Like many wedding couples your search has probably led you to the decision (read: dilemma) of choosing between digital files and prints of your wedding day. If you feel like you just need digital files and it seems like photographers I trying to get you to order prints, you aren’t alone. We’ve made a quick comparison between digital and print and you can decide on their value yourself.
DIGITAL FILES OF YOUR WEDDING
Digital files are probably what you want. Just think about all those family photos you’ve taken over the years. Folder and folders of files from vacations, birthdays, and other get-togethers. You may even share some of them on Facebook or Instagram for others to recall those memories too.
What should make your wedding any different, right?
There are a lot of good reasons to have digital files and I believe you really should have them. Here are the best reasons for having digital files:
- to share them easily with friends and family
- so you can access them when you’re out and about
- as backup in case anything should happen
PHYSICAL PRINTS OF YOUR WEDDING
There’s something you need to know about prints. Photographers will offer them to you to make more money. Oh, the horror!
I’m being incredibly light-hearted when I say these things. Everyone needs to make a living and the truth is that a lot of wedding photographers in the Greater Toronto Area probably aren’t getting paid as much as they should be anyway. That’s for another post though. Just trust me though.
Prints include simple prints on photo paper to art pieces like the one above. This was a collage that was beautifully frames and used during the wedding reception for guests to sign and write messages around. Everyone absolutely loved it and it’s now something the couple can hang in their home to remember all the love that was shared on their wedding. Where would you hang it in your home?
Even though “print” doesn’t sound very sexy, they’re good because:
- they’re a beautiful way of decorating your home
- when you see them everyday they’ll bring a smile to your faces
- they can also be used as backups (it’s more likely that your hard drive will fail than your house will burn down…I think…I hope?)
THE DIFFERENCE
Hopefully after this brief article you’ve figured out what you really want. Of course, it’s all based on preference and what you value.
You can find a ton of wedding photographers in the Greater Toronto Area that are relatively cheap and will just give you digital files. On the other hand, there are just a handful of photographers that provide full-service, boutique services. One reason is that only a handful of couples really care about having beautiful images in their homes and the other reason is that these photographers can’t take on as many weddings during the year.
Of course, there are also photographers inbetween the two extremes.
MY CHOICE AND RECOMMENDATION
For me personally, I like to have all the digital files as backups in case anything goes wrong and to be able have them on my phone. They don’t have to be full sized images (trust me…you don’t want those). For the average couple, you just need a resolution/size that looks good on your phones, tablets, laptops, and/or computers.
Then I like to turn a few of my favourite images into very special pieces for my home. This includes beautiful, simple frames or more unique displays like acrylic prints with standoff mounts for a gallery-like look.
If you’re like me then you probably want to check out our work. If not, check out our recommended process on how to find your wedding photographer in the GTA as quickly and painlessly as possible!
If you know any other engaged couples don’t forget to share this article with them too. You know just how stressful this can all be!
Still don’t know what you want or have other questions? Just drop us a line by commenting below or sending us a message directly.
Jonathan How is the photographer behind Made by Ten and calls Milton his home. He specializes in creating beautiful, creative portraits of real women. He uses photography (and this blog) to help them build confidence and love for themselves and creates artistic images for their homes and offices. You can see him driving around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Ontario, Canada from portrait to fashion shoot and back again.