Creating a QR Code for Wedding Guests to Upload Photos
You want your wedding guests to be able to share all their photos and videos with you from your special day, right? There are a lot of apps and companies out there that offer this service, however, I think it's only fair for you to know that you can do this quite easily on your own, and completely free!
Step 1: Create a Shared Google Photos Album
If you already have a Gmail account, you can easily create a new album on Google Photos via your computer here, or on your phone you can download the Google Photos app.
When you have logged in with your Google account, you can create a new album for your wedding photos. Give the album a name, and make sure to turn on link sharing in the album settings so that guests will be able to access it.
You will then be given a link to this album, highlight and copy this link. This album is where all the photos and videos from your big day will be collected.
Step 2: Generate a QR Code
Now you need to create a QR code that links to your Google Photos album. This is how your guests will access the album and upload their photos.
You can use any free online QR code generator for this, however I would advise using either Adobe (if you have an Adobe log-in) or Vistaprint (which requires no log-in). Whatever QR code generator site you use, just make sure that it isn’t a temporary code that will expire. Then all you need to do is paste the link to your shared Google Photos album into the generator, and it will create a QR code for you.
At this stage, make sure you save the QR code to your phone or computer so you don’t lose it. And make sure to test it by scanning it with a phone to make sure it has correctly linked to your Google Photos album.
Step 3: Print and Display Your QR Code
If you have a printer at home, you can easily print out the QR code. Just think about the size of the print (not too big as the QR code might blur, and not too small to be able to scan) and how many you would like to have out, I’d advise at least 2 so that they definitely get seen.
If you don’t have access to a printer, there are plenty of good online print companies (Printed, VistaPrint, Snapfish) you could use to create a poster for this QR code, be sure to include a description of what it is next to the QR Code for your guests.
I would also advise, if possible, printing it onto card instead of paper, to give a little nicer quality and have your sign feel more sturdy. You will also want to think about how you want to display them, maybe in a nice frame that matches your decor plans.
You can then display the QR code at your wedding reception, for example on the tables or at the bar. Your guests will scan the QR code with their smartphones and upload their photos and videos directly to your Google Photos album quickly and easily, without needing to download an app!
Bonus Tip: QR Code for Honeymoon Donations
If you’re thinking of asking for donations towards your honeymoon instead of traditional gifts, you may want to consider generating a QR code that leads guests to a convenient way of sending you money.
If you have a PayPal account, Paypal.me is a super easy way for people to send money to you, and is becoming more common place at weddings. This can help take the awkwardness out of asking for money, especially as not everyone has cash with them these days.
When you log in to your PayPal Account you can create your paypal.me username, and then that username becomes your payment link, for example: paypal.me/YOURUSERNAME. Or if you are on your phone you will find Paypal has its own personalised QR Code for your payment page. In the Paypal app, just click on the scan icon in the top right, click your code, and then save it to your phone from there.