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How to Safely Store Your Wedding Photos (and Other Personal Memories)

As a Virginia wedding photographer, there are often parts of my business that feels so behind-the-scenes that I assume nobody would care about. But then I remember that some of those systems come handy in my personal life as well! One such example is how to safely store your wedding photos. Boring – I know. But if your house burned down and took your multiple devices with it, how devastated will you be if you DIDN’T do this? For this reason alone, it’s so important to make the investment to have multiple back-ups.

In my wedding photography business, I look after some of a couple’s most precious memories – their wedding photos. I don’t take that responsibility lightly. Photos can sometimes take 6-8 weeks to fully edit and deliver. That’s a long time to be the sole keeper of these priceless images. Because of this, I have to have a system in place for organizing, archiving, backing those files up, and safely storing your wedding photos.

This system is so easily repeatable and helps me sleep soundly at night. So this is my invitation to let you steal my process for your own photo back-up system as you download and store your own wedding photos.

Download and Store Your Wedding Photos Immediately

You get home from the honeymoon, and real life is already starting to hit. But then you get an email from your photographer – your wedding photos are already here!! You excitedly scroll through your online gallery, share your favorite photos with friends and family, post the most enviable shots on your Instagram for the next 3 months… then nothing.

Your photos just sit there on that online gallery, maybe a few still on your phone from that first download to share on social media. And what a shame… because that single source of storage is not immune to bug glitches. As your photographer, I guarantee to back-up your photos for you for up to one year – but after that I have to make room for new couples’ photo back-ups.

This is why I always tell my couples to download their entire wedding gallery before they do anything else. Maybe even before you scroll to look at the images! But, that’s a large gallery. Where can all those photos go to ensure they’re safe with you? This guide is here to break it down, and I even include tips for storing ANY personal photo that you take, not just your wedding photos.

How to Store Your Digital Wedding Photos and Other Personal Photos

If your personal memories only live in one place, you’re taking a huge risk. EVEN if that one place is a cloud-based storage service. Yes, they promise access across devices. But what if that cloud-based storage service goes bankrupt, glitches, or you forget to make a monthly payment and your overflow data is lost forever?

This has happened to a friend of mine. She was using a cloud-based storage service for a lot of her images, all to find out one day that the cloud wasn’t properly syncing like she assumed… for months. All those images she thought were automatically uploading to this cloud storage were just sitting on her harddrive. Until she deleted/moved them thinking she had backups. She didn’t. And the cloud storage company was not very helpful in attempting to recover those files, so some of them were lost forever.

To avoid situations like this, I always use a 4-tier backup system:

Source device
A portable SSD for recently taken photos/current projects
A minimum of two mirrored, physical, external hard drives
Online cloud storage

Source Device

This is the temporary place you will store your photos. It includes your phone, maybe your camera’s SD card, or really any device where you physically took the original photo. Keep in mind, photos should NEVER stay on this device for long before backing up to the other two tiers of storage. But for the time being, it is your first line of defense against losing those images.

For extra organization, you can even move your favorite images to an album in the Photos app (if you have an iPhone). This makes it super easy to access anytime you want to post to social media!

If you’re taking photos yourself on a camera other than your phone, make sure you keep SD cards formatted after each session or day of use. Then replace SD cards annually. These little buggers corrupt ALL THE TIME. The older they get, the more risk you have of taking a photo that never properly saves.

Same with phone storage. My iCloud is way overstuffed with images and videos. At any point, if I drop my phone in a lake, I may not have all those photos backed up to move to my new device. Now yes, you could pay for more iCloud storage, and I do… but if you’re lazy about this (like I’ve been in the past), you’re taking a risk.

External Hard Drives

My home office has two identical 8TB hard drives sitting on my desk. Why two? Because if one gets knocked over or corrupted from spilling my coffee or accidentally yanking the cord out of my computer port before I’ve safely ejected it, I will always have the other. I use a software called Chronosync – this mighty program mirrors my two WD My Book 8TB hard drives to one another so there is always an exact copy of every file on both devices.

In addition to this, I use a 1TB solid state drive (a.k.a. SSD; a small external hard drive that doesn’t have a spinning disk inside, making it more durable if dropped, and more portable to carry in my laptop case). This SSD carries all of my recent wedding projects that I want to bring with me wherever I move my laptop; then I drop those files into the mirrored 8TB hard drive I have on my desk at home.

The SSD is a great option for you if you like to take photos on vacation, but want a safe place to backup your photos before you’re able to reach a secure wi-fi connection. This model is the one I use, and it is relatively inexpensive and regularly goes on sale!

Online Cloud Storage

These first two options are already a great start to your back-up system; but nothing will save your photos if your harddrives are lost to a tragic disaster. Since you can never know what might happen, your final line of defense is the online cloud storage solution.

