Bride and groom embracing under a large willow tree with sunlight streaming through the branches.

Photography Advice

Why You Need a Wedding Album | Cape Cod Wedding Photographer

In our modern era, we see printed pictures less and less. We’re used to clicking away on our cell phones, whether it’s trying to capture a moment or liking pictures as we rapidly scroll. So why would you invest in a wedding album?

I love that we can capture each little detail and then share it with those we love. And there shouldn’t be pressure to print out every single memory. The vast majority of our days are not big events, but they make up the whole of our lives.

Remembering the mundane is beautiful. But I think there’s still something to be said for truly preserving those once in a lifetime moments and treating them with the gravitas they deserve. This is exactly why you need a wedding album!

Why print a wedding album?

While this isn’t an exact science, I just know that there’s something completely different about viewing a printed photograph and looking at an image on a screen.

When you’re on your phone or laptop, notifications come in left and right. It’s so easy to get distracted by all of the other things you could be doing on your phone. You might be showing loved ones a quick picture, but you’re not trying to be overbearing and show them every single wedding picture you have.

Looking at pictures on your phone tends to be quick.

But looking at an actual printed album? That involves slowing down and grounding yourself in the moment.

An album weighs a lot more than a phone. You’re most likely going to curl up on a comfy couch, slow down, and carefully thumb through the pages.

Leafing through a wedding album is much more tactile. You’ll feel the linen or leather of the cover, the glossiness of the pages, the gentle breeze that turning each page creates.

You’ll view the images in a completely different way, too. Each spread (pairing of pages) will include multiple images, so you’re viewing them in a much more artistic way.

While reminiscing like this, you’ll have more chances to re-experience your memories. Those that didn’t attend your wedding, like your kids and grandkids, may start to imagine what it would’ve been like.

While I would never give up viewing images on my phone, and I wouldn’t ask that of you either, I can’t help but advocate for this experience. It matters!

Slowing down and remembering the reason behind your marriage is such a sacred act that a wedding album assists in.

Side view of a partially open wedding album with white pages and a light blue cover.

What is the difference between a wedding photo book and a wedding album?

This is a great question, and the answer depends on who you’re talking to.

Some people use these terms interchangeably, so to them, there isn’t a difference.

But for a lot of photographers and printers, they may be talking about the actual quality of the finished product.

Photo books tend to be made in a more cost effective manner than a true wedding album. There could be a difference in cover materials, but the true difference tends to lie in the actual paper used.

For a wedding album, the pages may be made of a boarded material that is thick and not meant to be bent. The paper quality, at least from a professional printer, is usually archival. This means that the paper and the ink used to print on the paper is made to outlast you. The pages shouldn’t turn yellow and the ink shouldn’t fade as long as the album isn’t left out for extreme weather changes, in direct sunlight, or in high humidity.

Many high end wedding albums also feature seamless, lay-flat pages. This means that when you look at the album you shouldn’t have to hold it open. And if you have an epic, horizontal image that you want to truly feature, it can take up both the left hand and right hand side of the pages without worrying about losing part of the image in the book binding.

Photobooks tend to have less of these features, which makes them more affordable. The pages are more like what you would see in a traditional book instead of being boarded, and they probably won’t lie flat.

There is no “right” or “wrong” option to choose–they just have different features.

Open wedding album displaying a page with photos of the couple, with scissors and daisies nearby.

Why should I buy a wedding album through my photographer? Can’t I make one myself?

Of course you can DIY your own wedding album as long as you have print rights to your photos. But here’s why you shouldn’t:

Pink flower with greenery and a light blue wedding album in the background.

Creating an album takes a lot of work, so you will be able to hold the final product much sooner if you outsource to your photographer.

There’s a whole lot that goes into a wedding album! You need to select the images, get them uploaded into whatever software you’ll use for designing, create the design, proof the design, and put in the order.

When you’re dealing with all the busyness of real life, building your own album from scratch can fall to the wayside. How many of your friends have been married for years, telling themselves that they will make that album someday, and time keeps ticking by?

If you want to actually enjoy your wedding album, your photographer will get it to you much faster.

Bride smiling, holding a bouquet of white flowers, with a sheer veil covering her face.

Designing a wedding album can be overwhelming

Pairing images together and telling the complete story of your day without including every single image is definitely a skill! If you aren’t used to doing this on your own, you might quickly suffer from decision fatigue.

And, even if you design the whole album, you might not like the end result.

When I create wedding albums for my clients, I actually create the first draft on my own to present to clients. I include up to three rounds of revisions, so if they want some images swapped around they have time to perfect the design.

But it’s much easier to look at a design, swap out a few images, and then start anticipating holding your album instead of endlessly shuffling around hundreds of images by yourself.

Close-up of pink flower petals and a piece of pink fabric on a white surface.

Photographers have access to much higher quality printing labs.

You and I can probably both think of some of the famous printing labs out there. A big one rhymes with Butterfly.

But trust me when I say that the quality of a wedding album from an online shop like that cannot even come close to what professional labs create.

Like I mentioned before, these professional labs use archival materials so that your wedding album should outlast you. It will become a family heirloom for future generations to enjoy. That butterfly book? I wouldn’t count on it outliving you.

At the time of this journal entry, I use Redtree Albums as my printer. I love their attention to detail (they hand bind everything!), quality materials, and incredible turnaround time. Once I submit a design, the album arrives in 10-15 business days, sometimes even sooner. For a handmade, customized piece of art, that’s rapid.

Redtree, and many other professional printers, only work with professional photographers. I had to apply to partner with them, and they checked several different business documents and my website to ensure that I’m a legitimate professional. So, unless you’re in the industry, you can’t get this level of quality on your own.

So, while you can create your own album, there are many benefits to trusting your photographer with these amazing memories.

If you’re looking for your own wedding photographer, I’d love to connect with you. Please click here to fill out my inquiry form so that we can get started!

Until next time,

Christine