How to Create a Wedding Slideshow

Wow your wedding guests with an impressive visual presentation

By Gwen Wark

Photo by iStockphoto.com

A wedding slideshow visually chronicles the relationship of a bride and groom through photos, and is often shown at a couple's rehearsal dinner or at the wedding reception. You can create a wedding slideshow on either a PC or a Mac, using photo-editing software that is capable of producing slideshows. The best way to display a wedding slideshow is on a projector, which is usually connected to a laptop computer or a DVD player. After the wedding, the slideshow is a romantic keepsake to remind the couple of their past.

• What You Need to Know
• You will need photo editing software that allows you to create slideshows.
• For wedding slideshows, there are many software features that prove useful. Look for software with themed templates and title-screens, as well as built-in transitions and the ability to import audio.
• All of your photos must be in a digital format, so have your hard copies scanned or buy a scanner and scan photos yourself.
• Audio must be in digital format, so gather MP3s or WAV files for the background music you want in your slideshow.

Step 1:

Gather digital photographs to be used in the slideshow. Ask the bride and groom, as well their friends and relatives, for digital photo files (JPEGs or GIFs). Get pictures that show the lives of the bride and groom, from childhood to adulthood and everything in between. Save photos in an easily accessible folder on your hard drive.

Step 2:

If you receive hard copies, scan any non-digital photographs into a digital format so that you can import them into your slideshow. This can be done with a flatbed scanner or by a professional photo lab as long as the photos are not copyright restricted.

Step 3:

Organize the photos into chapters. For a wedding slideshow, it's a good idea to start with individual chapters for the bride and groom -- these include photos from before they met. Follow with two chapters of the bride and groom together after they met: one chapter with family and friends and a final chapter with shots that include only the engaged couple.

Step 4:

Organize each chapter chronologically and rename the photos in numerical order. This way, when you import the photos into your software, they will open in the correct display order.

Step 5:

Import photos and music into your slideshow software. Most applications will allow you to set the length of time that you would like each slide to display, so time your images to fit with your music. Aim to spend two to three minutes per chapter and around 10 minutes for the entire presentation.

Step 6:

Add transitions between pictures and title screens between chapters. Don't forget to add opening and closing title screens, which should display longer than other slides (10-15 seconds is a good length for these "bookend" title screens).

Step 7:

Once your photos, music, title screens, and transitions are all set and in the appropriate order, preview your slideshow in the software program. Retool your slideshow until you are satisfied, then export into a movie file when you are finished. If you're unsure which format works best, your best bet is to burn the slideshow onto a DVD. That way, you can play your DVD on your laptop or DVD player at the venue.

• Tips & Warnings
• Check with your venue to see what kind of audio/visual setup they have. They should also be able to advise you on the best export format for your slideshow.
• Show up to the venue an hour before guests arrive to test the audio/video system.
• Examine each photograph, making sure that it is at least 72 dpi in resolution for optimal display quality.
• If you are not comfortable creating your own slideshow on software, hire a video production company to produce one for you.
• Music is key to a great slideshow, so ask the couples to choose songs. Good slideshow songs include recognizable Motown classics and romantic contemporary hits.