DIY: How to Make a Perfect Wedding Photo Book

How to make the perfect wedding photo book

A wedding photo book holds a special place in any couple’s life just like wedding is an important event of their lives, same ways the wedding photo book is the most indispensable collection of memories of the big day. After all the days spent in preparing for the big day, after exchanging rings, after tying the knots, after saying the wedding wows, after enjoying the reception, what is left behind for the lifetime is The Wedding Album! Once your wedding is over, your wedding photo book is the biggest keepsake from the biggest day of your life that you and your next generations will cherish forever.

This era is the era of DIY thing anything and everything for that matter and wedding photography is one among those DIY things. And the best part is DIY of wedding photo book is easy and budget friendly for the ones who are planning to get involved in DIY wedding photo book. A perfect solution for creating an enchanting wedding photo book at home for the newlywed couples.

All you need to do is choose, edit and organize all the happy moments of your wedding day to have a perfect keepsake for the lifetime to cherish.

Well, before moving ahead, let’s know the pre-requisite of the perfect wedding photo book first:

► Is it necessary to have a wedding photo book when one can have all the pictures in soft copy?

An important question for everyone as there was a time when only wedding albums were the options to save the memories of a wedding. Then came the videography into existence and people start to have album with their wedding video tapes. And today everything is digitized, people have access to any gadget they want. So, what is the need to spend time, effort and money in creating wedding albums? Very valid reason for chucking the idea of having a wedding photo book. However, if you see, the importance of those print pictures have never gone out dated, people prefer having wedding photo book.

Wedding photo book is a beautiful way of recording your big day. Also, technology keep changing but the books are forever. Having your wedding photo book gives you an opportunity to flip through the pages of your memories any time you want, even your next generation will cherish those pictures of your wedding. As long as you don’t have a money constraint, go for a wedding photo book and believe you will not regret the decision of having a wedding photo book.

Through your wedding photo book you can have a record of not only your best moments but of the people you love, or those who love you and who have been there for you always. Where ever you stay in life having your photo book will relive those memories and you will be glad to see those happy people in those photographs of your wedding.

► Who should be included in your wedding photo book?

Well, your wedding photo book is important. You will get if not thousands then few hundred images from your wedding photographer and not all the pictures can be included in your wedding photo book, there is no point in doing so. You need to sort out the photos which one to be included in your wedding photo book. Besides, you may need to address a wedding photo editing service if some of your images require improvement. First thing first, your wedding photo book should include all the first favorite photos of yours, those up-close portraiture, also the key details like; scans or images of invitations, decor, flowers, food, programs and all of the thoughtful accents that you two spend months on for making your wedding a perfect celebration.

Along with them having candid photographs of the moments which can represent the flow of the event in the most mesmerizing way like bride’s father’s teary eyes while she was leaving, coupling that with the corresponding text will add to the overall flow.

Not to forget your guests who spared time to become part of your life’s most important event. This is how you will know who all the attendees were. Also, those close people of your life who made time for you and your event should not be forgotten at all. Any time in future if you feel like missing them you can at least go through your wedding album to have their glimpse there straight away. You know wedding albums are a source to relive your memories, nothing is guaranteed at least having pictures handy will ensure you can revisit them as and when you want to.

Just like a wedding is incomplete without your loved ones, your wedding photo book also needs people to completely showcase the overall flow of the celebration. Wedding without people will be a ceremony not the celebration! Celebrate your wedding and make a grandiose celebrating keepsake of your wedding photographs.

► What should be avoided while creating a photo book?

As I said you will have n number of your wedding photographs, you might be tempted to see them in huge number. But, you know what matters the most while creating a wedding photo book is quality and not the quantity so basically focus on the quality. Remove all the blur photographs first, it will give you ease in sorting them, then remove the repeated photographs because repetition is kryptonite to any album. No duplicates required, it will only over crowd your album and nothing. The best way is to have the best pictures in the first place, the ones where you and your people look their best.

This process of sorting and removing redundant will give you more room for other photos, well – your aim is to have the assorted emotions of the moment not the same people and same poses again and again. Your photo book should consist candid up-close, group photos, spontaneous and random shots, details captured from the event, staged and posed shots etc. Stressing the best photographs of your wedding while creating your wedding photo book will make it more special.

► What should you do with the pictures your cousin and the other guests at the wedding captured, as few of them are really great?

