Believe it or not, after the wedding day there’s still work to be done. Thankfully, it’s a good task… the job of choosing which photos make the cut into that all important wedding album. Over the years I’ve worked with plenty of brides and grooms to help them create their albums, so for me, it’s a breeze. If you’re not sure where to start – don’t panic! Here are my top tips on how to choose photos for your wedding album.
Enjoy the process
It’s important to look at the bigger picture. Your wedding album should be a reflection of one of the happiest days of your life, which will be cherished for years to come. Therefore, it’s absolutely fine to take your time when choosing photos. I understand that after the honeymoon, you’ll be keen to keep the wedding journey alive but don’t rush into your wedding album. Enjoy the process of choosing photos together over a glass of wine (or two) rather than stressing about it. Adding some thought will make the final outcome even more worthwhile.
Relive your wedding day
Your wedding album should tell the story of your day from start to finish so keep this in mind when selecting photos. The key thing to remember is to arrange photos chronologically, as they happened, with key moments of your day featured. Try to make the album flow and show a series of events as they unfolded. So for example, start with bridal preparation shots and end with something such as your first dance or a photo of you both at sunset.
Remember balance
In order to ensure your album flows beautifully, think of the day in sections and keep it balanced. Don’t be tempted to include loads of photos from the first half of the day, and just a few from later on. Think of the day in terms of sections such as preparation, travel and ceremony, post-ceremony photos, group photos, reception, dancing etc and choose your favourite photos from each section.
Go for must-haves, rather than should-haves
Remember, this is your wedding album so when choosing photos, go with your absolute favourites. Choose with your heart, rather than your head, selecting shots you love, over those that you think you should include because other people would want them there. If you’re worried about keeping people happy, don’t forget that there are other ways to display photos. You should have a USB of photos from your photographer so these can be shared or printed and displayed in anyway you or others desire. This is YOUR album for you to enjoy. It’s personal and you should love it.
Don’t forget about variety
A wedding album with a variety of photos will be more appealing to look at and will offer a better representation of your wedding day. If you find yourself choosing photos of the same thing, narrow it down to your favourite to avoid repetition. Or, if you just can’t decide, call on your photographer for his/her expert eye to help.
Consider black and white as well as colour
Some shots are lovely in colour but really come to life in black and white! Play around with a mixture of colour photos, with the odd black and white photo added in to grab the eye.
Think about the size of your wedding
Believe it or not, the size of your wedding should come into consideration when deciding on the size of your album. For example, an intimate, shorter wedding won’t need as many photos as say an extravagant wedding with 200 or more guests.
Consider parent albums too
While your wedding album is all about you, your parents might appreciate a mini-replica album to bask in your day too. Plus, you’ll earn yourself mega brownie points for the thought.
Don’t hide it away
So many couples are guilty of hiding their albums away in a drawer or cupboard. You’ve paid money for it so display it somewhere you can easily get your hands on it. Do be mindful that it’s kept away from direct sunlight and toddler’s sticky fingers!