So it’s been several weeks since your wedding, and you have been absolutely on the edge of your seat. You’ve probably seen a few previews from your photographer (if it’s me, you’ve definitely seen some previews) and you can’t wait to see the rest. You see that email drop into your inbox and trust me, I know you want to click it and look through the photos right away!

But let me tell you something: there is a right way to view your gallery for the first time! Let’s talk about it:

 

Trust me, don’t open the gallery right when you get it!

Take a few minutes to think about who you want to view your photos with, and on what screen. Don’t look at them on your phone for the first time if you can help it! Put them on the biggest screen you have so that you can really immerse yourself in reliving the day.

 

You’ve gotta make it a date.

Viewing your wedding gallery is actually a really special occasion for you and your new spouse! It’s basically the last step of your wedding experience together, and the you only get to view them for the first time once. So wait until they’re free and not distracted, and view the photos then. Get cozy with a bottle of wine and some snacks (my follow-up advice would be to avoid garlic and onion goodies since you may feel like squealing in each others’ faces with excitement) and find a comfy spot in front of the screen.

 

Don’t wait to pick your favorites.

Do not – I repeat, DO NOT – skip this step. Your first impression of your photographs is going to be so valuable as you go back in later and choose photos to print and frame or include in your wedding album. There will be a lot of photos in your gallery, and going back to try to find that one photo that you thought was so perfect could feel overwhelming! This time you’ve created for yourself to take your time looking is your chance to choose the ones you love and make it easier on your future-self. Use the little heart icon (or whatever your photographers’ gallery service offers for selecting favorites) as you move through your photographs!

 

Lastly, get into the right frame of mind.

The discussion about the way we see ourselves in real life vs. the way we look in photographs can often be a little bit of an elephant in the room. But this is something that I feel is so incredibly important to think about before viewing your gallery, so I’m gonna go there.

I’ve never seen a bride who wasn’t beautiful or a groom who wasn’t dapper as hell on their wedding day. Even though this point is last on my list, in some ways your most important job while looking at your wedding gallery is to remember to set aside any of negative things that you know you tend to focus on. Instead, focus on the absolute mountain of things about you that make you beautiful and made your wedding day perfect. Try to see yourself through your spouse’s eyes. Be kind to yourself, and remind yourself that anything that went wrong on your wedding day didn’t stop you from getting married (and it certainly will make your stories more interesting when you’re re-telling them to your grandkids someday)!