Well, in your wedding it’s not just your photographer who is capturing your moments even your close friends or cousins or maybe any other guest is doing the needful and today when phones are so smart so does is their camera with high pixel and all one can get a real splendid picture. More often than not, all such pictures are immediately posted on the social media, so there is not point having them in your photo book too. But if you find some really great pictures, you can include few but the best ones in your album where ever you find them gelling up with overall flow.

Here is list of tips “how to make the perfect wedding photo book of your wedding day”:

1. Keep Continuous Shooting Mode On For Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event, probably you have hired your wedding photographer to capture only the important ceremony. But at the wedding there are several moments which should not go uncaptured at all. Those may seem small but are significant for showcasing the flow of your wedding perfectly. You must be having a cousin or a friend who is passionate about the photography and carries his/her camera along.

Have him/her recruited for this, ask him/her to capture those unguarded moments throughout the day large or small. Undoubtedly posed photos have their place but those spontaneous and random shots, those emotions of the moment captured make your wedding photo book worth it. Timing matters – keep continuous shooting mode on and you will get more natural, relaxed, candid, and beautiful photographs of your event. The most beautiful photos are those which are captured naturally, they may not be able to hide your pimple but can very well display your beautiful smile which is reflecting the beautiful emotions you feel within.

Important: Don’t forget to turn the sound off your camera so as to have absolutely unobtrusive moments captured.

2. Focus On Details For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Your wedding is not just a story of you two but it includes various elements to make it a successful event at the end. Hence, the details like your wedding outfit laid on the bed, the cutlery, the vase on the table, the smiling guest, the stunning bride, the entry of the handsome groom, the unworn new shoes, the bouquet etc., and this all can be done perfectly with the help of photojournalism style of wedding photography. A unique style also called Reportage wedding photography or candid wedding photography designed to tell a story, includes all the details large or small that surround you during your day. Including details in your photo book will worth it.

Your wedding photo book should be a good mix of all the ceremonies, not just speaking of you two and missing other details of the wedding. A perfect mix of varieties, placing smallest details of the wedding in the wedding album is a great way to relax the eyes of the viewers.

3. Have A Combination Of Candid And Pre-Planned Shots For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Having all the posed shots in your wedding photo book will make it look static which is not good. To have a perfect blend of candid shots along with posed ones will give your wedding photo book a freshness and a flow. While your wedding photographer may miss to capture your important guest in the group but if you have those spontaneous shots of other events it would be easy for you to include them in your wedding photo book to have the missed member in there, if not in group photo but at least in the photo book.

4. Go For The Photographs Captured By Your Professional Wedding Photographer On Your Wedding Day For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Photos captured by the professional or DSLR camera have a better quality then those captured by the smart phones. Your friend might have captured a wonderful picture of yours with her smart phone but still that is not enough reason to have that picture in your wedding photo book. You can have it on your social media account but not in your wedding photo book. Whatever, there are limitations, a picture captured by a professional camera and the one with the smart phone can be differentiated easily.

5. Organize Your Photos Chronologically For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

All the key moments should be included that too in chronological order. Placing your photos in chronological order makes more sense and allows you to recount the story of your wedding day: the preparations, the rituals, the ceremonies, the wows and the departure—all the key details large or small must be included!

Not only this but placing the photographs in order will help you tell story of your wedding day as it unfolded. So, later when you will flip through pages you will be able to experience every emotion and re-live those memories once again.

Remember, your wedding is not just a day event, hence your wedding photo book shouldn’t only consist of just your special day. You need to position your photographs in your wedding photo book in a following chronological order:

  • Ladies Sangeet and Cocktail Dinner
  • Mehndi Night
  • Haldi ceremony next morning
  • Bride getting ready
  • Arrival of the baraat
  • Entry of the bride in the wedding hall
  • Garlanding
  • Details of the venue
  • Portraitures of Bride and Groom
  • Photos of bride, bridesmaids, bride and groom, and wedding party
  • Wedding ceremonies
  • Departure of the bride
  • Welcome of the bride in Groom’s house
  • Reception Party Night
  • First couple dance
  • Toasts and parent dances
  • Open dance floor

Don’t worry if something or some ceremony didn’t even take place. This is your story and your wedding photo book should represent your actual experience.

6. Color Coordination Should Be Considered For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Pay attention to the color coordination while your create a perfect wedding photo book. Make sure that your photo book is aesthetically pleasing, contrive and that plenty of thought was put into its creation. Place those images that matches perfectly with the colors used at your wedding, like your floral arrangements, bridesmaid’s dresses and countless other elements of your special day. Choosing colors, matching with the atmosphere will increase schmaltz and emotion-eliciting memories.

