When it comes to weddings, the number one thing about planning for me is choosing the right wedding photographer to capture the best day of your life. And when it comes to those precious photos, the next thing is creating an heirloom album that you can cherish for years and share with generations to come. I believe that your wedding photos are really one of the single most important elements that are the culmination of all the time and dollars invested in your wedding day. They are the evidence of a truly magical and meaningful day, one that you want to be able to enjoy and relive whenever the moment strikes. And those photos now deserve the ultimate preservation by creating an heirloom album.

via D. Park Photography

Some who are already married and those that are recently engaged may be thinking, well, I have/will get a disk of all the photos, that’s enough, right? For some of you that very well may be. However, I wanted to share a little insight as to why you should and need to create that heirloom album.

{Disk vs. Album} In this fast paced, digital age many of us feel having our photos on a disk or even loaded onto our computer is the most efficient place to preserve them. But there is one word that can define disaster for those precious photos – technology. Why? Because technology changes. It crashes. But an album is a solid, tangible item that you can hold in your hands. It will not change or disappear because of a virus from the internet. You can pull it out on anniversaries, holidays, family gatherings and share again and again. There is just something so familiar and precious when someone places an album of significance into your lap that just warms the heart.

via Jasmine Star Photography

{Feelings} Along with those wedding photos comes the emotion that you feel and relive when you look at those photos in a beautifully laid out album. Many times your wedding day will seemingly pass in a blur leaving you with a somewhat fuzzy memory of a day that you’ve been planning for months. Your album allows you to now experience that beautiful day in a way that you will remember. It allows you to relive the meaningful moments (a first look maybe) as well as the pretty details and all the people that loved and shared this special day with you. Just look at the couples’ faces when they got their first look at their album! How fun is that!?

via D. Park Photography

{Time and Expense} Usually time and expense are the top two reasons that a couple won’t get a beautiful album to showcase on their coffee table. This makes me sad. Very sad. Let me address each one separately. First, time. You have just spent months planning your wedding. Take a little extra time to select the very best that you want to have in an album. No, you do not have to take every. single. photo. Do it right away though, after your honeymoon. Right after your thank you notes. Take the best and leave the rest; on a disk. Ask for tips from your photographer on how to edit the 1000 photos that they took. Make a special dinner and share an evening of love and memories picking out the photos that you feel capture the essence of the day. Take the time, make the time. 

Next, expense. Yes, quality albums are expensive. But today there are soooo many options. Talk with your photographer. Some include an album in their fee. Some do not. Size definitely makes a difference. If the expense is not in your budget right now, consider asking a family member to gift you a lifetime of memories as a wedding gift or a one year anniversary surprise. Go ahead and take the time to select the right photos now, so that once you’re ready to invest in your album you are set to go.

via Katelyn James Photography

{Ask Questions} Find out what is included when ordering an album through your photographer. Some things to consider, which will determine your time and expense, is number of photos, size of album and quality. Look at sample albums that they have in their offices. Consider layouts and styling of the photographs as well as the style of the album. Inquire whether the photographer does the editing and layouts themselves or  if they are contracted out of the office. Either way, make sure you love the end results that you see in the sample albums. This album is an extension of your wedding day. You want to love the result and be excited to share it with everyone once it’s completed. Just like when you were planning all your details for your wedding before the day, this last detail deserves just as much time to make sure you are getting what you ultimately want.

via Katelyn James Photography

I hope I won’t sound too cliche with my final thought, but in the fewest words it says the most:

Wedding Photos + Wedding Album = Priceless

We’d love to hear from brides-to-be, newlyweds and photographers about suggestions, opinions and ideas that you have for creating the ultimate keepsake – your wedding album.

xoxo