Wedding Albums.... should you go for one?
Obviously, I’m biased and will say ‘Yes!! Of course you should!’ but it will probably be helpful to explain why if you’re currently in the ‘should we/shouldn’t we’ area of deciding on an album.
Now don’t get me wrong, digital is absolutely great! It’s convenient, easy and weighs a lot less! However, nothing, NOTHING beats the feel of a real book - am I right or am I right?! It’s a similar debate around eBooks, as much as I love my Kindle, a real book is just better – especially for imagery.
So here are my top reasons why you should just go for it.
1. Photographs are made to be seen.
By many or few, it doesn’t matter. Your wedding photographs are what is left of your day after the confetti has been cleared, the hired suits returned, the cake eaten and the hangovers long past. What do you have left to bring back those memories? Yep, prints and albums. That USB will be sat in a drawer for a long while, not to mention you can only use it when you have a computer nearby.
2. Legacy
This is probably my favourite reason as I’m the sentimental type. I LOVE looking at my parent's wedding album. I used to pour over it when I was little. I love looking at my grandparent's album too even though they all passed on decades ago. It’s what I have left of them – memories and photographs. That is what makes them priceless.
One day you may even have children and grandchildren. Believe me, some of them will want to see where their family story started too.
3. Storytelling
This very much feeds on from legacy. All families have stories, all have starting points and this is yours. This is the book that will say what it was like, who was there, how glamorous and beautiful you both looked and just how joyful the whole day was. This is THE story of one of the most important days of your life so you want to make it the best you can.
4. Quality
You could go down the ‘print yourself’ route but there are a few things you should be aware of before cutting corners. Most cheap prints use ink and paper of low quality so they won't last as long. Look at family photos from decades ago, some will be faded or yellow with torn pages or well-thumbed corners. An actual photobook uses thick, high-quality paper and card with the best inks to ensure that it can handle being touched multiple times and won’t fade over time. I use a company that has decades of experience in the field so only the best quality will do.
5. Technology updates
Only a few years ago, most photographers were offering albums on CDs and DVDs before switching to USBs. However, as technology moves on, new computers are released, many don’t even have disc drives anymore. In a few years, I expect the same will happen with USBs. I had this issue recently with a new laptop only having ports for USB C rather than the standard A. A photo album will always last technological trends. It’s timeless.
So here we have it, 5 compelling reasons why you should say YES to an album from your photographer. I can’t say I’ve heard of anyone regretting investing in having a quality album printed as it’s a price that will give back over decades to come. Remember it’s your life story – only the best will do.
