6 Reasons to Print your Photos and Invest in a Wedding Album

So you have found your wedding photographer or perhaps you are looking at different photography packages, and the question of a wedding album has come up. So are they worth the cost and what are the reasons for having one created for you?

There’s something timeless and irreplaceable about holding a physical photo in your hand, especially when it comes to one of the most significant days of your life – your wedding.

Why You Should Print your Wedding Photos

Most wedding photographers will offer a wedding album as part of a package or as an extra, you may not have thought about this when setting your wedding budget however here are 5 reasons why you should try and find a little extra so you can have an album created for you.

1. Something Physical you can touch

Let’s face it – digital files are easily forgotten. They’re tucked away in folders on our devices, often collecting digital dust. Printed photos, on the other hand, become part of your daily life. They sit on your mantle, your walls, and your photo albums, always ready to transport you back in time.

Once your wedding is over you just want to see your photos so you can relive it all again, however having a physical book to look through is a lot different to scrolling through your photos on your phone, iPad or computer. It is standard to get your files via a USB or downloading them, some photographers also offer a gallery you can login and view them too. However you are staring at a screen! Unplug and view your photos in a physical book.

Kindles have been around for many years now, however people still buy physical books. Photos on a USB stick will be kept in a drawer and are easily forgotten about.

However there is something about the high quality feel, touch and even smell of a freshly printed album. An album and book that is unique to you, something that you will treasure. Something that allows you to sit down with your partner and go through it page by page.

Your photographer will use quality printing services that produce gorgeous albums, high quality paper and beautifully bound. Album covers could be leather, vinyl, wood or cloth, there are lots of options and you can discuss this with your photographer to create something that suits you.

2. A great way to show family and friends

When you see friends and family there is something nice about showing them a physical album, a book that they can go through showing your beautiful photos. Lay flat albums are great for placing on a table allowing more than a couple of people to see your photos as you go through them.

Instead of sending friends a link to view your photos online, invite them round and relive the day together.

3. A Beautiful story

A wedding album is a story book of your day, unique to you, a story from getting ready, the moment your bridesmaids see you in the dress, arriving in the car, walking down the aisle, the smile on your partners face, the tear in your mums eye, the celebration, the joy and happiness on guests faces. This book is all about your day and is put together by your photographer, they will select and order photos to tell a beautiful story that will help you relive the day. This is where the having your photographer produce it is worth it.

Of course you could do this yourself, and there are many online platforms where you can get books printed, however it takes time, it takes time to pick out photos to include, ordering them, positioning them and laying it all out. A wedding photographer will have experience of doing this, they will know the best way to layout and structure the album, they will pick and photos that work well with each other, they will create an album that will tell the story of your day.

As this is done for you by your photographer, the excitement of seeing it for the first time and going through it will leave you in tears. Tears of joy and happiness as you see your photos for the first time and relive your day.

4. Something to treasure

A wedding album is something that you will treasure forever, this little book will hold all your memories of one of the happiest days of your life. You will keep it safe, you will show it to family, and you will every so often reach for it to relive your special day.

When you have kids and want to show them Mum and Dad getting married, then you will reach for the wedding album. This book is a story and something you will certainly treasure. Unlike a USB hidden away in a drawer, you will keep this book within easy reach.

5. Beautiful Journey Back in Time

One of the delights of having printed photos is the ability to revisit your wedding day whenever you wish. As the years pass, these prints serve as a time machine, allowing you to relive your beautiful day. Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary or simply reminiscing, your prints hold the key to time travel.

One of the joys of having printed wedding photos is the ability to surprise your spouse with an anniversary gift that’s truly special. Whether it’s a new framed photo, an updated album, or a collage of your most cherished moments, you can keep the romance alive with the gift of printed memories.

Printed wedding photos hold the power to inspire and teach. For your children, they become a window into your love story, a testament to love, commitment, and the beauty of your relationship. These prints can serve as a meaningful legacy, passing on the lessons of love and celebration.

6. Gifts and Memories for Parents and friends

Having an album printed for your proud parents makes a great gift and also for them to treasure and relive the day. You could have a smaller album created and printed that you can give to parents, bridesmaids and family while having a larger album created and kept just for you.

Wedding Album FAQ’s

Those are just some reasons as to why you should include a wedding album in your photography package, but of course there are a few other options and things that may make you think twice.

What about cost?

Wedding albums have lots of options, the more pages the greater the cost, a leather bound album will be more expensive than a cloth cover, and a large A4 book will be more than a smaller square mini-album. Costs for an album can be anywhere between £150 – £500+ depending on what you want and the photographer.

Many photographers will offer this as an extra and have a cost for it with a set number of pages and type of album, others may offer a wedding photography packages that includes an album with the cost of capturing you wedding day too.

Remember you are paying for their time to create the album for you, and also for a high quality album that won’t be your typical phonebook you can buy online from one of the many photo printing services.

Speak to your wedding photographer and see what options they offer, if you are just starting to look for a wedding photographer then make sure to mention it when asking for a quote for your photography as they may offer you a better deal.

What if I did it myself?

Of course you could do this yourself, however it is making time to sit down and do this, finding a high quality printer, using their album platform software to create the album layouts and then picking and arranging the photos.

It is easy to start and then say ‘I’ll come back to it’. There is certainly something nice about getting the book and the surprise and excitement of seeing your wedding day in photos, in a wedding album. Doing it yourself maybe cheaper, however you may not end up doing it at all.

What is a layflat wedding album?

The term lay flat means exactly that, it means that when your wedding album is open, the book lays flat, there is no bending or lifting where the pages are bound. This is great for large photos that go across the page, and also allows you to see the full photo. The images above show lay flat albums.

Remember, your wedding photos are your memories, a story of your day, you have hired a professional wedding photographer to capture your day, why not let the professionals created a beautiful album for you too.

Final thoughts

In a world inundated with digital images, printing your wedding photos sets them apart as something truly unique. They become a testament to your love, a work of art, and a bridge to your past.

You don’t need to print all your wedding photos that are taken, but having some printed or added into an album is a must.

Printed wedding photos are not just snapshots; they are time capsules filled with emotion and memory, capturing the beauty and significance of your special day. Make the choice to print your wedding photos, and you’ll be creating treasures that will last a lifetime and beyond.