POV: You have had the wedding of your dreams; filled with love, laughter, culture-rich rituals, vibrant colors, and all things endearingly wonderful. You’re married to the love of your life and are about to embark on a beautiful journey ahead.
Now it is time to seal the precious moments of your wedding in your hearts and memories, and preserve them for eternity;
In a printed wedding album.
As a veteran Indian wedding photographer in Houston, we have had the privilege of encapsulating the most incredible moments of many weddings in beautiful albums, through the years. For the same reason, we know how important it is to craft the perfect little keepsake so that you can look back on the most wonderful day of your life, and relive the experience, over and over again in the years to come.
Creating a wedding album is indeed an art. It is not enough to throw in a bunch of photos in random order and call it a day. It has to be a timeless tale of romance, and the commitment you and your partner made to each other.
Here is a guide on how to select and put together photos to create a picture-perfect wedding album.
The basic structure
One of the first few things to decide when you design your wedding album is how you want the pictures to be structured. You can plan your setting in either of two ways.
- Chronologically, where you can choose to place your photos in a progressive timeline
- Storytelling style, where you can choose a distinct order according to the love story that you and your partner share. This can include unique pictures and elements that were part of your relationship as a whole and not just your wedding day.
Once you’ve decided on the structure, you can go ahead and choose the best pictures for each segment given below.
Set the scene
It is important to include pictures that set the scene; the venue, the décor, the entryway, the Mandap, etc. After all, they are all beautifully decorated and play an important role in your dream wedding. They demand a special place in your wedding album. Moreover, these pictures take you back to the feelings you got when you first saw your decorated wedding venue. You can include pictures of all venue elements including the signboards, the photobooth, the flower decorations, the ritualistic elements, and the like.
Getting ready
After setting the scene, it is time to introduce the stars of the show; the bride and the groom. Pick out some gorgeous shots of you and your partner getting ready in the green room. Make sure to include photos that capture the intricate detailing on your outfits, the jewelry, the emotional exchanges between you and your families, etc. These pictures let you relive the excitement and rush of emotions immediately preceding the moment when you get married to the love of your life.
The ceremonies
Indian wedding rituals and ceremonies start right after the bride and the groom step out of their dressing rooms. Starting with the “milan” or the first look, there are multiple events unfolding throughout the wedding. As an experienced Indian wedding photographer in Houston, we suggest that you include at least two or three pictures of each important ceremony in your album. These are the photos that bring out the richness and value of the Indian culture. They represent your Indian wedding in the most authentic way, which is why you need photos for every ceremony you have; from the baraat to the jootha chupai, to the varama ceremony, to the vidaai, and every other ritual in between.
You can also include photos from your pre-wedding ceremonies, such as your Mehendi, Haldi, and Sangeet as well if you wish. Some couples choose to have a separate album for pre-wedding events.
Once again, as is the case with all weddings, there will inevitably be a lot of priceless emotional moments happening in the background, in the midst of all of these rituals. Be sure to include some of the best ones from the candid category in your ceremony stack.
Group photos
Group photos or stills with family and friends are still very much a part of Indian wedding photography. You may have some amazing stills with your near and dear ones, people who live far away, people you hardly get to see, and people whom you’re forming new relationships with. These photos will serve to be crucial nostalgic memories with the people you love, long after they are gone. They allow you to reminisce about the happy moments when you spent time with them, during times when you miss them later on in life. Hence, include the best group photos with all kith and kin; every single person you feel is important to you.
Wedding portraits
It goes without saying that you need to save a special place in your album for those magazine-worthy wedding portraits. They bring out the essence of your relationship and the beauty of your love. There is nothing that drives a stronger emotion of love than portraits that capture the true, raw, and real version of you and your partner as a couple. On many occasions, they have served as timeless reminders of the bond that the husband and wife share, which has even saved marriages from falling apart. Hence, by all means, include the best of your portrait pictures.
The intricate details
Indian weddings are filled with stunningly beautiful and wholesome intricate details. These include everything from the embroidery and beadwork on the bride’s lehenga to the craftwork on the jewelry, to the floral detailing on the mandap, to the ritualistic elements that make the marriage religiously official. Include all elements peculiar and particular to the kind of wedding you had, as it brings out the cultural richness of the wedding, while also giving due attention to the hard work put in by the creators of the detailing.
As authentic Indian wedding photographers in Houston, we make it a point to assign dedicated members from our group to capture intricacies that make the wedding beautifully wholesome.
Reception and party
The last category of photos to have in your wedding album represents the fun, laughter, and togetherness at the event; your reception party. From cutting the cake to jamming to music and celebrating wholeheartedly without a care in the world, the reception tells the story of your happiness more than anything else. Make sure to include the little details as well, such as the centerpieces from the dinner table, the place cards, the photo booth, etc.
Wrapping up
Your wedding album is the precious keepsake that is going to preserve your memories for life. It definitely calls for the best of the best. Choosing from the thousands of pictures taken at your wedding can get overwhelming and time-consuming for sure. Hence, use this mini guide and make your selection process more streamlined.
For more professional help on photography, wedding album creation as well photo selection, contact Shan Photography. We are the most authentically Indian wedding photographer in Houston, that gets Indian weddings like no one else. For more updates visit our Instagram page.