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Today’s post is one that is very near and dear to my heart. I often hear people debating on whether to have a DIY wedding album or choose more wisely and go with the professional wedding album.
I honestly believe that having a professional wedding album, made by your photographer, is so important that I won’t spend much time discussing the benefits of the DIY album. There’s really only one benefit…it’s cheaper.
Professional Albums Look Perfect for Decades
It’s not just because I’m a photographer that I believe this. Growing up, I always enjoyed looking through my parents’ wedding album, designed and matted by their wedding photographer. It was always so incredible to me to see their wedding images, unfaded and perfectly preserved on professional photographic paper. That’s not something I would be able to say about an album made on Shutterfly or the like.
Most People Never End Up Making an Album
Time and time again, I’ve mentioned how sad it is when couples and families only invest in digital images. The digital files are great to have as a failsafe and for sharing a few online. However, most people never get around to printing any of their photos. Sure, some people are more proactive about printing their photos. Most aren’t. Just think about the last time you printed a photo you took yourself. Even I’m guilty of this.
Why Professional is Better
Here are several benefits of investing in a professional wedding album:
- Your photographer has experience designing albums and will be able to produce a beautiful design and layout for you that you should be able to review and specify revisions before the order is finalized
- Professional photographers have access to album companies whose print integrity (color, durability, etc.) is often rated for 100+ years
- Professional albums have a structural integrity that ensure that they’ll last long enough to be handed down to your grandchildren
- Some professional photographers, myself included, guarantee the lifetime of your album; if something bad does happen, we’ll repair the album
- You’ll be receiving a beautiful physical album that took very little effort on your part (enjoy that newlywed time!)
- The end result of a professional wedding album will always be superior in beauty and quality to a DIY album
While some might not see the value in a professional wedding album, I strongly believe in the integrity and value of one. I know that whenever I tie the knot, I’ll be investing in the biggest wedding album ever from my photographer. Even though I could design the album and print it myself using the same vendor at a much lesser cost, it means a great deal to me to have the professional who photographs my wedding design and produce the album for me. It’s. That. Important.
