Creating A Wedding Slideshow: Free, Easy, Musical

Wedding slideshows are a great way to showcase your love story and engage your guests. Creating a wedding slideshow with music can be done for free using various online tools and software. These tools offer customisable templates, drag-and-drop interfaces, and options to add photos, videos, music, text, and animations. You can also upload your own content and choose from a variety of music tracks to make your slideshow unique and entertaining. Whether you're a DIY enthusiast or prefer a professional finish, creating a wedding slideshow with music for free is achievable with the right tools and creative ideas.

Pick a free slideshow maker

There are several free slideshow makers available online that can help you create a wedding slideshow with music. Here are some options to consider:

Smilebox:

Smilebox offers a free online wedding slideshow maker with loads of options for music, colours, text, and animation. It provides professionally-designed templates to make your slideshow stand out and has an easy drag-and-drop interface. You can also caption your photos and share your creation via social media. Smilebox is designed for ease of use and offers a wide range of customisation options. You can choose from various wedding slideshow templates and add photos from your computer, phone, or social media accounts.

Animaker:

Animaker is another free online platform that provides 500+ wedding slideshow templates. It offers a simple four-step process to create your slideshow. You can start with an empty canvas or choose from the available templates. You can then drag and drop your desired photos, videos, and music or utilise the thousands of assets in their library. Animaker also allows you to upload your own songs and offers a collection of royalty-free music tracks to choose from. Once you're done, you can download the slideshow or share it on social media directly from the platform.

Fastreel by Movavi:

Fastreel is an easy-to-use wedding video maker with ready-made templates. It allows you to create atmospheric titles, backgrounds, and music for your slideshow. You can experiment with different online templates and include photos and videos to tell your love story. Fastreel also suggests including pictures of important people in your life, in addition to the happy couple, to make the slideshow more engaging.

Canva, iMovie, PowerPoint, and Adobe Express:

These are popular apps and software programs recommended by wedding experts. Canva offers a user-friendly interface for creating visually appealing presentations, while iMovie and Adobe Express provide robust video editing tools. PowerPoint is another familiar option, easily accessible on most computers, but be sure to avoid business-oriented layouts to prevent your slideshow from resembling a work presentation.

Each of these free slideshow makers offers unique features and customisation options to help you create a memorable wedding slideshow. Choose the one that best suits your needs and preferences, and start crafting your special slideshow today!

Select a template

When selecting a template for your wedding slideshow, it's important to consider the overall theme and style of your wedding, as well as your personal taste. The right template will enhance the visual appeal and impact of your slideshow, making it memorable for you and your guests. Here are some tips and options to help you choose:

• Smilebox: Smilebox offers a wide range of professionally-designed wedding slideshow templates that are easy to use and customise. You can choose from various themes, add photos, captions, colours, animations, and select music from their library or upload your own. Smilebox also allows you to share your slideshow easily via social media or email.
• Animotica: This software is ideal for Windows 10 users and supports both pictures and video clips. Animotica provides features like photo backgrounds, text overlays, and stickers to enhance your slideshow. It's a good option if you want to add creative elements to your visuals.
• Animoto: Animoto is a free online video maker with simple drag-and-drop tools. While they don't specialise in weddings, they offer beautiful wedding templates to create a polished slideshow. You can upload your photos and video clips, add text, music, and share your creation via email or social media.
• Adobe Spark: As Adobe's free tool for creating photo slideshows, Adobe Spark offers professionally designed templates and graphic elements. However, their focus is more on business-oriented slideshows, so you may need to adapt their templates to suit your wedding theme.
• Keynote and PowerPoint: These are readily available options if you want to use software that you're already familiar with. While they are typically used for business presentations, you can explore their various templates to find a style that suits your wedding slideshow.
• FlexClip: FlexClip provides free romantic wedding slideshow templates to help you create a beautiful video to preserve your wedding memories. You can browse through their extensive collection, upload your images and footage, and make custom edits by adding text, effects, and music.

Remember, the template you choose should reflect your style and the story you want to tell. Take your time to explore the features and customisation options offered by each platform before making your selection.

