You just finished editing a wedding gallery — 800 images, each meticulously color-graded and retouched. The couple is eager to see them. Now comes the question every wedding photographer faces: how do you get 15GB of high-resolution images from your computer to the client’s device without anything going wrong?

Email is out of the question. iMessage compresses every photo. Dropbox’s free tier cannot hold the gallery. And asking the couple to create an account on yet another platform is a terrible first impression.

Here is how to deliver wedding galleries that look professional, arrive at full quality, and keep your clients’ private images secure.

What Wedding Clients Expect

Modern wedding clients expect:

• Full-resolution images — no compression, no downscaling
• Easy access — click a link, download, done
• Privacy — these are intimate moments, not meant for public consumption
• Re-downloadability — they will want to access the gallery again for album orders, prints, and anniversary throwbacks

Any delivery method that fails on even one of these points creates friction and erodes trust.

The Best Delivery Methods

Option 1: Link-Based File Sharing (Recommended)

Upload the gallery and generate a download link. The client clicks the link in any browser and downloads full-resolution files.

Why this works for weddings:

• No account required — the couple (and family members they share with) just clicks a link
• No compression — every image arrives at the quality you edited
• End-to-end encryption — the gallery is encrypted before upload, protecting intimate images
• Permanent links — the couple can re-download for prints, albums, or sharing with family months later

How to do it with Stash:

1. Export your edited gallery to a folder on your Mac
2. Upload the files through Stash
3. Copy the share link
4. Send the link to the couple with a message like: “Your wedding gallery is ready! Click the link below to download all 800 images at full resolution.”

The files are encrypted on your Mac before upload, and the client downloads them in their browser without installing anything.

Option 2: Cloud Storage Shared Folder

Upload to Google Drive or Dropbox and share the folder with the client.

Pros: Works well if the client already uses the platform. Supports folder organization.

Cons: Free tier limits (2GB Dropbox, 15GB Google Drive). Client may need an account. No end-to-end encryption — the provider can access the photos.

Option 3: Physical USB Drive

Copy the gallery to a USB drive and hand-deliver or mail it.

Pros: No internet required. Full quality guaranteed. Tangible keepsake for the couple.

Cons: Requires physical logistics. No re-download option if the drive is lost. No encryption unless you add it manually.

Protecting Client Privacy

Wedding photos are deeply personal. A leaked gallery is not just embarrassing — it violates the trust the couple placed in you. Here is how to protect their privacy:

• Use end-to-end encryption — services like Stash encrypt files on your device. Even if the cloud server is breached, the photos remain unreadable.
• Share links privately — send the download link directly to the couple, not in a group chat or social media post
• Delete after delivery — once the couple confirms receipt, remove the gallery from the sharing service
• Watermark proofs — if you share preview images before the final delivery, watermark them to discourage premature sharing

Organizing the Gallery for Delivery

A well-organized delivery impresses clients and reduces confusion:

Johnson_Wedding_2026-01-15/
├── Full_Resolution/
│   ├── Ceremony/
│   ├── Reception/
│   ├── Portraits/
│   └── Details/
└── Social_Media_Sized/
    └── (optional lower-res copies for Instagram, etc.)

Include a brief note explaining:

• How many total images are included
• What resolution/format the images are in
• How to contact you for print orders or questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I keep client wedding galleries available?

Best practice is to keep the download link active for at least 3–6 months after delivery, as clients often need to re-download for print orders or album design. With a permanent-link service like Stash, you can keep the gallery available indefinitely and delete it when you need the storage.

Should I deliver RAW files to wedding clients?

Most wedding clients want edited, export-ready images (JPEG or TIFF), not RAW files. RAW delivery is typically an additional paid service. If you do deliver RAW files, use a sharing method that handles large file sizes (RAW wedding galleries can exceed 100GB).

What resolution should wedding photos be delivered at?

Deliver at full resolution (the native resolution of your camera) with no downsampling. This ensures the client can make large prints. For social media sharing, you can optionally include a second folder with lower-resolution copies.

What if the couple wants to share the gallery link with family?

That is fine — and one of the advantages of link-based sharing. The couple can forward the download link to parents, grandparents, and the wedding party. With a permanent link, everyone can download on their own schedule without the couple needing to manage re-sharing.