A photo wall is only as successful as the QR codes that get guests to it. This guide covers the formats Fotowall ships, the placements that matter most, and the dry-run test you should do before sending anything to print.
What’s in the QR code package
Every event ships with a downloadable QR code package on the Guest assets page. The package includes:
- Transparent SVG — vector format, infinitely scalable. Hand this to your stationer or graphic designer.
- High-res PNG —
1024×1024with a transparent background, for digital signage and screen overlays. - Pre-laid PDFs — table cards (2-up and 4-up on US Letter and A4), entrance signs (8.5×11 and 11×17), and program inserts (5×7).
- A QR-only PNG — no padding, no event name, for embedding in another design.
All variants point to the same short URL. You can re-download at any time without invalidating in-use codes.
[SCREENSHOT: guest assets page showing the asset grid with format pills and a “Download all” button]
Step 1: Download the right format for the right placement
Three placements cover most events:
Table cards
Two-sided card, one per table, sized for standard table-card holders. Side A shows the event name and a short prompt (“Share your photos”); Side B is the QR code with a one-line instruction below.
Default size is 4×6 inches. Print on heavy stock (at least 100 lb cover) so they don’t curl from candle heat.
Entrance sign
Single large sign at the venue entrance. Usually paired with the seating chart. Default size is 11×17 inches.
Program insert
A small QR on the back of the printed program. Don’t make it the only placement — half your guests will lose the program by dessert.
Step 2: Customize colors (optional)
By default the QR foreground is your event accent color and the background is white. You can override either from the Color dropdown on the Guest assets page.
Two rules:
- Contrast matters. Keep the foreground-to-background contrast at 4.5:1 or higher. The downloader warns you if you go below.
- Don’t put a logo in the middle. QR codes have built-in error correction that tolerates some occlusion, but a logo with a busy background can push it past the tolerance. If you want branding, use the surrounding card layout, not the code itself.
Step 3: Test before you print
This is the most important step in the whole guide. Before you send 200 table cards to your stationer:
- Download the PDF you’ll actually print.
- Print one copy on the actual paper stock you’ll use.
- Scan it from your phone, indoors, in average venue lighting.
- Also scan it from someone else’s phone — ideally an Android, since QR scanning behavior varies more on Android than iOS.
If both phones load the upload page in under three seconds, you’re safe to print the rest. If either takes longer or fails, see QR code not scanning.
Step 4: Reserve a backup code
Print 10–20 extras of the table-card QR with no event branding. Put them in your event-day bag.
If a table card spills cocktail on it (it will), a guest can grab a clean one. If the venue stages an extra table you didn’t plan for, you have a card ready.
Things people get wrong
Putting the QR code only on the screen. About 20% of guests don’t look up. If the only QR is on the photo wall itself, those guests never upload. Always have at least one printed placement.
Printing on glossy stock. Glare from venue lighting can wash out the contrast. Matte or satin is more reliable.
Sizing the QR too small. Anything smaller than 0.75 inches per side is unreliable. 1 inch is the floor; 1.4 inches is the sweet spot for table cards.
Forgetting the human prompt. A bare QR code with no instruction confuses about a third of guests. Always include one line: “Scan to share your photos.”
What to do next
- Display the wall on a TV so guests have somewhere to see their uploads.
- How guests upload photos to understand the experience from their side.
- QR code not scanning if the test in Step 3 fails.