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6 Photo Display Ideas for Your Wedding
Photo displays of a couple is one of the most complimented and engaging parts of wedding decor. Guests love learning more about the couple, and seeing their love story.
Over the years, we have designed wedding photo displays for thousands of couples. Here at Persnickety Prints, we’ve condensed all the different types of photo displays we’ve created into a few categories that we suggest every couple consider as they plan.
TOP IDEAS FOR DISPLAYING PHOTOS ON YOUR WEDDING DAY
1. SHOWCASE THE COUPLE
Print the gorgeous photos you spent hundreds of dollars on capturing: your first look, bridals/formals, and engagements- don’t leave them on a hard drive! Pick your favorite photos and print them in a large format for stunning images that will set the tone for your special day. Many event centers won’t allow you to hang photos on walls, so get creative with freestanding displays.
We had the honor of printing Dancing with the Stars, Witney Carson’s, wedding photos. Of course with such lovely pictures, we went big! We printed her photos as a 20×30 giclee enlargement with heat-pressed mounting, and placed it in a decorative frame without glass.
HOW: For a show-stopping moment, we always recommend printing pictures as giclee enlargements for the best clarity and color possible. If the photos have been professionally taken, they often can be printed at least 16×20, which is a size that can work on top of a table or easel. The most common print sizes for weddings are 18×24’s, 20×30’s, and 24×36’s. You can display these large prints on their own on an easel, or create a gallery moment with a larger display.
For weddings, we always recommend adding heat press mounting to your enlargements. This will mount the prints on a 3/16 in thick piece of black foam board, and protect it with an archival laminate coating. Giclee enlargements with heat press mounting are still more affordable than canvas prints, and they are versatile! The laminate coating allows you to display the enlargements in a decorative frame without glass (which can fall and shatter with one booty-bump on the dance floor), or as-is on an easel for a clean and modern look.
WHERE: by the venue’s entrance, cake, sign in table, gift station, and/or favor table
2. GET TO KNOW THE COUPLE
You’ll have guests from each side in attendance, so share a little bit about yourselves! There can be two different focuses for storytelling: sharing about each person’s childhoods and interests, sharing the couple’s love story, or a combination of the two! Your guests would love to see the sweet details of what made the two of you fall in love.
HOW: Find candid photos throughout the years and print them as archival photographic prints. If you are going to have a bigger collection of photos, we recommend smaller photographic prints: 3.5×5, 4×4, 4×6, 5×5, 5×7, and as large as 6×8.
If you are wanting a larger display that takes up more vertical space, you cannot go wrong with creating a larger grid of candid photos. You can place them on a larger board, or even hang them from a rod. When creating a grid, we always recommend going square – 4×4 or 5×5 are great choices. For easy display, we also have our Insta-Collages that can be mounted and displayed on a table easel.
We recommend highlighting key details by designing a small sign on Canva. If you print these key details as 4×6 or 5×7 press prints, the thick, ultra luxurious card stock will be stiff enough to stand upright and makes for easy signage when paired with a circle wood block. Choosing the linen paper option for press print gives a really elegant and modern look!
WHERE: by the venue’s entrance, before the guest sign-in area, or in its own zone. There are always emptier walls or corners that can be personalized with decor.
3. CENTERPIECES
Displaying pictures of the couple on the dining tables is a classic choice for a reason. It’s a great way to personalize the table decor with more of the couple’s photos, and guests can see more of the couple’s happy moments when they sit down to eat.
HOW: For a traditional centerpiece with a mixture of photos and other items, we recommend photographic prints to be at least 5×7, and at the largest, 6×8. Printing photos at that scale encourages visibility, but doesn’t overwhelm the other items or florals. They work well placed in small frames, or you can print the pictures as press prints and place them in a rectangular wood block for a more modern look.
If you want to take up more space or have photos as the main focus of the table decor, we recommend photographic prints sized at 8×10, 11×14, and even as large as 12×12’s like Heidi Swapp’s creative photo arch centerpiece! To see how she created this amazing DIY, click here.
For a subtle look, scatter mini press prints around a centerpiece to fill the table space.
4. TABLE NUMBERS
If you are choosing a floral-focused centerpiece, a great way to share your photos with your guests is by using personalized table numbers. Some of our favorite ideas have been:
- “When we were ___”, and adding photos of the couple from that age. Table 7? Add some darling pictures from 2nd grade.
- Who says the tables have to be a number? Name the tables after the couple’s favorite vacation spots, and incorporate candid photos of the couple at that location.
- Rename the tables after significant years in the couple’s lives, and add in a photo from that time.
HOW: For a thick and study table number, we recommend printing your creative designs as 5×7 or 6×8 press prints. Our matte paper finish will ensure great color for the pictures you select.
5. TABLE TOP DECOR
Even if couples have prepared a lot of decorations, there will always be open spots at the venue that will surprisingly feel empty. Plan ahead and prepare framed table top pictures of the couple that can fill in the holes and help the space feel personalized. We mention this to all of our clients, and have had couples come back and thank us for this recommendation. It can be such a help on the big day to have some framed pictures ready to use.
HOW: We recommend printing at least three 8×10’s, two 11×14’s, and one 12×18 for smaller events. However the larger the venue, the more prints you will need! We recommend going with classic frames for easy display.
WHERE: At the gift table, food table, sign-in table, favor table, open shelves, countertops or mantles
6. Guest Book with Photos of the Couple
A personalized guest book with photos of the couple is a thoughtful keepsake that will be cherished for years to come. Traditional sign-in books can make guests feel limited to one line, or only write their names; we’ve attended too many weddings where the book has over a hundred pages and only the first five are filled. Having lots of blank space to write encourages guests to spend time writing thoughtful notes and well-wishes, and creates a beautiful snapshot of that day when paired with photos of the couple.
HOW: We recommend purchasing an 8×8 wire bound photo book, and selecting interior layouts that leave a lot of space for writing. Another wonderful option is to find a blank sketchbook, and tape in archival photographic prints! When selecting a book, always choose something spiral bound so the book will lay flat when guests write their notes.
Where: By the venue’s entrance, or in its own zone.
BONUS: FAMILY FEATURE
Many couples want to pay tribute to family members on their special day. There is something to be said about recognizing the couple has been shaped by those along the way who have shown love and support. We’ve seen many “generations of love” displays that show wedding photos of parents and grandparents, either in a collage that’s been heat press mounted, or placed into individual frames and put on a shelf. It is also common for couples to create a simple yet beautiful tribute honoring loved ones who have passed on, as a table display or reserving places of honor at the ceremony.
How: For all photos that you want to last a lifetime, we recommend our archival photographic prints at least 5×7 up to 11×14.
Where: At the venue just inside the entrance, by the sign in table, or it’s own zone.
While printing photos for a display is always on a couple’s checklist, it can sometimes be left until the last minute. Our photographic prints can be processed in one business day, and our giclee enlargements + heat pressed mounts can be processed as quickly as one business day with rush fees, three business days without. We recommend starting the selection process for photos at least a month before, and sending them to print two weeks out. This will allow you to receive your photos with plenty of time before the big day, and to grab any needed last minute frames or easels.