories displayed in your home.

At Em Frampton Photography, I always remind couples that printing is part of wedding photo preservation and sharing — it’s how your memories truly live beyond the screen.

5. Use Your Photos in Everyday Life

Wondering how to use your wedding pictures beyond the wedding album? Here are a few creative ideas:

• Update your profile or cover photos (a fresh start to married life!)

• Create custom thank-you cards featuring your favorite shot

• Design a photo guestbook with messages from family and friends

• Use them for your first-anniversary invites or holiday cards

  
  

Pro tip: When you post online, tag your photographer! Most of us love seeing which images resonate with you — and it helps future couples discover our work too.

6. Think Long-Term: Preserve Your Digital Files

One of the most overlooked wedding photo delivery tips is to plan for the future. Technology changes fast, and hard drives don’t last forever.

Every few years, refresh your storage:

• Copy your photos onto a new drive or cloud account

• Keep at least one backup offsite (like a family member’s computer)

• Rename folders and files clearly so you can always find them

Treat your photos like the heirlooms they are — because someday, they will be.

7. Keep the Story Going

Your wedding gallery isn’t just a collection of images; it’s the beginning of your visual legacy as a couple.

One of my favorite ways couples stay connected to their memories is by setting a date — maybe on your anniversary — to revisit your gallery and choose a few photos to print or update around your home.

You can even send loved ones a few prints as surprise gifts; it’s a small gesture that spreads joy and keeps your story alive.

Final Thoughts

Receiving your gallery is just the beginning of your wedding story — not the end. By following these simple but meaningful steps, you’ll ensure your memories are protected, celebrated, and shared for generations.

At Em Frampton Photography, I believe your wedding experience shouldn’t end when the photos are delivered — it should continue through the way you live with your images.

If you’re planning a wedding in Newfoundland and looking for a photographer who helps you every step of the way — before, during, and after you receive your wedding gallery — I’d love to connect.

📸 Let’s create something timeless together.

Contact Em Frampton Photography to learn more about my wedding photography experience.