How do wedding photographers and videographers back up your photos and film?

The short answer

A wedding only happens once, so we take care to keep everything in more than one place. On the day we bring backup cameras and kit, and our main cameras record to two memory cards. After the wedding we make two separate backups on hard drives, and one copy is kept in a fireproof safe.

The rest of this guide goes through each step, and finishes with how to keep your own copy safe once your gallery arrives.

On the day: two cards and backup kit

Our main cameras record to two memory cards, which helps protect your photographs and footage on the day. We also bring backup cameras and kit, to help protect the day if a piece of equipment goes wrong.

None of this is something you will notice. It sits quietly behind a day that feels calm and unscripted, which is exactly how it should be.

If you book the team, two of us work at once, each capturing a different medium and often sharing angles, so the day is also covered by more than one person.

After the day: two separate backups

After the wedding we make two separate backups of everything on hard drives, and one copy is kept in a fireproof safe. Your photographs and film are therefore stored in more than one place.

Everything is then edited in-house. A complete photo gallery takes around two full working days to edit, and each video cut takes around four working days.

Your photographs then arrive first, followed by the highlight film and then the documentary, roughly a month between each piece. In peak summer months the timings can change, because we are busy with admin, travelling to weddings, capturing them and editing.

We usually keep the backups until all of your content has been delivered, so ask us if you have any questions about timing. Our advice is still to keep your own copies safe once your photographs and films arrive.

Insurance

Backups look after your files. We also have full indemnity and public liability insurance, should your venue require it.

If your venue asks about it, mention it when you book.

If someone could not be there

The other thing worth protecting is the day itself. In over 400 weddings we have never missed a day through illness or any other factor, and we plan ahead for every eventuality, with a network of photographer and videographer friends who would step in at a moment’s notice.

Our guide to what happens if your photographer or videographer is ill explains how we plan, including leaving a huge buffer on the morning of the wedding.

Keeping your own copy safe

Your photographs arrive in a private online gallery, and your films come with online viewing, both with digital downloads. Online galleries for new couples are guaranteed for two years, and we typically leave them up beyond that until the space is needed, but you should always back up your own images.

Download everything as soon as your links arrive, and keep copies in two different places, such as a hard drive and a cloud account. Our guide to printing and sharing your wedding photos explains your rights and how to use them.

If you are still deciding

When you compare photographers and videographers, ask each how their files are backed up on the day and afterwards, whether they are insured and how long your online gallery stays available. Our guide to questions to ask a wedding photographer has more to compare.

When you are ready, send an enquiry with your date and venue and we will reply within a few hours. An enquiry does not reserve your date; the £120 deposit does, once you are happy to go ahead.

Questions couples ask