Who needs a magazine cover?

Sofia Vergara scores by sharing her wedding photos on Instagram

Newlyweds Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello might have cashed in by selling their wedding photos to a celebrity magazine, but instead they posted the pictures online, and the benefits could be priceless.

Vergara shared 55 photos from her wedding weekend on Instagram, from the romantic, flower-filled setting to her first dance with her new husband. There are shots of her co-workers - “Modern Family” stars Eric Stonestreet, Ty Burrell and Jesse Tyler Ferguson - and a snap of the couple cutting their cake. It’s like an extended magazine layout without the magazine.

By sharing the photos via social media, Vergara was able to “give fans the best perspective on her special day: her own,” said Instagram exec Charlton Gholson.

She not only controls the narrative, she cultivates an image of accessibility, which could have an even bigger payoff.

Marketing consultant Dorie Clark said the move sends “a clear branding signal that you are of the people.”