Finally, the day you’ve been waiting for!

It’s been a month since your wedding and we know how anxious you are to see your gallery. Maybe you’ve seen a few previews already. Or maybe this is the first time you’ll see all of your images. Either way, that email is going to ping into your inbox and it is going to be so hard to not click it open right away. However, we have a few suggestions for how to best enjoy your gallery for the first time and continue the wedding experience.

1. Wait! Don’t Open Them Right Away

But that button is just so tempting! We know. However, sinking into these images for the first time is going to feel so much more satisfying if you set yourself up for success. Take a minute to think about where you want to view them, with whom, and on what computer.

We know from experience that viewing wedding photos for the first time can become a rabbit hole of emotions. So make sure you’re in the right mindset and with your loved one before diving in.

2. Make it a Date Night

This is something special for the two of you to enjoy together. So make it a date night and have fun with it! Opening wedding photos for the first time only happens once. It’s another once-in-a-lifetime event for just the two of you. It sounds cheesy now. But once you see the photos and relive the day, all those butterflies come rushing back and that’s the perfect time to lean into your newlywed’s arms.

3. Get Cozy

Before opening your wedding gallery, chill some champagne and make a cheeseboard because this night is going to last longer than you think. And if you can, hook up your photo gallery to your TV so you can see them on the big screen! View them at the highest quality possible so you can truly pick favorites and relive the day.

4. Mark Your Favorites

This one’s a must-do! Your initial impression of the images is so important. Be sure to favorite the ones you love right away as you’re going through your wedding gallery. That way, when you’re ready to order prints for your wedding album, you’re not overwhelmed. This is your chance to take your time and soak it all in. You may not have as much time in the future to go picture by picture, so marking your favorites now takes the weight off your shoulders.

5. Be Kind to Yourself

And finally, we have to mention this last tip. Just like trying on dresses for the first time, know that you are beautiful in every single one of your photos. One thing that tugs at our heartstrings after a couple’s gallery reveal is learning that the bride feels self-conscious looking at her own photos. And believe me, we get it! It’s a delicate moment and remembering that whirlwind of a day can be overwhelming.

So here’s what we recommend: Recall the feelings you had during that day and let yourself escape to those moments as you look through the photos. Don’t dwell on little imperfections because nobody else will. All they will see is your love. Try to see yourself through your partner’s eyes: perfect.

Caring for Your Digital Files

So you’ve opened your wedding gallery and picked favorites…Now what? That’s not the end of your wedding gallery journey. We have a few tips on what to do with your gallery and how to care for your files:

1. Download your entire wedding gallery. We recommend downloading your gallery right away to a desktop hard drive or laptop. Some of our clients also choose to back up their galleries to an online cloud storage service (i.e. Google Drive). This way, you never have to worry about losing data on your hard drive.
2. Store your unique USB with hi-res edited digital files somewhere safe. Along with your gallery reveal, we’ll send you a custom wooden USB with your images! These will hold all your hi-res edited images for your convenience. Store it somewhere dry, dark, and safe.
3. Save your wedding gallery to your phone. It’s super easy to save your gallery to your phone. You have a few options:
   • Send the gallery to your phone from your computer
   • Save individual images from your gallery to your phone
   • Save the whole gallery as a link on your phone’s home screen
4. Share your favorite images with the world. This is the fun part! After you’ve saved images to your phone, you’re ready to share anything you like with your friends and family on all the socials. Enjoy!

After all the behind-the-scenes work, we love sharing the final product with our clients. If you’re curious about capturing and celebrating a soulful ceremony, get in touch. We would love to get to know you.

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