7. Arrangement Of Photographs As Per Sizes For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Gone are the days when the phonographs were captured only in one size or used to be of same size. If you don’t trust then flip through your mom’s wedding album you will know. But now is the time when your pictures are printed in numerous sizes as per the demand of the photo book. For example most important pictures like couple’s portraiture, rings, bride walking to the stage etc. some of them specifically demand for the full pages and hence having variation in sizes of pictures for a perfect photo book is crucial.

8. Place One Spread At A Time For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Getting enticed upon seeing so many photographs and lured to use all of them in your photo book is a natural feeling. It happens, but you should never forget your purpose, you want to have a perfect photo book not the crowded one. Hence, it is advised that after sorting the best and the most important pictures of your wedding place them one photograph per single page. You can also have three photographs across two pages depending upon their sized, also ensuring that it will not crowd the glossy paper of the book.

Keep layout of your wedding photo book clean, it will help you have a cleanly synchronized and focused wedding photo book for the lifetime. Also, the photograph or the spread should look connected to the next spread, it should not be fragmentally arranged all in all. Your wedding photo book is an indispensable record of your biggest event. Arrange it neatly, so that it tells your story as it unfolded!

9. The Cover For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

The cover of your photo book is a key element, choose the one that you feel represents you. Myriads of options are available, such as: A romantic portrait of you two or maybe a simple cover with your names or any other essential element representing your big day. Give your wedding photo book a personalized touch, choose the one that you feel represents you completely. You can also use your new titles (e.g. Mr. and Mrs. XXX) along with the Wedding date and location or some romantic title for your photo book to make it more creative and enchanting. Cover of your photo book is your first impression let it impress everyone your display it to as there is no second chance for the first impression.

10. Take your time For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Your wedding photo book is not meant to be created in hurry just because you are eager to show it to the world. Take your time to create your wedding photo book, spent time with your better half to have the idea how it should be.

Once you receive soft copy of your photos take your time to sort through and select the best ones for your wedding photo book and this whole process needs time. Give that time, to get a perfect flow of your wedding photo book.

11. Minimized Use Of Captions For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Your picture says it all, using too many or too much captions for your wedding photo book will not look attractive. You don’t need to use words to tell your story as a picture is worth a thousand words. However, there are instances where captions are needed like maybe there was some funny memory which needs to be explained through a caption there you can add one as it will look relevant there. There has to be a perfect balance of words also in your wedding photo book. Use of too many captions will distract the overall flow of the photo book.

12. Ensure Everyone Is Included For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Well, in a wedding too many people, relatives, friends are present and most of them are captured. It is certainly difficult for a couple to sort out who to add. But it is essential that you include everyone present in the wedding in your wedding photo book. As when you will flip your photo book tomorrow you will feel good and glad to see all those who could make for your wedding. Easy is to make a list of everyone important present at your wedding, this way you will know who you can add. This may seem a harrowing task initially but giving enough time to the process you will be able to create a perfect photo book with all the people who you love or who love you.

13. Be Creative For Building A Perfect Wedding Photo Book

Your wedding day is the guideline to your wedding photo book, be creative to fill in the pages! Use variation of photography styles from candid to black and white in between. Use varied layouts. Be creative while you use details of the wedding, for example putting a bridal rings in between the pages where portraits of two are placed likewise!

14. Your Photos Are Good At Talking Let Them For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

You don’t need to use too many captions or comments to describe a particular photo as photographs are skilled enough to talk for themselves. Hence, let your photo do the talking instead you talking for them. It will over-crowd the photo book and will be a distraction finally.

15. Consider The Use For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

It is very important to consider how to use your photo book, are you going to use it as thank you gifts for those who are important and close to you. As it is easy to create multiple prints of your finished book. The best part of a wedding photo book is that there are a range of formats such as Small Square, standard portrait and large landscape are available for use. Your guest’s will also cherish your memories.

16. Customize For The Perfect Wedding Photo Book

A customized wedding photo book as per your style and details which will portray true ‘you two’ will be a great option to have a perfect wedding photo book for the life time to cherish. Myriads of options are available from printed linen to colored leathers and silky. For a photo book a large variation of papers is available from glossy to matte uncoated, high gloss for brilliant colors to silky matte for the soft look etc., to choose for your wedding photo book.

The wedding photo book is the most enchanting reminder of your biggest day and its memories. ☺ ☺ Live your memories over and over.