Creating A Timeless Wedding Photo Album: A Step-By-Step Guide

Creating a wedding photo album is a special way to preserve memories of your big day. While traditional albums remain popular, many couples now opt for wedding photo books, which allow for more customisation and input into the design. The first step is to select and organise your photos, deciding on a theme and format, and then it's time to get creative with the layout and design.

Selecting and organising photos

Selecting and organising your photos is the most important part of the album-making process. Here are some tips to help you with this:

• Create a folder (or folders) with your final selection of photos. If you have thousands of photos, consider tackling it one 'moment' at a time. For example, create multiple folders that divide the day up into segments: getting ready, the ceremony, newlywed portraits, and the reception.
• Choose photos that tell the story of your wedding day. Whether the focus is on the chronology of the day, the emotional journey, just you as a couple, or your family and friends, ensure your images reflect what’s most important to you.
• Select your most-loved images and label them starting from 1 in the order you want them to appear in your book.
• Remember, less is more. Fewer images mean each one can truly stand out and embody the highlights of your wedding.
• Include a mix of candid shots, posed pictures, and photos of the wedding décor.
• Choose the shots that matter most. Start with 20-30 photos that you absolutely love. Then, select the shots with the best detail and highlight the atmosphere of the day.
• Be sure to have photos from every stage of the day, including behind-the-scenes getting-ready images, the ceremony, your guests, the reception, and the send-off.
• Include photos of you and your wedding entourage, sweet family moments before the ceremony, the first look, the first kiss, parent-child dances, and a great send-off.
• Organise your photos in a digital folder. Mix them around, group together images containing certain people, organise by emotion (e.g. romantic, sentimental, funny), or use any system that makes sense for you and your partner.
• Lay out your photos in chronological order, or arrange them to describe an emotional journey.
• Be sure to vary the image orientation, so you don’t end up with pages and pages of horizontal images, then pages and pages of vertical images.
• Play around with image sizes on the page layout to find creative ways to display your photos.
• Resist the temptation to place more than one image per page—each image deserves to be the star of its own page.

Choosing a theme

Deciding on a theme for your wedding photo album is an important step in the album-making process. The theme you choose should reflect your wedding and your unique style as a couple.

Firstly, consider the story you want to tell. Do you want to focus on the chronology of the day, or the emotional journey? Perhaps you want to centre the album on the two of you as a couple, or maybe you want to highlight the presence of family and friends. You could also opt to showcase the intricate details, such as the florals, outfits, and food, or the overall atmosphere, including the venue décor, entertainment, and so on.

Next, think about the aesthetic of your wedding. Was it a bohemian, airy affair, or a traditional, black-tie ceremony? The colour and material of your album should reflect this. For instance, a bohemian wedding might be complemented by a light-coloured album with a soft cover, perhaps made from linen or silk. On the other hand, a traditional wedding might be better served by a hardcover album in a darker, richer colour.

Finally, decide on the format of your album. You could opt for a traditional printed album, a photo book, or even a digital version. If you're going for a physical copy, you can choose from a range of materials, including leather, glossy hardcover, or linen. You can also select from different types of paper, such as Lustre or Superfine, to bring your photos to life.

Album format

The first choice you'll need to make is whether to opt for a wedding book, a wedding album, or a wedding magazine. Wedding books are the most popular option and are a traditional, statement table book. Wedding albums are stiffer and heavier, with inflexible board pages. Wedding magazines are a modern and contemporary choice, perfect for displaying many photos and are great for gifting.

If you're opting for a DIY album, you can choose from a traditional printed album, a photo book, or a digital version. You can also select the size of your album, with large and medium formats available. Large formats are great if you had a grander celebration, while intimate weddings could opt for a smaller, understated design.

The orientation of your photos is another important consideration. Landscape, square, and portrait formats are all available, with landscape being the most popular choice.

The material of your album is another key decision. Leather is the most popular choice, but other options include linen, silk, and acrylic. The material should be reflective of your wedding—a bohemian, airy wedding might call for a lighter colour and a softer material, while a traditional black-tie ceremony would be better memorialised with a firmer hardcover photo book and a more substantial shade.

You can also choose to have a photo or text on the cover, or a designer cover with templates that are UV-printed with raised inks.

Album size

The size of your wedding album will depend on several factors, including your budget, the number of photos you want to include, and the overall length of your wedding.

Wedding albums typically range from 6 x 8 inches to 16 x 12 inches, with the most popular sizes being 8 x 8 inches, 10 x 10 inches, 12 x 12 inches, and 14 x 11 inches.

If you're having a small, intimate wedding, a smaller album size such as 8 x 8 inches or 10 x 10 inches may be sufficient. These sizes are perfect for displaying on a bookshelf or coffee table and typically hold around 20-40 photos.

On the other hand, if you're having a larger wedding or a multi-day celebration, you may need a larger album size such as 12 x 12 inches or 14 x 11 inches. These sizes can accommodate more photos and often allow for more creative layouts.

It's also important to consider the orientation of your photos when choosing an album size. If your photographer took mostly landscape shots, a rectangular album such as 10 x 8 inches or 14 x 11 inches may be a better fit. If you have mostly portrait photos, a square album like 10 x 10 inches or 12 x 12 inches could be a better option.

Additionally, think about the number of photos you plan to include on each page. If you want to include multiple photos per page, a larger album size will give you more space to work with.

Finally, consider your budget when deciding on the album size. Wedding albums can range in price from $150 to $1,000, with larger sizes typically costing more.

Remember, your wedding album should reflect your personal style and the overall theme of your wedding. Whether you choose a classic, minimalist design or a premium, luxurious album, make sure it's something that you'll cherish for years to come.

Design and details

The design and details of your wedding album are what will make it unique and allow you to relive the magic of your special day. Here are some tips to help you create a beautiful and meaningful album:

Choose a Theme or Layout

Selecting a theme or layout for your wedding album will give it a cohesive look. For example, if your wedding had a rustic elegance theme, you could carry that over into your album with earth-toned shades, woodsy elements, and script fonts. Play around with different layouts to see what size images and how many photos per page will work best. You can also decide if you want to include any text, quotes, or captions to accompany your photos.

Curate your Photos

The photos you choose for your album should tell the story of your wedding day and evoke the emotions you felt. Include a mix of candid and posed shots, group photos, romantic couple portraits, and details such as your bouquet, wedding rings, cake, and venue. Be sure to select photos that capture the little moments and details as well as the big moments. You can organise your photos into categories such as getting ready, ceremony, portraits, and reception to make it easier to narrow down your selections.

Consider the Cover

The cover of your wedding album sets the tone for the entire book. You might choose a romantic photo of the happy couple, an artistic shot of your venue or wedding rings, or a simple text-based cover. If you go with a photo, consider whether you want a full-bleed design with no border or a more traditional framed look.

Finalise the Details

Once you've selected your photos and designed your layout, take the time to review everything before finalising. Check that your photos will fit neatly into your chosen album and make any necessary adjustments. You might also want to add some finishing touches, such as a dust jacket or a gift box to protect your album.

Print and Enjoy

After finalising your design, it's time to print your album. Depending on your budget and preferences, you can choose from various materials, including leather, glossy hardcover, or linen. Your wedding album will be a treasured keepsake that you can enjoy for years to come and share with future generations.

Frequently asked questions