Maine & NH Wedding Photographer // The Seven Stages of Receiving Your Wedding Photos (And Why You NEED to Print Them)

Your email “dings” and you realize that your wedding photographer has just delivered your gallery, and you’re about to relive the best day of your life. Get ready—because what follows is an emotional rollercoaster worthy of its own dramatic soundtrack.

But before we get into the stages of receiving your photos, let me just say this: PRINT. YOUR. PHOTOS. I don’t care where you do it. That’s not true, you should always use a professional lab so they look like perfection. Print through me, print through another lab—just don’t let your wedding pictures die a slow, sad death on a hard drive. These images deserve better. You deserve better. Now, let’s break it all down.

Stage 1: The “THEY’RE HERE” Freak-Out

You get the email notification, and suddenly, nothing else matters. Dinner? Who cares. Work? Not my problem. You drop everything and click that link like your life depends on it.

Stage 2: The Happy Crying (Or Full-On Ugly Sob)

You make it about five images in before your eyes start welling up. “LOOK AT US. LOOK AT OUR LOVE.” It’s all too much. Your partner walks in on you clutching your phone, whispering, “We’re so beautiful,” while a single tear rolls down your cheek.

Stage 3: The Hyper-Fixation on the Details

You start zooming in on everything. The way your dress moved. The way your partner looked at you. The way Aunt Linda went way too hard on the dance floor. Every emotion, every little moment—it’s all there.

Stage 4: The Overshare

Time to blast these all over social media like a proud parent showing off their baby (which, let’s be honest, these photos are your babies). Your caption game better be strong because these deserve more than just a “Best day ever!!!”

Stage 5: The “I Need to Print These” Realization

This is the most important stage. You start picturing your photos in frames, in an album, on your walls, and then…you do nothing.

Because life happens. And before you know it, your wedding photos are buried under screenshots of memes and grocery lists. DON’T LET THIS BE YOU.

Stage 6: Actually Printing Your Photos (and Feeling Like a Genius)

Seriously, print them. I don’t care where, just do it. I personally make albums out of ALL my photos because there is nothing better than flipping through them. Want ideas? Here are some of my favorite ways to bring wedding photos to life:

Albums– The ultimate way to relive your day, without needing WiFi.

Wall Art– Because your love story deserves more than just a spot on your phone.

Desktop Acrylic Blocks– Fancy, modern, and perfect for your office or nightstand.

Retro-Style Viewfinder– YES, the kind you had as a kid, but filled with your wedding photos. It’s awesome. Get one.

Stage 7: The Eternal Gratitude

Once your wedding photos are actually in your hands—not just stuck in the cloud—you’ll realize how much it matters. You'll flip through your album, stare at your wall art, and feel a wave of joy every single time. Because these aren’t just pictures. They’re your story.

So, do yourself a favor—print your wedding photos. Future You will thank you.