Wedding Albums

The event went splendidly and the photos are record of the incredible event from the bridesmaids dresses  to the decorations.  Then it comes to choosing the photos you love and picking the perfect album  in which to display them. For those who have hired an event photographer,  rather than a wedding photographer,  you'll have great creative freedom to build the wedding album of your dreams. For people going with a standard wedding photographer, your choices might be more limited, but you should still get an idea of what type of album  would be best. This guide will help both the do-it-yourself bride and groom and the couple who likes to keep things traditional.

The one thing that both types of newly-weds should remember is that regardless of the style of album you choose, make sure that the quality of the paper and adhesives  is top of the line. Acid-free paper  is the only way to go so that in the future your photos will be kept in perfect condition. Once you've spent the money on your photos, you'll want to protect them as much as possible. Storing them in cool, dry, dark locations is best, preferably lying flat instead of standing. This will ensure that the pages do not wrinkle and that the book will keep its shape.

Album Styles

Are you traditional or would you call yourself a bit more contemporary? Depending on your style, one album type might be better suited for your wedding photos than another. All in all there are three different types to choose from.

Creative and Artistic For a unique look, opt for an old-fashioned book binder to hand craft an album. It's artistic, personalized, and the album will be one of a kind. Cover materials vary from the traditional leather or cloth, to fine silk and everything in between. The color options are as numerous as there are materials from which to choose. The same goes for the paper type. The photos are not matted but attached with photo corners or tape. This allows for more creative page layouts than with pre-cut mats. Some binders can offer matting though for an extra fee. Sizes can be whatever you choose, whether you want the classic 10" by 10"' or something more unique. These albums usually have 20 to 40 pages. Average cost: $400 to $1000.	Traditional If you have hired a wedding photographer who is providing you with an album, it will most likely be of this style. The cover may be made of leather or cloth. Engravings of the bride and grooms names may be featured on the cover. The paper may be white, ecru, or black. Heavyweight paper is the norm. Gilt edges and specially-cut corners are options you might have. Photos are matted. This means that the photos must be arranged as the matting is cut. The cuts may be square or oval. The size varies from 20 to 70 pages. Size options may include a 10" or 12" square, and sometimes 8" by 10". Average cost: $200 to $1200.	Digital If you are into stylish albums with a modern twist, and lots of versatility, then a digitally produced album is for you. The cover can be traditional or it can feature a photo (magazine or book style). The pages of this type of album are glossy like in a magazine, but made with heavier paper stock. Each photo is printed directly onto the page, allowing for maximum layout versatility. You can overlap, makes collages, and print a photo on the entire page. Page number varies. Size is dependent on the look you want to achieve. Average cost: $2400 to $6600. A note about the cost: while expensive to set up, ordering extras is easy and 40% less expensive than with other album types.

Doing It Yourself

If you are willing to spend the time on creating an album yourself, you should know a few things about choosing an album. Colors, styles, sizes, cover materials, and page quality is up to you and your personal tastes of course. However, buying an album from a store or online means that you'll have to decide on the actual type you want: matted or dry mount. What's the difference?

• Matted Albums 
• Buying a matted album means that you have to buy several pieces: the cover,  the inserts,  and the mats.  For every insert, you'll need two mats.
• The mats can be cut to enhance the look of the page but you'll have to know exactly how you plan to lay out the album before getting the mats cut or resizing photos.
• Typically, a matted album can hold 50 to 100 pages max because two pieces of paper are needed to display a photo instead of one, leaving less room for photos. Certainly consider this restriction if you are wanting to include every single photo from your wedding, from group shots and portraits to all the details in between.
• When choosing a cover style, consider whether you'll want to expand the number of pages in the future or not. For future expansion, a hinge style book held together with clips, pins, or string is best. Otherwise, you'll want a book bound album style.
• Dry Mount Albums 
• These are relatively simple in design, thus less expensive than matted albums.
• They consist of heavy pages (acid-free, naturally) and tissue paper sheets between pages to protect the photos.
• There are three methods for attaching the photos to the pages.
• You can use photo corners  to create an old-fashioned look.
• Photo tabs  create a permanent way of attaching pictures, leaving no room for mistakes.
• Photo adhesives  are less permanent than photo tabs, giving you a way of planning and rearranging the layout before you make the final decision.
• Glossy Magazine Style
• There are a few online stores that cater to those wanting to create a digital album at a discounted price (usually $20 to $40), such as Snap Fish, Kodak Gallery, and Shutterfly.
• Basically, all you have to do is pick the layout, choose the images you want to use, and select a cover style.