Do you need a wedding album?  Are wedding albums worth it?  Why are they so expensive?  Today we’re talking about custom wedding albums and whether the investment is worth the cost.  Be sure to subscribe to our updates so you don’t miss an upcoming post!

Hi, lovelies!  Emma here.  Quick question for you:  are you planning to get a professional wedding album made whether for yourself or your parents?  Do you really need a wedding album at all?  If you haven’t given wedding albums any thought yet, we’re telling you why you should probably add it to your list.

Do you need a wedding album?

First things first:  do you need a wedding album?

Well, need and want are two entirely different things.  But in both cases, I say yes — you definitely need a wedding album for your photos and you will want to get a professionally made wedding album.  And here’s why.

You put so much time and effort into planning your wedding.  You’re meticulously crafting together one very special day with hand-picked details, accents, colors, theme — you really owe it to yourself to capture it all in one beautiful book.  Otherwise, you’ll remember bits and pieces of it, but forget the big picture.  It may not seem like it today, or even right after you get married, but you’ll be happy you have it.

As one place to get amazing wedding albums, check out Albums by Elizabeth.  Here are some examples of her work on a recently-completed leather bound wedding album.

via albums by elizabeth, photos by stephanie hopkins photography
Can’t I Make a DIY Wedding Album?

I’ve seen couples do the do-it-yourself photo album route — um, myself included — and there is a HUGE difference between diy wedding albums and professional wedding albums.    Sure, DIY is cheaper… and it looks cheaper, too.

As they always say, you get what you pay for.

I created a diy wedding album a few years back, as I had a discount to a well-known photo album supplier.  I thought, this is great, I’ll finally have those photos off the hard drive and printed onto paper.

I had fun putting together collages myself.  The program I used even let me mass upload the entirety of my wedding and it would auto-insert them into pages and layouts for me.

So easy — yet, when the album came to my door, I wasn’t all that impressed.

The quality of the printing was sub-par and the layouts felt very basic and impersonal.  Some of the pictures even seemed fuzzy.

And the way the program auto-inserted my photos into layouts (which, at the time, actually looked really good in the preview) had some portions cut off.  Other larger photos — me and Andrew dancing, for instance — should have been front and center, but was tossed in a corner collage.

I let it go for awhile, but then I decided I needed / wanted a professional wedding album.  I had one created for us and I am so glad I did.  Now, I still have the old diy wedding album, but I let my three-year-old flip through it to show him what mommy and daddy looked like on our wedding day.

My professional flush mount wedding album with luxuriously soft leather cover, however, sits on the higher shelf.  I can’t wait to show it to him and his little brother when they’re older.  :) And we’ll actually have a keepsake to share with them (rather than a haphazardly thrown-together album of random pics).

So, do you need a wedding album? Yes.  I certainly think so.  And here’s why:

A wedding album is a lasting keepsake.

A professional wedding album is one you’ll be proud to show off for years to come!  After an investment in your wedding day (including that awesome photographer), your photos deserve to be on display in the most beautiful way possible.

via albums by elizabeth, photo by stephanie hopkins photogtaphy

All the work is done for you!

When you get a professional wedding album made, you’re taking another task off your shoulders.  Let someone who has a real passion for designing wedding albums — and has done it countless times before! — take the guesswork out of it for you.

via albums by elizabeth, photo by stephanie hopkins photogtaphy
And whatever you do, don’t do what I did — throw your photos into a weirdly computer-generated collage and cross your fingers for the best.  That was what I did my first time (it was a long time ago) and it was a real waste of time.

Leave the work to a professional and you’ll have a wedding album to be proud of.

Don’t focus on just the cost.

Many couples never consider getting a professional wedding album made because they assume it’s too costly.

Or they say something like, well, when are we really going to even look at it?

The problem here is they’re too focused on the cost of it.  Think of it as an investment:  you’re preserving the memory of your wedding day in the most intricate way possible.  And besides, all wedding albums aren’t necessarily that expensive.  Keep in mind that price is determined by a number of things:  length of photo album, type / weight of paper, and what kind of cover (leather-bound, linen, etc.) and any additional details — like embossing.  You can include some elements and your price may go up, or choose less-costly materials and your price may be slightly less.

via albums by elizabeth, photo by stephanie hopkins photogtaphy
Talk to Elizabeth of Albums by Elizabeth as one excellent resource.  You can see more about investment here — and, be sure to ask any questions you may have.  She’s happy to work with you on a quote and she provides great customer service.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Albums

Here are some commonly asked questions about professional wedding albums, in case you’re still on the fence.

Wait, doesn’t my photographer already include a wedding album?

You may be wondering if you need a wedding album because you are assuming your photographer will include one with your package.

Find out if he or she includes a wedding album with your package, and don’t be surprised if they do not offer a wedding album.  Many do not, and this is because most photographers now give you the edited photos on a USB so you can print photos or get a wedding album professionally designed.

There are still many who do offer this service, but you’ll definitely want to check either way so you can budget accordingly.

via albums by elizabeth, photo by stephanie hopkins photogtaphy

Can’t I just keep my photos on my digital hard drive vs. an album?

Some couples keep their wedding photos on their hard drive for YEARS, and never print them or frame them or anything.  It’s nuts!  I do it, too, with my everyday photos (because I take wayyy too much on a daily basis), so I totally understand why people do it.

But for wedding photos, those photos deserve to see the light of day again!

Save yourself some heartache — a backup drive that accidentally stops backing up, a virus that infects your hard drive, water damage and photos lost forever, etc. — and get those photos printed ASAP.

In fact, you’ll want to do the following immediately upon return from your honeymoon (or whenever your wedding photos are professionally edited and returned to you from your photographer).

1 – Save all photos on an external backup.

Just in case your USB gets misplaced.  This is essential.

2 – Get a wedding album made.

As one resource, we recommend Albums by Elizabeth.  She’s super easy to work with and her work is absolutely beautiful! Find out more here.

You should also get some of your favorite photos printed on artwork like this to display on your walls.

3 – Gift keepsake photo boxes for parents.

As a gift to your parents, print out your favorite wedding photos and place them in these heirloom glass photo display boxes (from La Rousse Shoppe).  They look absolutely stunning in person and each box is handmade.  Your parents will love to show off your photos when guests visit their home, displayed proudly on their coffee table or bookshelf.

I love it in silver (as shown below) but it’s also available in gold here.

Get your photo box here.

Note:  use code EBXLR for $10 off an order.  Expires on 8/3/2017.  Limit one per customer.

So, there you have it:  the answer to the commonly asked question of do you need a wedding album.   I hope we were able to answer all the questions you had, and shed some light on why wedding albums are expensive.

Get your wedding album professionally designed:

Remember to check out Albums by Elizabeth if you need a wedding album made for you.  She’s awesome to work with and a Featured Artist in The Marketplace at Emmaline Bride.

If you have other inquiries, feel free to leave them below in the comment box. :)

Happy Planning!

xo

Emma