Creating A Wedding Album: A Homemade Guide

Creating a wedding album is a fun activity that will allow you to relive your special day for years to come. While it can seem daunting to know where to begin, the process is quite straightforward and simple. This article will guide you through the steps to create a wedding album, from selecting your photos to customising your album's layout and design. We will also offer tips on how to make your album unique and meaningful, so grab your favourite photos and let's get started!

Selecting and organising photos

Choose the Shots that Matter Most

Start by selecting 20-30 photos that you absolutely love. It doesn't matter when in the day these photos were taken or who's in them. Your favourites are your favourites. Next, pick the shots that best highlight the atmosphere and décor of the day. These photos will capture the mood, dress and subtle details that might get lost in the photos of people. Then, find the best photo from each major event of the day, such as getting ready, signing the license, the ceremony, and key reception moments. Finally, go through the formal portrait shots of family and the wedding party. Check for strange expressions or closed eyes, and select the photo with the best expressions and the least number of distractions.

Organise Chronologically

Wedding albums usually work best when organised chronologically, as this helps you remember not only who was there but how the day unfolded, event by event. However, you can also group your photos by subject – people, food, flowers, and styling. Alternatively, you could arrange your photos by colour for a highly curated effect.

Running Order

Decide on the running order of your photos. While a chronological order is the most straightforward approach, you could also group photos by subject or arrange them by colour.

Create a Folder System

To get started, create two folders: one for general wedding memories and one for your wedding album shortlist. Then start filtering through, only selecting your favourite images. This will make it easier to upload your photos to the design studio and bring all your pictures together. Remember to back up your photos on a hard drive or USB too, so they're extra safe.

Less is More

When it comes to selecting and organising your photos, remember that less is more. Fewer images mean each one can truly stand out and embody the highlights of your wedding.

Deciding on a theme

Consider your personal style

Take cues from your wardrobe about the colours you enjoy and the types of pieces you are drawn to. Even if you choose to wear white, you can incorporate your favourite colours into other components of the wedding, such as the bridesmaids' dresses. Think about your favourite colours as a couple, and if they pair well, use them as a baseline for your theme.

Think about your home decor style

You can get a good sense of how you want your wedding album to look by examining your home decor style or your dream home. You can incorporate this style into the reception hall, centrepieces, floral arrangements and other details at the venue.

Let the season inspire you

The time of year can help craft a theme. For instance, a beach-themed wedding might not be suitable if your wedding is in the winter. Similarly, a black-tie affair might not work for a summer wedding, especially if it is held outdoors. Summer weddings beckon beachy or nautical themes, while spring weddings can be a play on pastels and vibrant blooms.

Go personal instead of trendy

Try to find ways to incorporate you and your partner's genuine interests in the theme. If you have an affinity for a particular decade, add subtle touches from that era to the decor. You don't need to go overboard with the details, but adding small things that remind you of each other will make the day more memorable.

Browse for inspiration

While you can browse countless websites and Pinterest boards for inspiration, remember that your theme should ultimately represent your taste and include elements that feel true to you.

Choose a theme that will stand the test of time

It's important to choose a wedding theme that you love, but also consider how well the theme will age. Ask yourself: will I look back at these photos with pride in twenty years, or will I regret choosing a theme that was trendy at the time?

Choosing a format

If you opt for a wedding album or book, you will then need to decide on the format of the pages. Board pages are stiff, inflexible, and heavy, whereas paper pages are flexible and can be made from art paper or matt art paper. Lay-flat, flush-mount board pages open out completely, while section-sewn pages lie nearly flat, and PUR-bound pages bow from the centre.

The next decision is the orientation of your album or book. Landscape, square, and portrait formats are all available, and you should review your photos to match their orientation. Landscape is the most popular choice, but portrait formats are traditional and elegant.

Finally, you will need to choose the size of your album or book. Large or medium formats are available, and this decision may depend on where you plan to display your album. If you had an intimate wedding, a smaller, understated design may be more suitable, whereas a grander celebration may call for a larger format.

Finalising the layout

Choose a Theme

Having a theme can help you decide on the photos you want to include and how you want to arrange them. For example, you might want to focus on the most romantic or funniest moments, or go for a traditional or modern theme. You could also arrange photos by colour for a curated effect.

Running Order

Chronological order is the most straightforward approach, allowing you to relive the day as it happened. However, you could also group photos by subject – people, food, flowers, and styling.

Cover Photo

Decide on a photo that will make you want to pick up your album again and again. It could be a romantic shot of the two of you, or you might prefer to keep people out of the cover, instead opting for a photo of the venue, flowers, or rings.

Layout

You can keep the layout the same on every page for simplicity and uniformity, or you can change it up for variety. Play around with different templates and photo arrangements to see what works best. Some pages might feature a single photo for impact, while others could include a grid layout for detail shots.

Captions and Text

Consider adding wedding album quotes or captions to enhance the storytelling aspect of your album. You could include song lyrics from your first dance, lines from readings during the ceremony, or your vows if you wrote your own.

Final Review

Before finalising your layout, review the album for any inconsistencies or errors. Ask for feedback from your partner, family, or friends to get a fresh perspective. Make any necessary adjustments before sending your album off to print.

Adding captions or text

• Include names, locations, and memorable moments in your captions to provide context and help tell the story of your wedding day.
• Play with text by adding your vows, quotes from speeches, or song lyrics from your first dance. This can add a personal touch and make your album more meaningful.
• Use white space to create a clean finish and timeless feel. Too much text can make the page look cluttered and busy.
• Consider adding captions to every image, describing how you felt at that moment or what you love about the scene captured. This can turn your album into a sentimental keepsake.
• If you're stuck for words, look through your guest book for inspiration. You can also include lines from your first dance song lyrics or readings from your ceremony.
• Keep the text simple and understated, especially if you have a lot of images on the page. You don't want the text to overwhelm the photos.
• If you're creating a themed album, such as a fun or modern album, you can get creative with your text and use fonts and colours that reflect the theme.
• Don't overlap text and photos. This can make the page look cluttered. Instead, use white space to create a clean and timeless layout.
• If you're not sure where to start, there are online album-building tools that offer pre-designed layouts and text options. You can also hire a professional album designer to bring your vision to life.

Frequently asked questions