When you’re planning a wedding, sometimes deciding on a wedding album is one of the furthest things from your mind. The event hasn’t even happened yet so envisioning how you’ll enjoy the memories of it for years to come can seem super duper abstract. But if you know me, you know I love albums and I think photos shouldn’t just exist on hard drives. I want to share 4 reasons why you should invest in a wedding album as part of your photography package.

1. Tell your story in a tangible way over and over again

Many of us I’m sure can remember flipping through our parents’ or grandparents’ wedding album. I remember when Josh and I were engaged, his mom got out their wedding album for us to flip through together. It’s hard to imagine trying to share these memories with someone through a gallery of 1000 photos or through a Facebook album. A wedding album seeks to tell the story of the day from beginning to end. It’s not just a bunch of prints slipped into sleeves.

Just imagine pulling out your wedding album to show to your children or grandchildren (or heck, just to enjoy together after 40 years). It’s easier than ever to illustrate your story in a way that can be passed down for years to come. A wedding album is the window into the first chapter of your marriage, just like engagement photos are a window into the anticipation of being engaged and getting ready to commit to one another. 

Every anniversary we have, or just any time where we are feeling a little down, Josh and I get out our huge wedding album (I went all out with it, y’all). It’s a whopping 70+ spreads of pure joy from our wedding day. Honestly we never watch our wedding video and we only look at our photos. I never look through the images on my computer, even though I do have them backed up!

2. Technology is ever-changing and albums stand the test of time

Remember when floppy disks were all the rage (maybe you don’t if you’re a Gen Z-er)? What about putting things on a CD disc? Apple has removed USB ports from their computers. Technology changes so quickly and we just don’t know what’s next. Photographers have changed the way they deliver photos so many times over just the last decade. Most now don’t even deliver a USB; they use digital gallery tools to send images. And social media sites aren’t great places to archive your photos…who knows if they’ll even be around! Ahem, MySpace!

But you know what never changes? A hard copy of your images in print.

One to of the key reasons why you should invest in a wedding album is to protect your investment. It’s much harder for an album to be corrupted or become completely obsolete. It’s my guess that people will continue printing photos and enjoy albums for many, many years since there is truly nothing like that tactile experience.

3. Enjoy your investment

Weddings aren’t cheap. Photography isn’t cheap. A wedding album is an extra expense, but it pays dividends over the course of its life. Photos are all you have left at the end of your wedding (besides a dress you’ll probably never wear again), so why not enjoy them over and over again?

Most couples forget to print their wedding photos. It took me over a year to get ours up in our house! One day, you’ll realize you never made that album yourself or never printed a photo. How sad is that? After all the effort, the photos sit on social media or your hard drive. 

When you pre-order an album, I’ll ensure you have it just a few months after you walk down the aisle. You’ll be able to enjoy your day over and over again!

4. Quality

With my business, you’re always free to design an album yourself or print photos anywhere you’d like. If you want to make a Shutterfly album for yourself, that’s totally allowed. But I urge you to consider quality; it’s a big reason why you should invest in a wedding album from a professional.

My albums are meant to last. They’re expensive because they’re quality items that you CAN pass down (see reason number one) to future generations. You CAN enjoy them for years. Also, when you order an album through me, you’ll get a white glove experience where I design the album and take care of all the ordering…I make it easy! Around 80 percent of Shutterfly albums go unfinished…don’t let that be you!

Wedding Album FAQs

How much do wedding albums cost?

My wedding albums begin at $400. The cost is dependent on the size and number of spreads in the album.

What’s the different between an album and a book?

I offer both albums and books. Books are printed on press paper, meaning paper like you’d write on (think very heavy cardstock). Albums are printed on professional photographic paper and mounted on cardboard to create pages. Albums are usually thicker and come in higher quality covers.

What’s a spread?

A spread is two pages. We design in spreads because albums and books are lay-flat, meaning the photos can be spread across two pages in a panoramic way.

Do you offer parent albums?

I offer parent albums as an add-on to your album order. Parent albums are exact replicas of your album sold at discount. They must be purchased when you order your album for the discount. 

What are the cover options?

I offer leather, linen, and velvet covers. There are many colors and textures to suite your tastes! You can also choose to engrave or stamp the cover with your names.

How does the design process work?

After you order your album, I’ll send a link for you to select images via your gallery. Or if you’d prefer, I can select images for you. Then I’ll create proofs based on these images and send them to you to approve. Once they’re approved, I’ll order and you should have your album in 7-10 business days. 

To learn more about wedding albums from Madalyn Muncy Photography, visit this page.