Separate previews from final delivery.
A small preview can arrive quickly while the complete gallery requires a different level of editing and review. Clarify whether preview images are final edits and whether they represent the whole day or only a first look.
Read the contractual delivery window.
Marketing language such as soon or shortly is not a deadline. The agreement should state the maximum delivery period and explain whether season, film processing, albums, or extraordinary events affect it.
Ask what the studio does before delivery.
Useful answers include redundant backups, selection, color and exposure work, black-and-white decisions, film scanning, file checks, gallery preparation, and archiving. Speed matters, but so does accountable handling.
Plan the next step before the gallery expires.
Download the full-resolution files, make multiple backups, share the link while it is active, and begin album or print decisions. An online gallery is a delivery tool, not the family’s only permanent archive.
