Your Wedding Album - a treasure house of memories

The one thing that most people forget when they are planning their big day is the memory factor. You want memories that will last forever and you can take pride in sharing. The first possession that most people say they would grab if their house was on fire is their photo album. So why do we spend so much time on choosing the photographer and so little, relatively speaking, on deciding how to display the pictures he or she takes?

Take total control of the planning of your photo album, making sure it reflects your personality and complements your wedding theme. As albums now range in style from traditional to modern, with every kind of style and size in between - there's sure to be an album that will suit you!

Think about choosing the album when you select you stationery, which is a good way to follow through the theme you’ve chosen. Engraving adds impact and personalises what could otherwise be a rather anonymous article.

The wedding
When talking to you photographer, make sure he or she focuses on details such as the church décor, table display or flowers, that reflect the style of your day. You’ve been planning, spending, and panicking over your wedding for months – be certain you’re going to get pictures of the perfect moments you’ve worked so hard to create!

The reception
Ask your photographer’s assistant, or a trusted friend to take Polaroids of the wedding guests, then – as soon as they dry - slip them into an album next to the guest book. Make sure your friend can also get names and label the pictures straight away. It’s a perfect keepsake and a great icebreaker for guests who might not know each other – and if you forget somebody’s name, you can flick through the book to remind yourself!

Laying out your album
Be sure to include a copy of your wedding announcement in your album, plus pictures of your wedding rings and formal wedding attire. Pressed flowers and ribbons from your reception add charm to your album.



More than memories – using photographs to make your day special
A lovely gift for bridesmaids, the best man and the ushers is a mini album that contains pictures from the hen and stag nights and the preparations for the wedding. They can add pictures from the day itself to your gift and will have a perfect memento of their role in your special day.

When you choose your wedding album, buy a spare. Then, on every wedding anniversary you can add a couple of pictures to the anniversary album. Think of all the things you’ll have to celebrate: moving house, babies arriving, holidays abroad, pets ... and you’ll have a wonderful repository of memories to look back on over the years.

What about using adhesive plastic albums?
These albums will not preserve your pictures because, over time, the adhesive will deteriorate and the covering plastic will simply fall off. Before it does, it may stick to the picture surface and destroy the emulsion. Another danger with any album that puts a picture behind a plastic cover is the picture sticking to the plastic, which ultimately pulls away the colour layers. This is fine for snaps and prints: candid shots that aren’t the material of your most precious memories, but it’s not what you want for your precious wedding photographs. Tissue pages in quality albums are specially designed to remain acid neutral and avoid the discoloration of photographs over time.