Comparing Options for Ordering Wedding Prints: From CVS and Target to Shutterfly and Professional Photo Labs

After weeks of anticipation, you finally get to see all the edited photos from your wedding day. Whether it’s through an online gallery or a download link, it can feel a little underwhelming—there’s nothing physical in your hands to show for it. Sure, you technically “own” the photos digitally, but to me, truly owning them means holding them as prints.

So, what’s next?

Ideally, your photographer provided an online gallery with options to download and print the photos you want. If that’s the case, you’re home free! However, if all you received was a basic, uneventful download link with no further guidance, you might be wondering what to do next. And that’s why you’re here. But before I dive into my recommendations for the best places to print, let’s clear up one quick thing.

Printing at Your Local Drug Store vs A Pro Photo Print Lab

For convenience and affordability, local drug stores like CVS, Walmart, Target, and Walgreens are great for printing photos. You can easily upload your photos online and pick them up within an hour. However, keep in mind that most drug store labs automatically apply color-correction, which may alter the look of your professionally edited wedding photos, giving them an overly filtered appearance.

That's not to say however that people don't use CVS to print their photos. In fact, according to an article published on CNN Business, retailers such as CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and surprisingly Alberton's, reported $785 million in print sales in 2022, producing roughly 4.2 billion 4x6 prints

Pro labs, on the other hand, offer top-notch print quality without auto-corrections unless requested, and they often provide a wider range of options. If you live near a pro lab, you may be able to pick up your prints in person, though usually with a 48-hour turnaround. Pro labs do come at a higher price, and many require a minimum purchase for discounts, plus shipping costs, but the results are well worth it if you’re after high-quality, lasting prints.

If you’d rather support a mom-and-pop lab, hop on Google Maps, type in “photo lab,” and call to see if they offer photo printing. You can also check out a recent article by The New York Times, which conducted a blind test comparing print quality across various photo labs—Nations Photo Lab came out on top.

Best Pro Labs to Print Your Wedding Photos

To ensure the best quality photo prints, professional photographers nationwide trust the following photo labs to print your wedding photos:

WHCC・ProDPI・Printique・Color Services・ProLabPrints・The Darkroom・Richard Photo Lab・Bay Photo Lab・Nations Photo Lab・Miller’s Pro Imaging・Fromex Photo・Samy’s Camera

In the end, choosing where to print your wedding and family photos comes down to what matters most to you. Whether you go for the convenience and affordability of local drug stores or the superior quality of professional labs, the key is preserving these memories in a tangible form. Because there’s something undeniably special about holding a photo in your hands that digital files will never match.