WedPics

WedPics was a mobile and web-based application designed to solve a common problem for wedding couples: collecting all the photos and videos taken by their guests. Founded in 2012 by Justin Miller, Idan Koren, Andy Heymann, and Tyler Mahoney in Raleigh, North Carolina, the company provided a private social network for weddings. The idea originated from Miller's earlier app, Deja Mi, which was designed for sharing photos from any event; he pivoted to focus specifically on the lucrative wedding market. The platform began in Miller's home and faced early challenges, including an eviction for running a business from a residence, which ultimately led to the creation of a new local coworking space and an early investment.

The business operated on a freemium model, offering its core photo and video aggregation service for free to couples and their guests. Revenue was generated through ancillary products and services. This included selling customized instruction cards for guests and offering photo printing services, initially through a partnership with Target-Kodak. The app was available on both iOS and Android and allowed unlimited guests to upload content to a centralized, private digital album. Couples could create multiple albums for different wedding-related events, and guests could comment on and 'like' photos in a real-time feed. A web platform offered features like an interactive photo gallery, a real-time slideshow, and the ability to download high-resolution images.

WedPics experienced significant growth, raising over $12 million in funding from investors including 'Shark Tank' personality Barbara Corcoran. At its peak, the platform was used for thousands of weddings each weekend, amassing over a million registered couples and seven million total users. In December 2017, the company was acquired by Mixbook, a California-based online design and photo product company. The acquisition was intended to combine WedPics' photo-sharing capabilities with Mixbook's expertise in creating printed photo goods like albums and cards. However, the integration did not last, and WedPics officially shut down on February 15, 2019. The rise of competing apps and photo-sharing features on mainstream social networks like Instagram is believed to have contributed to the decision.

Keywords: WedPics, wedding photo sharing, guest photo collection, private photo album, wedding app, Justin Miller, Mixbook, photo aggregation, event photo sharing, digital wedding album, mobile photo sharing, wedding technology, photo slideshow, private social network, guest photos, wedding memories, photo printing service, Raleigh startup, Idan Koren, Deja Mi