QR code for wedding photos: how to set one up

A QR code for wedding photos is a printed code that guests scan with their phone camera to reach a page where they can upload their pictures. To set one up, choose where the photos will go, create the code for that link, print it large enough to scan, and place it where guests sit or wait.

What the code should link to

A QR code is only a link in a form a camera can read. What matters is where the link leads. There are three common choices.

Where a wedding photo QR code can lead
Destination	Guests need	You get
A shared cloud folder	An account with that service in many cases, and some patience	Files in a folder; everyone with the link can usually see everything
A photo sharing app	To install the app, often to register	Depends on the app
A browser upload page	Only a phone browser	One private gallery; you choose what guests can see

How to make the code

Decide where photos go and copy the link to that page.
Create the QR code from the link. With a guest photo service the code is made for you; for any other link you can use a free QR code generator.
Test it with two different phones before you print anything.
Print it, and add one line of plain instruction such as “Scan to share your photos”.

How big to print it

A code that is too small is the most common reason guests give up. As a working rule, make the code at least one tenth as wide as the distance it will be scanned from: about 3 cm on a table card read at arm's length, and about 20 cm on a sign read from two metres. Leave a white margin around it and print dark on light.

Where to put it

On each table, on a card or folded tent.
On the welcome sign at the entrance.
At the bar and near the dance floor, where people wait and take pictures.
On the back of the order of service or the menu.
In the message you send the day after, for guests who forgot.

How to get more guests to scan

Say it out loud. A sentence from the person leading the evening does more than any sign. Ask early, before dinner, and remind people once more late in the night. Tell guests that videos are welcome too, and that nothing needs to be installed.

From PhotosPlease

A QR code that is ready when your event is

When you create an event in PhotosPlease, its QR code already exists. It leads to a browser upload page, so guests need no app and no account. You can download the code as PNG or SVG, or print one of the ready-made poster and table card layouts with your names and date.

See how PhotosPlease works

Questions and answers

How do I make a QR code for wedding photos?

Pick the page where photos should go, turn its link into a QR code, test it and print it. A guest photo service creates the code for you when you create your event.

Is a QR code for wedding photos free?

Making a QR code from a link costs nothing. What may cost money is the service that receives and stores the photos.

Do guests need an app to scan it?

No. The camera on current iPhones and Android phones reads QR codes directly.

Where should I put the QR code at the wedding?

On every table and at the entrance at least. Add the bar and the dance floor if you can.

What size should the QR code be?

About one tenth of the scanning distance: roughly 3 cm on a table card and 20 cm on a sign read from two metres.

Can I put the QR code on the invitation?

Yes, but guests have few photos before the day. It works better on the tables, and in a message afterwards.

Will the QR code stop working?

A code keeps working while its link works. Check how long the service behind the link keeps the page open.

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Guests scan, pick their photos and upload. No app, no guest account.

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