Crafting Your Dream Storybook Wedding Album

A wedding album is a timeless way to showcase and preserve the most cherished moments from your big day. While traditional albums remain popular, many couples now opt for wedding photo books as a modern way to capture the essence and story of their wedding. A storybook wedding album is a new style of wedding album that tells your wedding story in a creative way. It is like a diary or a scrapbook filled with mementos and wedding photos laid out in chronological order. Each page throughout the book highlights your favorite moments and tells your unique wedding story.

Selecting and organising photos

You should also consider the number of photos you want in your album. An album usually contains around 50 to 100 images, depending on which moments you want to include and the size of your wedding. Focus on a variety of moments throughout your day, like group shots, romantic couple photos, and details of your bouquet, wedding rings, and cake.

The photos you choose should tell the perfect story of your wedding day. Whether the focus is on the chronology of the day or the emotional journey, just the couple or the family and friends, the intricate details (florals, shoes, dress, and suit) or the overall atmosphere (venue décor, food, drinks, and entertainment), ensure your images reflect what’s most important to you.

Categorising your photos will make it easier to manage and visualise the flow of your album. Separate your images into categories such as pre-ceremony, ceremony, portraits, and reception. This will help you to identify and select key moments that are essential to your story, including pivotal events, emotional reactions, and unique details that define your day.

Choosing a theme

Deciding on a theme for your storybook wedding album is a crucial step in the process of creating a cohesive and personalised final product. Here are some tips and ideas to help you choose a theme that reflects your unique wedding story:

• Chronology of the Day: You can choose to organise your album chronologically, from the pre-ceremony preparations to the ceremony itself, and then the reception. This approach ensures that your album follows a clear narrative arc and captures the progression of your special day.
• Emotional Journey: Another option is to focus on the emotional journey of the day. Include images that capture the full range of emotions experienced, from joyful tears during the ceremony to cocktail-fuelled jubilation on the dance floor. You can also showcase the intimate and personal moments, such as the bride and groom getting ready, to highlight the emotional depth of your story.
• Couple vs Family and Friends: Your theme can also centre on the couple exclusively or expand to include family and friends. If you want to showcase the love between the newlyweds, focus on couple portraits and intimate moments. On the other hand, if you want to celebrate the community aspect of your wedding, include more group shots, family moments, and fun interactions with the wedding party.
• Intricate Details vs Overall Atmosphere: Decide whether you want to emphasise the intricate details or the overall atmosphere of your wedding. The intricate details theme might include close-up shots of the florals, heels, dress, suit, rings, and cake. In contrast, the overall atmosphere theme would focus on the venue décor, food, drinks, and entertainment, capturing the ambience and setting of your celebration.
• Rustic Elegance: If your wedding had a rustic elegance theme, reflect this in your album by selecting earth-toned shades, woodsy elements, and script fonts. This theme creates a cohesive look that complements the overall style of your wedding day.
• Modern vs Vintage vs Classic: Consider choosing a theme that reflects the style of your wedding, such as modern, vintage, classic, rustic, or contemporary. For example, a modern wedding might be suited to a hardcover photo book, while a vintage-themed wedding could inspire a more traditional album style.
• Personalisation: Add personal touches to your album to make it truly unique. Include items such as your wedding invitations, pressed flowers from your bouquet, or even a page from a speech that touched your heart. These special details will transform your album into a cherished keepsake.

Picking a format and size

If you're going for a physical book, you'll need to decide on the size. This will depend on the number of photos you have, the amount of detail you want to include, and where you plan to display your album. If you had an intimate wedding, a smaller, understated design might be more suitable. If you had a grand celebration, a larger format could be more appropriate.

• Small
• Medium
• Large

You can also choose from a variety of orientations to match the orientation of your photos:

• Landscape
• Square
• Portrait

Landscape is the most popular choice, but portrait formats offer a traditional and elegant look.

Once you've decided on the format and size, you can start thinking about other elements such as the cover material, number of pages, and special features.

Adding details and context

Select and Organise Photos:

The photo selection process is pivotal to crafting a compelling narrative. Choose photos that showcase a range of emotions and moments throughout your wedding day. Include a mix of candid shots, posed portraits, and detailed captures of the intricate details that made your day special. Organise your photos into categories such as pre-ceremony, ceremony, portraits, and reception to make the storytelling seamless.

Decide on a Theme:

Choose a theme that reflects the story you want to tell. Whether it's the emotional journey, the intricate details, or the overall atmosphere, ensure your images align with your chosen theme. For instance, if your wedding had a rustic elegance theme, reflect this in your album with earth-toned shades, woodsy elements, and script fonts.

Chronological Order:

Arrange your photos in chronological order to create a cohesive storyline. Start with getting-ready photos and end with your grand exit. This approach will help viewers relive the day's events as they unfolded and ensure a smooth flow to your album.

Include Captions and Anecdotes:

Add short captions or anecdotes to your photos to provide context and personality. These little snippets will help you remember the emotions and special moments during your wedding and give your album a unique touch.

Play with Text and White Space:

Experiment with adding text, such as your vows, song lyrics, or quotes from speeches. Use white space to create a clean, timeless feel and to draw viewers into the more intimate photos.

Customise the Cover:

The cover of your album sets the tone for the entire story. Opt for a simple text cover, a photo cover that introduces the narrative, or a designer cover with raised inks. Choose a cover fabric that captures the look and feel of your celebration, such as premium natural linen or premium coloured linen.

Remember, the key to a captivating storybook wedding album is to include context, narrative, and emotion. By following these tips and adding your personal touches, you'll create a cherished keepsake that you and your loved ones will enjoy for years to come.

Finalising and printing

Firstly, review your layout and make any necessary adjustments to ensure a smooth flow throughout the album. Check that every detail looks right and that your photos are in the correct order, with any relevant captions or anecdotes included. This step is crucial as it ensures that your album tells the story of your wedding day seamlessly and accurately.

Next, check that your photos will fit neatly into your chosen album. Review the size and orientation of your images, making adjustments if needed to match the specifications of your album. This may involve resizing or cropping your photos to fit the available space, ensuring they are of the highest quality for printing.

Once you are happy with the overall selection and layout, it's time to print your photos. You can do this yourself if you have access to a high-quality printer, or you may choose to use an online printing service or local print shop. If you are printing the photos yourself, it is essential to use high-quality paper that will do justice to your images and stand the test of time. Consider options like satin, photo lustre, or matt white paper, each offering a slightly different finish to enhance your photos.

After printing your photos, it's now time to assemble your album. Carefully insert or attach your photos to the pages, following the layout you have designed. Take your time with this step to ensure a neat and precise finish.

Finally, add any extra touches to your album, such as a personalised cover, a text inscription, or a presentation box to keep it safe from wear and tear. These final flourishes will make your album truly unique and something you can cherish forever.

Your storybook wedding album is now complete! This carefully crafted keepsake will allow you to relive the magic of your wedding day for years to come.

Frequently asked questions