There’s something really magical about holding a wedding album in your hands. Turning each page, the rest of the world falls away as you reflect on one of the happiest days of your life. Each timeless image is preserved in a storybook all your own. This is a piece you’ll reach out and share for years to come, whether it’s as a gift for your family, bridal party members or a special copy just for you. Why leave your gallery in a desktop file just waiting to be clicked? Your photos deserve better! So here are my five favorite reasons to invest in a professional wedding album. 

1. To Preserve your Memories

Let’s face it. Technology is an ever-changing force that feels impossible to keep up with. Remember CDs? There’s no doubt another form of digital image storage that will replace the Clouds and USB drives of now faster than DVDs replaced VHS… then BluRay replaced DVD… then downloads and streaming, well, you get the idea. A wedding album will ensure your memories will never be obsolete. Technology changes. Your wedding day never will. 

2. To Relive your Big Day

During the planning process, sometimes it feels like your big day will never arrive. But believe me when I say it will be over before you know it! A professional wedding album not only preserves your memories, it allows you to relive your big day over and over again. There’s nothing like a tangible, visual reminder of one of the biggest days of your life and love story! Studies have even shown that we have a greater emotional response to printed images than digital ones. So gather around and turn the pages of your storybook (rather than crowding around another screen).

3. To Highlight the Details

Sure, your favorite wedding photos will likely end up as prints or canvases in your home, but what about all the other details you put so much thought and money into? Your wedding photographer will capture your flowers, menus and rings beautifully, and a professional wedding album will help you remember all the gorgeous details forever. What’s more, your album can become a highlight in its own right as a stunning and sentimental piece to display on your mantle, coffee table or bookshelves. 

4. To Share & Pass Down 

Freezing important moments in time allows us to share our family’s history, and a professional wedding album is a perfect heirloom to pass down for generations. A lot of us remember looking through their parents and grandparents’ wedding photos for the first time, and those keepsakes become some of our favorite treasures as the years pass by. A wedding album isn’t just a timeless investment you can make for yourself. It’s one you can make for your kids, grandkids, and all generations to come. 

5. To Personalize your Gallery

Just like all the details of your wedding itself, a wedding album can reflect your style in a way only you can design. Keep your wedding theme going or display the images in a brand new way! Sound overwhelming? I’m here to help! I can help you savor every moment with a stunning album of supplied photos, or ones selected from your client gallery (if you book me as your wedding photographer). I love creating a custom layout and design just for you! Find more information about custom photo books here, or reach out to talk details.

Let’s talk wedding traditions! Ever wondered why brides wear white? Or where the wedding party got started? These days there’s more trends than traditions, but there are still a few tried and true gestures that remain staples among wedding ceremonies. Here are five wedding traditions still popular today… and why you should definitely photograph them! 

Carrying a Bouquet 

Origin: The roots of floral wedding traditions date back all the way to ancient times. While the earliest brides carried bundles of herbs and garlic to ward off evil spirits, others carried floral garlands as a symbol of their fertility. Plants in bloom also symbolized new beginnings, such as the new union between partners. 

Today: Today’s brides use their bouquets and floral arrangements to enhance their theme. A bouquet can compliment the other colors and decor, and add elements of personality in a classic and traditional way. 

Why Take the Photo? A bride’s bouquet is not only pleasing to the eye, it represents all the hard work and details that made the day especially yours. Shots of your floral selection serve as a memory without any distractions. They allow the unique details to shine, and break up any redundant photos in your wedding galleries or social media posts.

Photo captured The Oaks at Plum Creek (Castle Rock, CO)

Exchanging Rings

Origin: Wedding/engagement bands date all the way back to ancient Egypt, where the circle symbolized never-ending or eternal love. Sicilians took this wedding tradition to the next step, adding diamonds to represent dedication. Rings are traditionally worn on the left third finger, as the Romans believed there was a vein that ran from that finger directly to the heart.

Today: Some couples opt for other jewelry pieces. Some get finger tattoos. Some choose something else entirely to represent their love. But the gesture of exchange remains intact, with rings holding on to their traditional popularity. Today, they continue to be worn as a statement of dedication and a symbol of enduring love that lasts long after the ceremony. 

Why Take the Photo? Much like their origins, ring shots are an important part of your wedding photography shot list because of their significance as a symbol of union. That, and odds are you paid a lot of money for them! And since they were chosen to last, these pieces tend to show off your personal styles and personalities much better than most of the other details of your day.

Photo captured The Oaks at Plum Creek (Castle Rock, CO)

Wearing a White Dress

Origin: White wedding gowns came into history during the Victorian era, and have yet to leave American wedding traditions. Queen Elizabeth herself started the trend at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1864, choosing white to best display the lace that adorned her gown. (And the English lace makers who crafted it.) Since then, white wedding gowns have served as a symbol of wealth, 

Today: While fashion has changed over the years, it seems deep down, we still want to feel like royalty on our big day. Afterall, it’s what we grew up seeing in movies and television shows, and how we imagine a bride to be. Colored sashes and accessories can be added, even today, it’s a popular choice to feel like a traditional bride.

Why Take the Photo? Yes, you’ll have plenty of photos wearing your gown (especially if you schedule a bridal shoot), but be sure your photographer takes a few of the garment on its hanger, too. Why? Besides it being dramatic, “the dress shot” serves as a way to let your gown speak for itself. Your gown is a thing of beauty that deserves to be highlighted and documented all on its own!

Photo captured The Oaks at Plum Creek (Castle Rock, CO)

Eating a Wedding Cake

Origin: Cakes have been a component of wedding feasts since medieval times, where they represented good fortune, fertility and prosperity. The ceremonial cutting of the cake was meant to display the happy couple’s first task as a union, and the feeding was meant to represent their commitment to serving each other in love.

Today: What once began as simple, humble cakes and breads, today’s desserts have become multi-tiered baking extravaganzas. Now adorned with customized cake toppers and colorful touches, it’s a wedding tradition your guests have come to expect. Couples today even keep a piece to freeze and eat on their first anniversary to celebrate the continued good fortune in their union.

Why Take the Photo? Okay, this one’s personal. Photographing your cake is a GREAT way for your wedding photographer to show off their creativity. AND the images celebrate the details your guests will be talking about long after you say “I do.” It’s a snapshot of your day your guests likely won’t also snap on their phones, likely shared by your bakers, planners and venue.

Photo captured The Oaks at Plum Creek (Castle Rock, CO)

Having a Bridal Party

Origin: While bridesmaids started with members of the royal court, they were also used as decoys to confuse evil spirits that might spoil the bride’s happiness on her wedding day. Groomsmen, on the other hand, began as a testament to the groom’s swordsmanship, ready and waiting by his side in the case of a runaway bride or attendees with any objections to the union. In both cases, this wedding tradition goes way back.

Today: Nowadays wedding parties serve as a way to include your family, friends and loved ones in your wedding day. They can assist with tasks leading up to the ceremony, on the day itself, and even getting you both on your way to your honeymoon. Who doesn’t love to celebrate life’s biggest moments with their besties?

Why Take the Photo? Your big day is a moment in time. Not just for you, but for the tribe you chose to stand by your side! They’ll want to capture this memory just as much as you do! You could have a group of 2 or 20. But trust me. You’re going to want to remember these friendships (and their attire!) exactly as they were on that day.

Whether you’re a traditional bride or prefer something a little more modern, photographing the sentimental details that make your day unique is as special as it is nostalgic. Your wedding will be timeless. Your photos should be, too!