Add photos and videos

Adding photos and videos is a crucial step in creating a wedding slideshow. The images you include should help tell the story of your relationship and your lives as individuals. They should be high-quality, high-resolution images that are visible from a distance. Try to select images that showcase different phases of your life, such as your childhood, single life, and life as a couple. Include significant milestones, such as your first date, anniversaries, and the proposal, if possible.

While the slideshow primarily focuses on you and your partner, it's a good idea to include photos and videos with your close friends and family. Your loved ones will likely be excited to see themselves in the slideshow, and it's a thoughtful way to showcase their importance in your life. Ensure that the images and videos you choose are appropriate for all guests to view.

When selecting your visuals, consider the theme of your wedding slideshow. For example, if you're creating a slideshow centred on travel, include photos and videos from your previous trips as a couple and with family and friends. If you're making a summer-themed slideshow, gather visuals from beach trips, backyard barbecues, and other summertime activities.

You can also crowdsource content from your friends and family members. Reach out to them and ask if they have any relevant photos or videos that you can include. This way, you may receive some unexpected gems that contribute to your slideshow.

Lastly, don't forget to review your phone's camera roll and any memory cards from cameras or video cameras you've used to capture memories. These sources are likely to be treasure troves of content perfect for your wedding slideshow.

Choose music

Music is a crucial element of a wedding slideshow, bringing out the emotion and turning your presentation into a tearjerker. Here are some tips to help you choose the right music for your slideshow:

Select Songs that are Significant to You as a Couple

Choose songs that hold a special meaning for both of you. Perhaps you have a favourite dance track or a song that played during your first date. These songs will add a unique and personal touch to your slideshow.

Opt for Popular Wedding Slideshow Songs

If you're unsure where to start, consider selecting songs from popular wedding slideshow recommendations. For instance, "Still The One" by Shania Twain, "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, or "All of Me" by John Legend. These songs are popular for a reason – they evoke feelings of love and celebration.

Match the Music to the Tone of Your Slideshow

If your slideshow is bright, fun, and filled with humorous moments and pictures with friends, opt for happy and upbeat music. On the other hand, if your slideshow focuses primarily on the romance between you and your partner, slower and more sentimental songs will create a cohesive and romantic atmosphere.

Keep the Energy Up with Song Choruses

To maintain the energy and engagement of your guests throughout the slideshow, consider using just a portion of each song, such as the chorus. This way, you can include a variety of songs without losing momentum.

Use Music to Enhance the Viewing Experience

If you plan to play the slideshow in the background during the event, consider whether your guests will be able to hear the music. If so, choose music that complements the ambiance you wish to create. Soft, instrumental pieces or light, upbeat tunes can enhance the atmosphere without being overwhelming.

Include Your Own Music if Necessary

If you have a specific song in mind that isn't available in the slideshow maker's music library, check if you can upload your own music. This option provides you with greater flexibility and ensures you can include that extra-special song.

Remember, the music you choose will leave a lasting impression, so take the time to select songs that truly reflect your journey as a couple and enhance the overall experience for you and your guests.

Save and share

Once you've created your wedding slideshow, you'll want to save and share it with your guests and loved ones. Here are some ways to do that:

Saving Your Slideshow

First, you'll need to finalise your slideshow to produce a professional-quality copy. This will allow you to save it to your computer and have a high-quality version to project at your wedding. You can also save it to your phone or another device if you plan to display it on a smaller screen or share it on social media.

Sharing Options

• Social media: You can share your wedding slideshow on platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. These platforms allow your slideshow to reach a wider audience and spark online conversations.
• Email: Send your slideshow via email to friends and family, especially those who may not be able to attend the wedding.
• Wedding website: If you have a wedding website, create a dedicated tab with a title like "Wedding Slideshow" so that guests can easily find and view it.
• Post-wedding gatherings: If you're hosting a brunch or family gathering the day after your wedding, this is a perfect opportunity to display your slideshow again for those who may have missed it.
• Online sharing platforms: There are online platforms, such as Animoto, that allow you to create and share your wedding slideshows. These platforms often offer customisation options and templates to enhance your slideshow.

Frequently asked questions