Many things matter on your wedding day. You may worry about how your guests will arrive at the venue, which song to play as you walk down the aisle, and even which food to serve. You’ll need to think about color schemes, place settings and thank you speeches. You’ll probably have more going on during this day than any other in your life. And, out of everything, your wedding album is the thing which matters the most. It is, after all, the lasting impression you’ll have of the day. In years to come, this will be the only record that your wedding ever happened in the first place. Well, that and the twenty-odd years of marriage. But, you get the idea. This is the evidence you’ll be showing your grand kiddies in thirty years.
When you think of like that, everything else pales in comparison. No matter how important it seems now, even you’ll probably forget which song you chose to walk down the aisle. But, you’ll never be able to forget those photographs or the perfect way they capture your day. Which is why it’s crucial you get the wedding album of your dreams. If things don’t go to plan elsewhere in your day, they’ll become funny anecdotes you tell your friends. But, if things go wrong with your wedding album, it’s a disaster which can tarnish your memory of the whole day.
No pressure, right? But, you needn’t stress yourself out about this. In reality, getting the wedding album of your dreams isn’t all that difficult. People have been managing it for decades. All you need to do to join them is ask yourself the following questions before you even book up that wedding venue.
Which style of photography would you like?
The style of photography you choose is, obviously, the most critical consideration. This is the thing which will set the tone for your entire album. It’s also the thing which will dictate whether you get the pictures you can see in your mind’s eye. Once, this was as an easy enough choice. In ye days of old, wedding photography came in one format and one format only. It was all wide smiles and posed group photographs. And, there are still plenty of photographers who offer services like that now. But, that’s not your only option. There are now far more stylized wedding photographers out there who could help you achieve your creative vision. If you don’t want to stray too far from tradition, why not turn to photographers like Charley Sweets, who can offer the traditional se ups you know so well but with healthy injections of character? It may be that you want to step away from tradition altogether and opt for candid shots. These are gaining popularity and offer the chance to capture the day as it unfolds. You may even decide that you don’t want to hire a photographer. Many couples now hand out disposable cameras at the door and let their guests take snaps. This offers a fantastic chance to see the day from varying perspectives, though it will mean a fair amount of sorting work for you! Either way, you need to consider which style appeals to you the most. Fail to get this under control, and there’s no way you’re going to achieve the wedding album of your dreams.
Which shots do you want?
To some extent, your wedding photographer will dictate which shots you end up with. Don’t start panicking that you need to decide everything there as well. Still, it is worth thinking about any pictures you would particularly like to see on the day. Do you want one of you and your man kissing alone, for example? Would you appreciate a candid snap of you and your bridesmaids? In most cases, your photographer will already have pictures like these on their cards. But, you can’t assume as much. If certain shots are must-haves, then, let your photographer know before the day. Only then can you make 100% sure that your album contains every picture you’re hoping for. Fail to do this, and your photographer may inadvertently miss out one or two snaps which would’ve completed the whole album. You needn’t even take a long time over this. Sit down for half an hour with your groom and brainstorm which pictures would mean the most down the line.
Which medium most appeals to you?
Another thing which has changed over recent years is the mediums we can choose from for our albums. Again, couples of old didn’t have any choice in this. Back then, it was a traditional album or nothing at all. Now, though, there are far more options on offer. If you want to keep things cheap, you could ask your photographer to send you the pictures in a computer file. You would then be free to print them off or put them on Facebook at your whim. You can, of course, still ask for a printed album. Or, you may opt for a CD with a wedding slideshow included. Some of these choices may seem outlandish to traditionalists, but they’re worth considering. You may find that your photographer offers photo editing services which could take your album to a new level. Even if you think you want the traditional hard copy, then, it’s worth knowing what other choices are out there. Many couples are now finding that hard CD albums are a more practical option. They’re easy to store, and allow you to save those all important pictures so that you never lose them. Can’t say that with the albums of old, can you? Even if you do get a CD, there’s nothing to stop you from printing off your favorites and building an album of your own.
How can you look your best in every shot?
Obviously, you want to look your best on your wedding day. That would be the case whether there were photographs or not. You won’t choose your dress to look good in those pictures. You want to wow your guests. More importantly, you want to impress your future husband. But, it is also worth sparing a thought to getting your appearance right for those photographs. Note, too, that appearance issues which show up on film are different to those which matter for the day itself. A skin blemish or a mark on your tooth, for instance, isn’t going to matter much or even be noticeable to your guests. But, it could well end up haunting your wedding photographs for years to come. Make sure that doesn’t happen by taking care of this ahead of time. Make sure your teeth don’t let you down, and hire a trained makeup artist to ensure that your foundation doesn’t show up under those lights. Think about simple things, like the way your lipstick compliments your skin color. You could even benefit from getting your hair put up by a professional. That way, you ensure that not so much as a hair can be out of place. Then, you can rest much easier that every shot which appears in your album is going to do you proud. Speaking of which…
Ask for some say in the process of choosing final pictures
Your photographer is going to take a whole load more pictures on your wedding day than they end up using. All the better for getting the best quality snaps possible. More often than not, they’ll then take those pictures away and choose the best of the bunch. That’s because they’re used to selecting photographs, and they’re trying to take a task off your shoulders. If you want to remove any risk of not getting your dream wedding album, there’s nothing wrong with asking for some say in this process. Often, you may find that a photographer won’t let you see every single photograph. That’s because they won’t all be the best work going. There’s also a risk that you could copy even the pictures you don’t end up choosing. If an imperfect snap got out, it could ruin your photographer’s reputation. That’s fair enough. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t still get involved. You may find that merely asking for final selection from the best photographs of the bunch sees you hand picking what goes into your album. Even explaining what you would like to see can help your photographer live up your vision. It may be that you want your pics split into sections of family, friends, and so on. Or, you may want to stick with chronological album timelines which allows you to relive the day. These are small guidances which can help you and your photographer collaborate. Before you assume that you can’t interfere with this part of the process, talk to your photographer. The chances are that you can come to some agreement which keeps everyone happy.
Get these things right, and your dream wedding album will be in the bag from the moment you start making your plans.
