When it comes to choosing your initial wedding collection, the options can be overwhelming but one recommendations we have for our clients is that they include a professional album in their collection or at the very least, order one through us after the wedding. And remember it’s not just any album… it’s your wedding album, an heirloom piece, a tangible legacy to be handed down through the generations to your future children and their children.
Photographs are a powerful thing but we take them for granted. We take hundreds of photos on our phone or point-and-shoot cameras and they get uploaded to our computers… where they go to live a sad life of loneliness and neglect. Ok maybe that was a little dramatic but we’re still here to advocate for you and your photographs! After all that’s our job, but we also get see the end result again and again and we know how exciting it is for our clients when they finally get to hold their beautiful album! We just want to yell from the rooftops “Don’t forget to order your wedding album!” Easier said than done right? Well we’re here to tell you it’s easier than you think and here’s some tips on how to get started.
Many photographers offer some sort of proofing system, whether it’s online or tangible proofs. Our clients have the option of narrowing down their favorites with a Proof Box which can contain hundreds of loose prints, or through their personalized online gallery. Every wedding we’ve shot has each section of the day broken down into separate folders to make the selection process simple + easy! Our gallery site Zenfolio then allows you to create a “favorites” folder and select the images you want to go into that folder. The key to getting started is simply learning how to navigate your online gallery or to start categorizing your hard proofs by section.
So of course this is very subjective because you will be choosing your favorite images from the day, and hopefully you love every single one of them (we’re sorry-not-sorry for that!). But wait, “How can I possibly narrow these down to a manageable amount of photos” you ask? Well here’s a little secret, many online galleries allow you to choose favorites and then go back in and modify your favorites folder and remove images. So what do you have to lose? For your first round, just start choosing your favorites photographs and then give it a rest for a few days, maybe a week at the most to clear your mind (don’t let it get too far away from you otherwise it will become a daunting task), and go back for another round. You can even turn it into a date night! Grab a couple glasses of wine and sit with the hubby/wifey as you enjoy reliving the day. You can simply mark ones that you love as you go along!
Think of your album as a visual story. Obviously we will do all the hard work of creating a design, but it’s helpful to think in terms of a cohesive story that makes sense to the viewer. Also, this might sound silly but for every section give yourself a target number. For example, if your overall goal is to choose 100 photographs, you can allot 25 photographs per section (i.e. details, getting ready, ceremony, formals and reception). You may find that obviously some areas need less so you can always adjust accordingly and add to another section. Now think about the absolute most important people and things that you want to highlight in “your story”. These are your must-haves. Anything that doesn’t immediately make the cut, remove from your gallery. Perhaps you don’t need every single person walking down the aisle or you can cut the formal shots in half by only keeping large group shots that include many people rather than individual photographs with fewer people. Remember it’s your album and you want to tell the story of your wedding day, not just a catalogue of who was there. You can always order a proof box with any images that didn’t make it into the album or if you are receiving the files with your album, you can look back at them anytime and reminisce about who was there!
Well this might vary among studios, but we can tell you about our process. Once we receive your selections via the online gallery, we begin creating a custom layout with our in-house design services. Then in just a couple of weeks, you will receive a personalized link to our online proofing site where you can digitally flip through each page of your album. At that point you can either request changes to the layout (we want you to be an important part of the process) or approve everything for production and choose your cover selections. We will then give you an estimated time of delivery based on our production schedule and you’ll have the finished product in no time!
I love my album! Now what? Share this little treasure of awesomeness with all of your friends and family!! You will be so proud and awestruck that your story created such a beautiful piece of art that you will no doubt want to show everyone. And if mom and dad are having a hard time giving it back, just let them know that they can order one of their very own! Many studios offer parent album options. We offer a discount on parent albums that are identical to the bridal albums so be sure to ask what options are available to you!
*Caring for your album: Be sure to keep your album out of direct sunlight and avoid extreme temperatures. If you keep the album in it’s original box/case then it will look brand new for years and years to come!
Current clients, please email us directly and ask what options are available with your collection!
For those interested in our photography + design services, you can contact us here. Have your wedding files but don’t know where or how to begin on your wedding album? Feel free to contact us for a custom design quote. We look forward to hearing from you!