Do you remember being a kid and seeing your parents’ and grandparents’ wedding photos for the first time? Stacked in decades-old albums that hold so many memories? 

The nostalgia of flipping through a photo album or seeing a meaningful photo on your wall is simply unparalleled, so why not create those same feelings for your own wedding photos!

Printing your wedding photos from the digital gallery you receive creates longevity, timelessness, and even family heirlooms.

In this post, I’ll cover the most important things you need to consider when deciding how to print, what to print, and the different mediums of printing.

Why You Should Print Through Your Photographer’s Store

Whenever you receive your gallery, you typically have the option to purchase your photos directly from the gallery. This is yet another way to support your photographer, as they will receive a cut of the price you pay for your prints! It’s a great “thank you” to us that creates amazing memories for you!

There is so Much to Choose From

In my galleries, you have the option to choose between 14 different sized prints ranging from 4×6” all the way up to 24×36”. Plus, you’re offered 4 different choices of frames, and mediums such as photo albums, wood boxes, canvas prints, greeting cards, and more. Here are some of my favorites, and why you should consider them:

• Hardcover Books are the perfect gift for yourself, and your family members. Imagine being able to pull out a specially-curated book with your wedding photos whenever you want to relive your memories. 
• Matted Frames are timeless and look amazing in virtually any home!
• Greeting cards with your wedding photos are the perfect way to send thank you notes to friends and family. 

How to Choose a Professional Printer On Your Own

If you don’t find what you’re looking for in your photographer’s gallery, or you simply want to use another trustworthy application, there is no shortage of reputable printing services to choose from online. Here are a few of the best services recommended by photographers:

• Mpix 
• Printique 
• Nations Photo Lab
• Snapfish (great on a budget according to Wired)
• Shutterfly (best for books according to Wired)

Stay Away from Easy Printing

I know it’s tempting to pop into your local CVS Print Center and have your photos ready within a few hours. But the quality of your end product is completely at the will of the state of their machinery and who is working at the time. So really, you never know what you’re going to get. 

Avoid places like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Amazon Prints. Your photos are masterfully edited for the highest quality printing, so make sure you choose a service that honors it!

Custom Framing

I’m not going to lie – custom framing is NOT cheap. But the right frame can totally enhance the artistry of your printed photos. It can help create a cohesive feel in your home with meaningful decor.

Custom framing is definitely not a necessity since many printing services offer high-quality framing. But if decor is important to you, it’s definitely worth considering!

Storing your Digital Images

Having a backup of your wedding photos is SO important! In this day and age, we truly can’t predict what will happen to our files. Here’s what I recommend:

• Invest in an external hard drive. Full-size photo files are quite large, so make sure you purchase one with ample storage that is compatible with the operating system on your computer (Windows, Mac, etc.). I recommend the LaCie hard drive for photos – 1TB holds roughly 250,000 photos. 
• Store your photos in the cloud – Google Photos is a great option. 
• Print them, obviously 🙂

High Resolution vs Web Sized Images

Photo resolution is defined by how many pixels per inch (PPI) make up an image. A “high resolution” or “print quality” image means that the PPI is high enough to be completely clear when printed, no matter how big the print. Print-quality images are usually at 300 PPI. 

Web resolution, while not as suitable for printing, will load faster in digital settings. Web resolution is generally set at 72 PPI. 

Bottom line? If you intend to print your photos, ensure that you download the “high resolution” version when given the choice! And if you want to post your photos to a website or the internet, “web resolution” will do just fine.