The Photo Dump Is Trending—Here's How to Do One After Your Wedding

In the old days, your mom and grandmother may have stacked a bunch of photo albums in a dusty corner in the house. If you were to drop all of the print photos on the floor, it would be a vintage version of a photo dump. Today, social media has created an outlet to publish many photos and videos all in one place. While you can just post photos one by one on your feed, the latest trend is to post a bunch of pics all at once. Not only is this strategy fun to do for your day-to-day social posts, but it’s an excellent way to show off your wedding photos in one place without them completely overrunning your Instagram grid. While you can post those professional shots from the day, it's also a fun way to curate photos taken throughout the day from guests.

“The photo dump trend is when a person takes multiple pictures from a certain time or an event and they ‘dump’ them onto social media via Instagram in a carousel,” says Cassandra Richardson, certified wedding planner. “You can view photo dumping for weddings as the modern-day version of placing a disposable camera on the guest’s table. This is a great way for couples to see authentic moments from their wedding and guests can contribute to the documentation of the day.”

If you’re preparing for your wedding, you can get organized ahead of time to make sure its possible to create own Instagram photo dump experience.

Getting to Know Photo Dumps

One thing we love about the Instagram photo dump trend is it doesn't only focus on those beautifully posed photos. They often share fun, authentic moments captured from a time frame or event. Since you'll be busy saying "I do," you can rely on photos taken by your guests to find these moments later on.

Hashtags are key to searching for your wedding on social. “To get started creating a photo dump, the couple should create a custom hashtag that will be used for their wedding,” says Richardson. “That hashtag can be placed all around the ceremony and reception sites. Examples of where they can list their hashtag would be on the program, placed at each guest table, in the restroom (I love to have it written on the mirror), and especially at the bar. An easy way to remind the guests to use it is for the DJ to periodically mention it. The couple can also collect photos by mentioning them when they send their thank you notes to their guests. After thanking them for their gift or attending, they can add a note on the bottom that says 'Don't forget to share your photos!'"

After your big day, sort through your hashtag, find your favorites, and select a few to repost in a carousel post (or multiple if you want to share more). Then, once your professional wedding photos come in, you can create new carousels of posts to show off to your followers without bombarding their feeds. Try to highlight major points in the day that show a variety of great moments that you know your friends and family will want to see from that first kiss to cutting the cake.

Learn to Edit

Having a ton of photos to sort through can be time consuming and potentially overwhelming. “It can be a bit tedious to be tagged constantly on Instagram while your guests are dumping their photos,” says Richardson. The key here is to edit. Just as you might not want to repost all of the Instagram stories you were tagged in from your wedding day, you definitely want to make sure your photo dump doesn't go overboard. Post what feels most meaningful to you—even if it is an absolutely goofy pic of you and your new spouse on the dance floor.

Don’t Forget the Authentic Moments

That said, those candid wedding moments are timeless and probably will always be treasured, even in the days of social media filtering and editing. “When I am a guest at a wedding, I like to remember to authentically share the details,” says Richardson. “To capture beloved photos of someone's wedding as a guest, I like to shoot authentic moments such as a grandparent crying or hugs shared between family members. I also recommend taking a group shot of your table and photos of the event taken from a different angle. I have been known to stand on a chair to get a fantastic shot of the couple’s guests tearing it up on the dance floor."

So, take a peek at those hashtags and find the best pics that tell the real story behind your wedding. Those moments will definitely earn you a double-tap.