Yes, upgrade now if you are about to print the QR code or put the link on the invitations: a free event expires 14 days after it is created, while a paid event is kept for 12 months from the day you upgrade, so the upgrade is what keeps the printed code alive until the party.
The paid window counts from the upgrade, not from the party, so the cost of upgrading early is only at the far end: an event upgraded six months before the wedding has about six months left after it. That is plenty for guests who upload late and for you to download the ZIP, which is what the window is for.
If the party is further away than 12 months, wait and create the event when you print the signs; if you only want to see the guest page now, create a free event, knowing it will be deleted after 14 days.
Upgrading never shortens anything: the expiry becomes 12 months from the upgrade, or stays as it is if the event already runs longer. The QR code, the link and the event code are the same before and after, so anything you print today stays valid.
Read the full guide: How long guests have to upload photos →
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