How to prepare a wedding slideshow: photos, order and length

Short answer: for a wedding slideshow of about 3–4 minutes, prepare 30–40 photos in three chapters (one for each partner, one for you together), around 8–12 photos per chapter, in chronological order. This is how Dear Ever recommends preparing a grow-up slideshow.

How to make a DIY wedding slideshow

You can make your own wedding slideshow with a presentation tool or video-editing app. Group the photos into chapters, set the timing and transitions, add names and music, then export and test the film at your venue. Before choosing an app, check its 1080p MP4 export, watermark rules and whether the music licence covers your intended use.

1. Prepare the photos: collect childhood photos and pictures together, scan old prints and sort them by year.
2. Build a draft: add names, timing and music. Watch it through and remove repeated photos or moments that linger too long.
3. Export and test: check the picture, sound and watermarks, then play the file on the venue's actual equipment.

DIY suits couples who want to control each transition and frame. With Dear Ever, you choose and order the photos; we arrange the camera, pacing and music. Preview free; the final film is HK$599. See the price and what's included.

How many photos does a wedding slideshow need?

Dear Ever recommends around 30–40 photos for a film of roughly 3–4 minutes; the actual length follows the photo count. Around 8–12 photos per chapter keeps the story balanced, and each chapter needs at least one.

Too few photos and the story jumps; too many and the film runs long enough for guests to drift. Choose fewer, stronger moments.

What order should the photos go in?

A Dear Ever film has three chapters. Each opens with a name, then begins from that chapter's first photo:

1. The bride: baby photos, childhood, school, graduation and early working life, in chronological order.
2. The groom: the same journey, so the two stories mirror each other.
3. Together: how you met, dating, travels, the proposal and everyday moments, ending with who you are today.

The first photo of each chapter appears first, so choose a clear, representative one, such as a baby photo or your first picture together.

How to choose photos for a growing-up slideshow

• Clear faces matter more than perfect composition.
• Cover every stage of life rather than clustering around a few years.
• From similar shots of the same moment, keep only the best one.
• Include the people who matter: parents, siblings and close friends give guests something to recognise.
• JPG, PNG and HEIC files all work, and your original photos are kept intact.

How to digitise old printed photos

• With a scanner, scan at 600 dpi or more, especially for small prints.
• With a phone, lay the print flat in soft natural light and shoot straight on, avoiding glare and shadows, or use your phone's document-scan mode to crop the edges.
• Take photos out of album sleeves where possible; plastic sleeves reflect light.

Dear Ever never redraws or "restores" photos with generative AI. People and content stay exactly as in the original, so scan quality directly shapes the final film.

How long should a wedding slideshow be?

Dear Ever recommends about 3–4 minutes: long enough to tell both stories without holding up the reception. In Hong Kong, grow-up slideshows are often played before the couple's entrance or midway through the banquet; confirm the slot with your coordinator or MC.

Opening names and music

Your names appear on the opening title in English or Chinese, up to 24 characters each. Each style comes with a default piano soundtrack, or you can upload your own song (MP3, M4A or WAV, up to 20 MB, at least 30 seconds), confirming you have the right to use it.

What to test before the reception

The final film is a 1920 × 1080 (1080p) MP4. Before the wedding:

1. Give the file to your venue and confirm their player supports MP4.
2. Play it once on the venue's actual computer and screen, checking the picture and the volume.
3. Keep two backups, such as a USB drive and a cloud link.

When to start preparing

Collecting and scanning old photos usually takes longest, especially when albums are with family. Start gathering about a month before the wedding, leaving time to review a draft preview, create the final film and test it at the venue.