There are so many options out there – from Dropbox to Google Drive to iCloud to Back Blaze. Do your research and find the one that sounds the most secure – and the most user friendly! These services often come at a small monthly cost, but I feel it’s worth it considering it may just save your precious memories from being lost forever.

The Ultimate Wedding Photo Back-Up Workflow for Storing Wedding Photos

This may be a lot of info, especially if you’re not tech savvy. So the TL;DR version will help you a ton:

Step 1: Download ALL your wedding photos BEFORE doing anything else.
Step 2: Download your favorite images to your phone and keep an album in your Photos app for easy social media access.
Step 3: Purchase at least 2 external hard drives for backing up your photos.
- I recommended buying two 8TB Western Digital My Books, but if you only need for personal use you may be fine with just 4TB each.
- I also recommended a SSD for portability; great for bringing with you to show out-of-town family when you go home for holidays.
Step 4: Purchase Chronosync to mirror your two WD My Book harddrives.
Step 5: Store your wedding photos on the WD My Books, and a copy to your SSD drive if you purchased.
Step 6: Back-up a copy of your wedding photos to your online cloud storage of choice (i.e., Dropbox; Google Drive; iCloud)

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A Low Country-Inspired Hilton Head Island Wedding | Hilton Head Island Wedding Photographer

When Taylor reached out about having me photograph her Hilton Head Island wedding, I could hardly believe it. Since marrying my husband, I’ve enjoyed annual trips to Hilton Head with my in-laws, who have been visiting for years. I’m not much of a beach person (love my lake life!) but the beauty of the low country made this a top bucket list place for photographing a future wedding. Kolby & Taylor made that a dream come true, as they lived their own dream day! On September 14 at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort, Kolby & Taylor tied the knot – and I got to be a Hilton Head Island wedding photographer.

A Hilton Head Island Engagement

Kolby and Taylor met while they were in their respective professional programs. Kolby was attending Duke University for Physical Therapy. Taylor was attending law school at UNC Chapel Hill. They connected pre-Covid, stayed in contact all throughout, and finally met in person when they each returned to campus in August of 2020.

As a couple, they made a habit of exercising together every morning, taking walks and runs to talk about life and their goals. They also love visiting Hilton Head Island, where Taylor’s family lives. The beach is their happy place, where they both enjoy the sunshine and relaxation time. Kolby will listen to a podcast, and Taylor will read her books. They also like to play Spikeball, chat about life, and enjoy the water.

Fast forward a couple years. Kolby and Taylor would travel to spend a lot of time in Hilton Head, where Taylor’s family lives. After what Taylor thought was just a normal weekend visit, they went out to dinner, and her whole family decided to take a walk through a nice park on the water. While posing for pictures, Kolby got down on one knee! That park has now become a special place on the island for the two of them.

Their Hilton Head Island Wedding Day

Their wedding day was a source of some slight anxiety that week. Kevin and I decided to take a week to visit Hilton Head. We celebrated our second anniversary on the island. But the entire week, the weather was not kind to us. It was rainy, chilly, humid, and very few hours of actual sun the entire week. The forecast threatened much of the same miserable wedding for Kolby and Taylor’s big day.

To be clear: RAIN ON A WEDDING DAY IS OK. It’s unavoidable, and you can still get GORGEOUS images on a rainy day. I have plenty of proof of that from Zach & Camille’s wedding, Mary & Joey’s wedding, Kevin & Emma’s wedding, and so many more! My own wedding day still stands as the rainiest wedding I have ever attended, and I LOVE my wedding photos.

But I knew rain would add certain challenges based on their chosen Hilton Head Island wedding venues. Their ceremony was set for the beach at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort. I selfishly wished, for the sake of my photos (and for Kolby & Taylor’s experience), that the sun would peek out even if just for the ceremony.

The Lord heard our prayers, because the entire day was fantastic weather!! Our only challenge was the intense wind on the beach, but even that couldn’t affect how beautiful the ceremony was. I shot quickly and took many photos of each shot to ensure we had at least one good option despite windswept hair and dresses.

Between the glorious, glowy sunlight and the wind, their portraits on the beach turned out to be so epic! Taylor’s dress flew dramatically in many of the shots. And her hair and makeup artist deserves a round of applause. Her updo survived and looked gorgeous even as the wind took the wispy pieces left out.

