# Wedding slideshows: how to make one, song ideas and live slideshows > There are two kinds of wedding slideshow: a story slideshow of the two of you, made before the day, and a live slideshow that shows guests' photos on a screen as they share them. For a story slideshow, pick 60 to 90 photos at about four seconds each, keep it to three to five minutes, and test it at the venue. Updated 7 October 2026 · 5 min read · By the DropSnaps team · https://dropsnaps.com/guides/wedding-slideshow There are two kinds of wedding slideshow, and they do different jobs. A **story slideshow** is a few minutes of photos of the two of you, made before the day and shown at the reception. A **live slideshow** shows guests' photos on a screen as they share them during the day. This guide covers how to make the first, how to set up the second, and the songs, timings and equipment for both. ## How to make a wedding story slideshow 1. **Gather the photos.** Childhood photos of each of you, the early days, holidays, the proposal, family and friends. Ask parents for the old ones; photograph prints on your phone in good light. 2. **Pick the best 60 to 90.** About four seconds per photo keeps it moving: 75 photos make a five-minute slideshow. 3. **Put them in order.** Chronological works best: two separate childhoods that come together. 4. **Choose the music** to fit the length (ideas below). 5. **Build it.** Google Photos, Apple Photos, PowerPoint, Keynote, Canva and iMovie can all make a slideshow with music. Keep transitions simple. 6. **Export it as a video** in 1080p, and keep a copy on a USB stick as well as on the laptop. 7. **Test it at the venue** with their screen and speakers. > **Keep it short.** Three to five minutes holds a room's attention; ten feels long, however lovely the photos. ## When to show it - **During the drinks reception**, on a loop in the background. - **Just before the speeches**, as an introduction. - **During the evening**, on a screen by the bar. ## Song ideas for a wedding slideshow Choose songs that mean something to you, or start from these favourites: - "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley - "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane - "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers - "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran - "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles - "Grow Old with You" by Adam Sandler - "Count on Me" by Bruno Mars - "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" by Natalie Cole - "In My Life" by The Beatles Two songs of two to three minutes each usually fit a five-minute slideshow. ## The live slideshow: guests' photos as they happen A live slideshow is the guests' version: everyone scans a QR code and their photos appear on the screen within moments. With DropSnaps it runs full screen in a browser, shows newly shared photos first, and keeps a QR code in the corner so anyone watching can join in. You can choose a classic, collage or polaroid look. ![A sample wedding's TV slideshow in the collage look](https://dropsnaps.com/examples/slideshow-collage.webp "The live slideshow: guests' photos as they share them, with the QR code in the corner") Many couples run both: the story slideshow once, before the speeches, and the live slideshow for the rest of the evening. See our [live photo wall guide](https://dropsnaps.com/guides/wedding-live-photo-wall) for the set-up. ## Equipment for any slideshow - A TV or projector and a screen the room can see - A laptop with the slideshow on it, plus a USB copy - An HDMI cable and a power lead - Speakers, if there's music (check with the band or DJ) - Sleep and screensaver switched off ## Make a slideshow from the day itself After the wedding, download all your guests' photos and pick the favourites for an anniversary slideshow or a thank-you video. Our [wedding photo ideas](https://dropsnaps.com/guides/wedding-photo-ideas) and the [complete guide to wedding photo sharing](https://dropsnaps.com/guides/wedding-photo-sharing) have more. Try DropSnaps free at https://dropsnaps.com/, or open the live demo (a sample wedding) at https://dropsnaps.com/e/demo. ## Questions and answers ### How long should a wedding slideshow be? Three to five minutes holds a room's attention: about 60 to 90 photos at four seconds each. Ten minutes feels long, however lovely the photos. ### How do I display guests' photos at the reception? Run a live slideshow from a photo-sharing page on the venue's TV or projector. Guests' photos appear as they share them, with the QR code in the corner so more people join in.