Document (more than) the Day: Personalized Photo Albums of Your Wedding Planning

Nothing evokes memories of a cherished moment more than professionally designed photos. While professional photography is likely a given for your Big Day, there are hundreds of moments since you said “yes,” that are photo album-worthy.

Document them.

PhotoWorks offers personalized albums that can be tailor-made for you and your future husband that guarantee to be a lasting monument to your wedding process.

Here is the deal.

- Document Everything

Begin documenting your wedding-planning process as soon as he pops the question. If you aren’t engaged yet, then you are in the prime position to have a complete wedding-planning process album. If you, like me, didn’t get this idea until well into your wedding planning process, then don’t worry. There is still time.

Ask your friends, family members and attendants if they have photos from when you tried on wedding gowns, went shopping with your bridesmaids or had girls’ days and/or nights to plan the wedding.

Other interesting milestones include the following.

- The engagement
- The engagement dinner (if the two of you went out to celebrate)
- The engagement party (if applicable)
- Wedding gown shopping
- Bridesmaid dress shopping
- The boys playing golf, fishing, etc
- The girls having lunch, a spa day, etc
- Pictures of you when you met with potential caterers, bakers, venues
- Pictures of any site tours
- Pictures of you when you sign contracts at your chosen venues
- Pictures of you and your groom meeting with the priest or celebrant
- Pictures of you and your groom at a marriage workshop (if applicable)
- Pictures of your parents, close friends and siblings helping you with details
- Photos of your invitations, menu cards, programs, thank you cards and other stationary
- Pictures of you creating any do-it-yourself items, such as programs, invitations or place cards
- Pictures of your tastings with caterers and bakers
- Pictures of any pre-wedding events, including the days/nights important out-of-town guests arrive
- Pictures from the rehearsal
- Pictures from the rehearsal dinner
- Pictures from post-rehearsal dinner
- Pictures of wedding day (when you are getting dressed, ceremony, reception)
- Pictures of any post-wedding events, such as morning-after brunch or lunch
- Pictures of honeymoon

- After you have documented all of these stages, select your favorite photos and compare them for color and contrast. Choose only the finest photos and crop them, when necessary.

- Be sure to choose photos that tell your wedding story. Don’t include too many photos from your wedding day and honeymoon. You will likely have another wedding album that consists solely of photos from your wedding day and you can create a separate album to document your honeymoon. Remember, this album tells the whole story, so keep the album balanced with a variety of photos from the entire wedding-planning process.

- Go to PhotoWorks.com.

- Choose an album size that best fits your needs.

- Customize the album with fun expressions, silly sayings or other personal moments from your wedding process.

- Ask for feedback from a valued family member or friend before you submit your album to the printer.

Enjoy!