Highlights of the Day

There was so much to love about this wedding. On a personal note, it was my first wedding back in the saddle after giving birth to my daughter! (Birth story soon to come!) Despite worries of feeling a little rusty with postpartum brain fog, I’m feeling bold enough to say this was my favorite/best work yet! Here are some highlights you’ll want to seek out as you scroll:

A Dreamy Tower

Shoutout to Taylor’s friend and bridesmaid Jordan for showing me the tower room at Gull Island Manor, a short-term rental house in Sea Pines! I never would’ve known to wander up there, but it ended up being the dreamiest spot for details and Taylor’s getting ready photos! That light – *chef’s kiss*!

Lean Supplies And A Broken Ring Dish

For the couple’s wedding day details, I really didn’t bring a ton with me from my usually packed styling kit. We had to travel light to fit the essentials. What’s more, my favorite ring dish snapped in half when I dropped it going up the stone steps to the manor!

It was time to get creative. I actually ended up loving the look of my broken ring dish and decided to use it! I also found some dead palm foliage on the outer landscaping to feature in the flat lay of details. Paired with a wisp of Spanish moss, what once was a lean styling kit soon became true-to-location details that made the photos sing “Hilton Head Island wedding.” This just goes to show: Less is more. The less I have to work with in preparation for styling details has sometimes led to my most creative work!

A Touching Island Wedding Ceremony at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort

Despite the crazy wind, we were all so grateful for beautiful sunlight during Kolby & Taylor’s wedding ceremony at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort. Kolby & Taylor opted out of having a First Look, so I was dead set on getting Kolby’s reaction to seeing his beautiful bride. What I captured was one of the sweetest Groom reactions – instant happy tears as she came down from the dunes.

Another standout moment from their ceremony happened toward the end. Kolby’s dad officiated the ceremony. After a beautiful exchanging of the rings, and just before inviting the first kiss, he began choking up as he pronounced them husband and wife. It was so profound coming from a father (and now father-in-law). You could hear the soft “aww” reactions from the guests. That was such an emotional, happy moment!

Experience > Tradition

Kolby & Taylor planned a truly personal and intimate wedding reception at Gull Island Manor. It more so mimicked a dinner party than wedding reception. They hosted a warm cocktail hour with an open bar featuring their signature cocktails. Guests could explore the grounds while enjoying appetizers and getting their photo taken by the live painter commissioned to watercolor their portrait for a unique take-home gift.

When dinner was ready to start, guests descended to the lower tier of the garden overlooking the marsh. There, a long singular table was set with cheesecloth, candle sticks, place settings, and customized name plates made out of oyster shells.

The couple came down last, but there was no planned fanfare. They decided to forego the traditional dances and simply welcome guests to a laid back dinner serenaded by live musicians. This allowed the couple plenty of time to mingle with each guest and create special memories with the entire party, including a surprise visit from Keebler their dog. I absolutely loved this approach to a wedding celebration – and I could tell everyone else did too!

Final Thoughts From Kolby & Taylor’s Hilton Head Island Wedding

I’m so honored to have served as Kolby & Taylor’s wedding photographer. The entire experience was a dream for me – one that I hope opens the opportunity for even more chances to expand as an HHI wedding photographer. Their warmth and friendship was extended to me from the start, and their guests and family were a true delight to spend the day with.

I’ve begun asking couples to share what they love most about one another, and what excites them for marriage. Here’s how they answered.

What Taylor Loves Most About Kolby

“I love how devoted Kolby is to our little family. He is the most selfless person I know and would do anything to make things easier on others. He supports me emotionally and has the utmost patience when it comes to helping me navigate stressful situations, and he would do literally anything for our dog Keebler. Keebler gets to go to the dog park, walks, gets bones, pup cups, everything! He’s so spoiled because Kolby likes to take such good care of him.”

What Kolby Loves Most About Taylor

“I love how much Taylor guides and anchors me in our life. I am a very good-with-the-flow person which helps me stay optimistic and positive. However, I struggle sometimes with direction and focus because of this. Taylor has given me so much purpose in life and given me the direction for how I want my life to go. She is so ambitious and helps me make goals for ourselves that I would’ve never thought possible. Even in the few years I’ve known her, she’s helped me achieve goals and see a future I would’ve never thought possible for myself and for us.”

The Most Beautiful Thing About Marriage: According to Kolby & Taylor

“The most beautiful thing about marriage in my eyes is the commitment to stand by your partner no matter what life brings. My parents have had a long marriage and I admire the way that they’ve stuck by each other through every challenge. It’s easy to walk away from something when things become difficult but marriage is the commitment to another person to instead engage with them and work through the issues instead of walking away. In my eyes, marriage is beautiful because its permanent.”

K&T, I wish you both so much happiness in your marriage. Enjoy your honeymoon in Europe!!

If you love my work and you’re considering getting married in Hilton Head Island, or another destination in the southern East Coast, I would love to chat! I am based in the DC area but travel often for weddings. Contact me for more information!