Data Retention Policy
Last updated: July 2, 2026
A keepsake should last. Terabytes of full-resolution photo files sitting on a server forever should not, and pretending otherwise would be dishonest. This page says exactly what we keep, what we let go of, and when. The one-line version: the book and the slideshow are forever; the raw upload files are not.
The 90-day window
The clock starts when your printed book is delivered, or, for projects that never order a book, when the project is archived after going inactive. From that moment you have 90 days in which everything, including the full-resolution originals, stays exactly as it was. Time enough to order extra copies, download everything, or tell us you need longer.
When the 90 days are up, we permanently delete the full-resolution original photo files from our storage.
What is preserved, always
- The slideshow. The optimized web versions of every photo, and every written wish, stay online so the honoree keeps a lasting, shareable memory. Purging the originals never touches the slideshow.
- Every letter. The written wishes, names, relationships, and captions remain in the project.
- The book you received. It is paper. It is the whole point.
- Order records. What was purchased and shipped, kept for accounting and warranty questions.
What is purged
- Full-resolution originals. The raw uploaded photo files (often 10 to 50 MB each) are deleted from storage 90 days after delivery or archive. Please keep your own copies of irreplaceable photos; originals should never live in only one place, including here.
- Contributor emails on free projects. See the next section.
Emails, by tier
Well-wishers hand us their email so we can confirm their wish arrived and remind them before the wishing deadline. What happens afterwards depends on whether the project ever became a purchase:
| Project type | Contributor emails |
|---|---|
| Paid projects (Printable, Keepsake, or Heirloom) | Retained while the organizer's account is active, so reorders, corrections, and future projects with the same circle stay easy. |
| Free-only projects (Slideshow tier, no purchase) | Removed at the same 90-day mark as the photo originals. The wishes themselves, with names and relationships, remain in the slideshow. |
Payments
Card numbers never touch our systems; payments run through Stripe, and Stripe retains the transaction records that payment and tax law require. See the Privacy Policy for the full list of processors.
Backups and deletion requests
- Purged files also age out of our routine storage backups within 30 days of the purge.
- Want it gone sooner? You can ask us to delete your account, a project, a wish, or a photo at any time; we do not make you wait for the window. Copies already printed in a book cannot be recalled.
- Need longer? Write to us before the window closes at hello@wishwellbooks.com and we will work something out.
The policy at a glance
| What | How long |
|---|---|
| Optimized slideshow images and every written wish | Preserved |
| Full-resolution photo originals | Deleted 90 days after delivery or archive |
| Contributor emails, paid projects | Kept while the account is active |
| Contributor emails, free-only projects | Removed with the 90-day purge |
| Order and payment records | Kept as accounting and payment law requires (card data lives only at Stripe) |
Questions
Questions about any of this? Write to us at hello@wishwellbooks.com. A person reads it.