How to collect wedding guest photos with a QR code

What you need before you start

• An estimate of how many guests will take part (not only how many are invited).
• A way to print small cards, or a venue or stationer who can do it.
• One reliable helper, such as a bridesmaid, cousin or friend, to remind guests on the day.

Step by step: set it up

1. Create the event. Give it a name and the date, and say roughly how many guests will join.
2. Pick a plan that fits your guest count. With Valere your first event is free for up to 5 guests, which is enough to test the whole flow before you pay for a bigger one.
3. Download the QR code. Valere gives you a printable QR code as soon as the event exists.
4. Test it. Scan the code with the phone camera on an iPhone and an Android phone, take a photo, and check it lands in the gallery.
5. Print your table cards (see the next section).
6. Tell guests about it, then download the photos as a ZIP after the wedding.

Where to put the QR code

People will only scan what they see at the moment they are holding their phone. A rough guide:

• One card on every guest table, standing up where people can see it from their seat.
• A larger sign at the bar and the welcome table, where people queue with their phones out.
• A line and the code on the programme or order of service.
• A small sign near the dance floor or photo corner, so late-night photos are collected too.

Print the code at least 4 cm wide with dark ink on a light, matte background. Glossy card and candle glare make codes harder to scan. Add one plain sentence, such as "Scan to add your photos to our wedding gallery."

What your guests experience

1. They point the phone camera at the code and tap the link that appears.
2. The upload page opens in the phone’s browser. There is nothing to install and nothing to sign up for.
3. They take a photo with the built-in camera, or choose photos from their camera roll.
4. The photos upload to the shared gallery, which guests can browse as it fills up.

Valere gives each guest a set number of photos, a bit like a disposable camera. That ranges from 5 on the free plan to 50 on the largest. If a guest opens the link inside another app, such as Instagram, and the camera will not start, they can pick photos from their camera roll or open the link in their phone’s browser.

Do guests need an app?

Not with a browser-based QR page. The guest scans, the page opens, and they upload. Some disposable-camera style apps do ask every guest to install an app first, which many people skip. See the comparison of photo sharing options for the trade-offs.

Tips that get more guests uploading

• Assign a helper. Ask one person to nudge tables, check that uploads are arriving and help older guests.
• Remind people at the speeches. Ask the MC to mention it when people are seated and relaxed, and again before the dancing starts.
• Open the event early. Getting-ready photos and the lead-up are often the ones nobody else captures.
• Keep a backup. After the wedding, download the full ZIP and keep it on two devices or drives.

Privacy: who can see and add photos

Treat the QR code like a key. Anyone who has the code or link can add photos, so share it with your guests rather than posting it publicly. Read our privacy policy and terms to see how Valere handles photos.

Where Valere fits (our product)