My Wedding Photography Editing Workflow

After editing hundreds of wedding galleries, I’ve refined a Lightroom workflow that helps me deliver 1,000+ high-quality images efficiently, without sacrificing consistency (and keeping me sane).

This is my complete Lightroom workflow for wedding photographers, but also use this same workflow for any project I’m working on, from import to final export, and my best tips along the way.

My Wedding Editing Workflow in Lightroom

How I set up my Lightroom Catalog

Some photographers create a new catalog per session. I prefer two(ish) catalogs per year to keep Lightroom running fast and clean while keeping all of my projects together.

Import + Organize

I keep all of my RAW files stored on an external hard drive so I can travel with my catalog and avoid filling up my computer storage.

1. Create a folder for each session
2. Name it: DATE – NAME – LOCATION
3. Import into Lightroom
4. Create a matching collection: NAME – LOCATION
5. Sync that collection to Lightroom Mobile

Cull in Lightroom Mobile

Culling in Lightroom mobile is one of the biggest time-savers in my workflow. It loads so much faster on my phone or iPad, and the swiping feels very natural. I love that I can cull while I’m waiting at the doctor’s office or getting my oil changed.

P = Pick
U = Unflag (I don’t unflag, I just don’t select the ones I don’t want)
1–5 = Star ratings

Once I cull my photos, I’ll go back on my desktop and add a color tag to separate out the images. I like to do this for different locations and lighting situations so I can copy and paste my edits in those sections.

For a wedding day, this might look like ceremony = red, reception = green.

Adjust White Balance Per Section

I start each section by editing the white balance on one strong image, then copying those white balance settings across that activity group. This keeps things consistent and cohesive. I’ll adjust each image after.

Apply Base Preset to the Gallery

I apply my base preset across the full gallery. From there, I go through and refine exposure, shadows, contrast, and other adjustments depending on each image.

I try to work in bulk sections, which makes editing an entire day feel a little easier.

Masking for Subject + Background

After I’ve finalized my edits, I go through another round and add masks if needed. I’ve found that using masks has really taken my photos to the next level.

I typically use:

• Subject mask to balance skin tones
• Background mask to slightly darken the background or distractions
• Balance out harsh or bad lighting

Detail pass through

To really make my photos look complete and stand out, I love to do a detail sweep. If Lightroom can’t handle it cleanly, I’ll move the image into Photoshop, but that’s rare.

• Remove distracting objects
• Clean up minor background distractions
• Straighten horizons if needed

Final Consistency Check (reference photo)

Before exporting, I’ll go through it another time, but I’ll set a reference photo with an edit that I like so I can compare it side by side. Then I’ll go through the whole gallery like that to make sure everything looks consistent and nothing stands out.

• Skin tones match
• Exposure feels consistent
• No section looks drastically different

This is where small adjustments make everything look put together. I noticed I gained a lot of confidence in my editing after adding this to my workflow.

Export + Deliver via Pic-Time

I use Pic-Time to deliver my galleries, and they have a Lightroom plugin which has really sped up my workflow! I export directly from Lightroom into Pic-Time using their plugin, which eliminates an entire upload step.

• Full resolution (no resizing)
• 300 DPI
• sRGB

Using Imagen AI to edit photos

I now use Imagen consistently for all of my galleries. I send the full gallery through for an initial pass, then I manually refine each image in Lightroom. It speeds up the process, but it’s never a one-click solution.

I let Imagen add my preset, make basic adjustments, crop/straighten, and, depending on the session, I will add masks. I love that it gets me to a great starting point without feeling too overwhelmed.

I’ve tried their culling software, and I don’t like it.

Tools I use with Lightroom

• Loupedeck for faster editing adjustments
• External SSD for RAW storage
• iMac desktop for bulk editing (with extra RAM!)
• iPad Pro for mobile culling and editing
• Pic-Time Lightroom Plugin for direct gallery upload

Lightroom Mobile: Sync and edit from anywhere

I feel like my special sauce is using Lightroom Mobile in my workflow. You can sync each collection to Lightroom Mobile either on your phone or your iPad. I personally use both, but I really love using my iPad.

Once the photos are synced to my device, I can have access (when I have wi-fi) to a smaller smart preview version of the photo and start editing or culling. One minute I’m editing on my desktop, and the next, I’m at an appointment culling my images while waiting.

Lightroom keyboard shortcuts & tips:

When I’m editing 1,200+ wedding images, small time-saving shortcuts make a huge difference. These are the ones I actually use daily:

• O = mask overlay
• Shift + R = Enter Reference View
• Quick Develop for exposure/white balance corrections before moving into Develop
• 5 Star photos for sneak peeks and ‘highlights’ section at top of gallery
• Reference View for final consistency checks

If Lightroom is running slowly

If Lightroom is running slow for you, there are a few things you can do!

1. Check your storage on your computer or hard drive to make sure you have plenty of space left
2. Upgrade the RAM on your computer – this made the BIGGEST difference
3. Create a new and fresh catalog
4. Avoid keeping previews set to 1:1 unless needed

Have Lightroom or editing questions? Pop them into my Facebook Group – Photography 101