Your wedding album is the tangible embodiment of all of the wonderful moments you experienced on your wedding day. In essence, it is a wholesome keepsake of memories that you get to preserve for posterity. Especially for an Indian wedding where there are multiple events, and more family and friends, a wedding album serves to be a great reminder of the good times you shared with people who may not be with you.
By all means, it must be crafted with great thought and attention to detail.
Once your photographer captures the precious moments in digital format and proceeds to transfer your favorite moments onto a wedding album, it becomes an asset for your living room, which you can look through any time you need to reminisce about the happiest times you shared with your friends and family.
This is why as a veteran Indian wedding photographer in Dallas, we at Shan Photography, often encourage our couples to opt for a printed album. We know how important and special such a keepsake is for a couple. Moreover, there have been times when an album has even saved marriages from falling apart in the US.
There is a myriad of options in themes, colors, formats, and more when it comes to creating an album. It might be overwhelming to choose one for your story.
Here is a guide on everything you need to know about your options, and how to create the perfect wedding keepsake.
Album styles
Wedding albums come in a variety of styles today. The first step to creating an album that translates your vision perfectly is to choose a style that resonates with you. From contemporary coffee table books to lay-flat design, and traditional flush-mount, each style presents pictures in a unique way. It decides how your story unfolds through the pages and the impact of each leaf. You can also decide on the style based on how you wish to preserve your album; if you plan to place it as a décor item in your living room, a coffee table style can work well. On the other hand, if you wish to put it away in your closet and look through it only in intimate settings, a traditional style may suffice.
Materials
The materials used in your album determine its quality, durability, and longevity, not to mention its aesthetic appeal. In best practice, always choose high-quality materials, both for your leaves or pages, and your cover. Some popular cover options are leather, metallic and pearlized leather, linen, and premium-grade materials like silk, crystal, etc. Some people even use wood and related materials. For the pages, use thick archival-grade paper or other forms of processed paper to ensure longevity as well as vibrancy in the prints and colors.
Partnering with a well-equipped and experienced Indian wedding photographer in Dallas will give you access to several great options for the cover and the pages.
Customization
Most photography teams offer ample customization options, through which you can make the album uniquely yours. Choosing the style, colors, themes, and materials to create the album is a part of the process, adding one layer of customization. You can go one step further and have your name, dates, or any other significant information engraved or embossed onto your album. Adding intricate details like these enhances the quality of the experiences and adds sentimental value to the asset.
Sizes
The size of your wedding album determines the clarity and level of detail in your wedding images. Different sizes also serve different purposes; for example, larger sizes are meant to be used as grand displays, while smaller ones serve to be intimate keepsakes. Consider how you plan to preserve it, and the level of detail you wish to see in your pictures. As mentioned earlier, if you wish to keep it on your living room coffee table, a grand size may be great. On the other hand, if you plan to use it as a personal diary of cherished moments, a smaller size will enhance the charm of the moments.
Balancing images and white space
Since a wedding album consists of several images, it is important to place them in harmony throughout the format. The series must not only tell your unique love story most naturally but must also appear aesthetically pleasing. This is why we have white spaces; it renders a clean and systematized appeal to the pages, as opposed to random placement, which can appear cluttered and trashy. When placing your pictures, ensure enough white space in between to allow each photo to breathe, and maintain it uniformly throughout the album. Follow a balanced placement of pictures according to the format you choose, and ensure that no page is too crowded.
Storytelling style
The storytelling style decides the way the events from your wedding day are presented through the pages; it tells your love story. You can choose from a conventional chronological style where the pictures will be arranged following the sequence of events, starting from the getting ready pics, the baraat, etc., and ending with the last event. Alternatively, you can also opt for a different approach where the pictures will be woven together thematically. A great Indian wedding photographer in Dallas will be able to help you with the possibilities in this regard.
Parent albums
Parent albums are smaller and more customized versions of your main wedding album. Couples nowadays like to create parent albums and gift them to loved ones to share the joy of the big day with important friends and family members. You can choose to match the format and presentation style of the primary album or tailor the details of the parent album according to the preferences of the recipient. Either way, it serves to be a great gift and a great way to share the happiness with others.
Preserving your album
Once you receive your customized and unique wedding album, it is important to store it in a way that preserves its richness and quality for years. As is the case with other important products, store it in a cool and dry place, ideally away from direct sunlight and moisture. Always handle the album with care when looking through, and supervise when handing it to children. There are also professional preservation services that you can consider if you need extra help saving your wedding memories for a lifetime.
Final thoughts
Transforming your digital wedding pictures into a tangible asset filled with sentimental value is a process that requires careful deliberation and attention to detail. From making thoughtful choices to personalizing the details, many elements can determine the quality, uniqueness, and longevity of your wedding album. To maximize your investment in the asset, and to preserve memories from the most special day of your life for a lifetime, follow this guide and choose your options wisely. Most importantly, partner with a well-equipped and experienced Indian wedding photographer in Dallas to create a priceless keepsake of a wedding album. For more updates visit our Facebook page.
Also read our blog – 6 Reasons Why You Need a Wedding Album in This Digital Age