Okay - so you have 1,000+ of your beautiful wedding photos in your hands and maybe now you are not sure what to do with them or how to store these amazing memories forever (and keep them safe).

Fear not! I have a few tips for you based on my experience with other beautiful couples just like you!

Your pictures will be kept in your online gallery for 10 years, but please make sure you download them - you never know what could happen with these gallery companies! Once you download them, I recommend keeping a separate copy on a USB or hard drive that you keep in a fireproof safe, or a safety deposit box at your bank, for safekeeping.  You can also upload them as a ZIP files in your own Google Drive or Dropbox if you’d like for safe keeping in your own cloud software.  I recommend backing them up in 3 places.  I do my best to keep all my backup files safe, on multiple hard drives and in a cloud, but you never know! I’ve had client’s computers crash and lose all their photos, so much sure you have an online and a safe physical backup of them as well.

Digitals are great, as well as the online backups, but here’s the thing… I used to have all my photos backed up on DVD (from my earlier days) but now computers rarely have DVD spots so I can’t even view them!  Technology is always changing, so even though I encourage you to back them up,  I also encourage you to PRINT THEM.

I guarantee you won’t be whipping out a Google Drive folder anytime soon to relive your wedding day.  I highly highly highly recommend getting prints made of your favorite images, whether that’s in an album, in a print set and kept in a nice box, or as a canvas or framed prints.   I recommend, first and foremost, the shop connected to your gallery, but if you are printing on your own, I recommend MPix.com which is the consumer level of one of my Pro Labs.

Speaking of printing, I think the best way to preserve your wedding memories is in an album.  All my past couples tell me over and over again how often they look through their wedding albums and relive their days.  I love albums for a few reasons... They make great gifts to family members.  They are perfect for coffee table books for house guests to flip through. Albums are also a great way to compile images all in one spot to reminisce about an event, season or year.

Another fun option that I love is creating a calendar with 12 of your favorite photos to display in your kitchen or office. You will get to show off a new photo each month to any visitors you have at your home or office. It’s also a great way to keep the memories and conversation about your favorite day going from the whole year!

I love when my couples share their beautiful wedding photos with friends and family, so share away! They’re yours to have fun with online and I love seeing my couples eager to share on their social media feeds.

Most couples are excited to put their images to good use, and what better way than to use it on your thank you cards! Print a picture on one side and write on the other. For thank you cards, I love using Minted and can actually help you design one using the images through their site as an affiliated photographer with them!

Trust me, your best friends and your family members are also going to be over the moon excited to see your wedding pictures.  For a holiday gift, birthday gift, Mother’s or Father’s Day gift, consider getting some framed prints for the people who have loved you and raised you all these years.  (And maybe throw in a few printed pictures for your wedding party as a thank you to them!) How cute?

These are just a few of my favorite ways to savor the beautiful photos from your wedding day but there are so many more amazing options! If you have any questions or just want to run an idea by me before you order, I am here!

Amanda Steinbacher Photography | Williamsport, PA | Wedding Photographer