Professional Wedding Album Question

Albums are expensive. The cost to the photographer is expensive...and that doesn't include the hours spent designing and creating the albums. Many of us shoot with the album in mind...meaning some of the shots we take we envision being placed a certain way in an album. A professionally made album is a beautiful heirloom that you will have for years....something your children and grandchildren will want to see. If you can put it in your budget, I highly recommend an album. If you know you are wanting one, make sure to view sample albums from the photographers you interview. Ask if the wedding in the album was a wedding shot by the photographer. Different album makers have different price points, and some photographers carry more than one brand of album. Good luck!

Thanks for the insight, Stephanie. I knew there were costs associated with the album, but I guess I had $300 or $400 in mind. Does anyone know if that's a "more normal" cost?

Jessica, I felt the same. The photographer we LOVED was going to charge us about 5 grand with an album. NO. WAY could we afford that. What we've decided to do is just pay for services and a high res CD of all the images. If we want to go back at some point and get an album, we can do that or we can just have individual prints. We are ending up saving a LOT this way.

Jessica, as Brian stated you can get a less expensive album that will still be a much higher quality than any of the DIY sites provide. Album costs are determined by materials involved, type of cover...leather vs. cloth vs. wrap photo vs. acrylic with photo underlay vs. metallic, type of printing & binding, & company. Also, as I mentioned above, there is labor. Depending on the size , it can take me anywhere from 6-20 hours...not including the editing session with my bride, & then more editing for any changes. There are many different album companies that each offer something different in their albums, & also each has a different cost. My smallest albums (6x6) are in the $350-400 range and go up from there. I love the little 6x6 albums...they're small enough to fit in a purse. My most expensive albums from Italy are $1800...they're amazing...the Ferrari of albums. I think you will be happy deciding to get one.

Thanks everyone. Stephanie, I totally understand that creating an album is a lot of work so I'm not dismissing the labor costs. I guess I was just a little naive on costs associated with albums.

And Rae R., thanks for the suggestion. I might go down the same path. It sounds like a good 1st anniversary present to ourselves...it kinda ties into the "paper" theme.

We have had Brides list prints or albums as a gift registry item.

Wedding albums don't have to cost $1000! And you don't have to "do it yourself" to save money.

By using a graphic designer to create your layouts and order your album, you can have the same professionally-designed album you would have from your photographer for half the cost. And the quality of your album will be A LOT better than DIY on Shutterfly for just a few $$ more.

Grraphic designers order albums from the same sources photographers do without the mark up. For example, a professionally-designed 30 page 12 by 12 premium photobook would be only $300. (Premum photobooks have thick rigid pages that lay flat in the middle and the image is just as vivid and crisp as a flushmount.) A flush mount would cost around $600 -- which is still a lot less than most photographers' packages. I hope this helps! Susan Gallagher

One more thought...

By shopping around, you will also have a wider variety of design options to choose from. Your photographer might be a telented album designer, but his or her style might not match yours.

I would recommend you review his or her album design portfolio to be sure it's what you are looking for. You also want to make sure your photographer has the time to listen to your preferences and is willing to work with you when you make your tweaks and changes to his or her design, without an additional cost.

Let me be completely honest with the brides out there. Albums costs anywhere from $250 to $1000 just to print and bind. The one I include costs $800 just to print and bind. I can find you a half decent flush-mount album for $250 easy, but it won't have all the bells and whistles on the outside yet be the same as the $800 album inside.

I no longer charge extra for printed items. My packages includes my labor and design costs, because I know Brides can always do a DIY album to meet budgets. I take great pride in my photos and designs... so to let a Bride use my photos and create a sub-par DIY album is a no-no in my book. I give them the cost of the album and $7 per spread on top for the design... I would never let a bride walk out without an album, which shows art in a better way than letting her go online to a DIY place. Check out my work... see if you like it... contact me if you want to fit that $400 mark... Trust me it is SO possible...

Get a top-quality wedding album - same or even better as from your photographer - but pay much less! http://www.sweetmemoryalbums.com

Sweet Memory Albums makes high-quality wedding albums - featuring thick, flat pages, printed on premium photo paper, hand-bound in precious leather covers - at fair & transparent prices and with a "pay-after-receipt" 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.

Album infos: http://www.sweetmemoryalbums.com/wedding-album.html

Price infos: http://www.sweetmemoryalbums.com/prices.html

Choose your ideal design solution: use an all-inclusive design service (you upload your photos; professional graphic artists create your album; you may request unlimited design changes), OR create your own album design with an easy-to-use Online Editor OR use the Collaborate Mode (you distribute your photos & leave instructions; professional graphic artists finalize your design). More infos: http://www.sweetmemoryalbums.com/wedding-album-design.html

BrideBox offers top of the line flush mount albums for less than $200. Checkout or WeddingWire page and see what past brides have to say about our albums and service. You can also checkout our site at www.bridebox.com

FrameSmile

www.framesmile.com offers amazing Crystal Glass photo albums with full front and rear cover photos starting at about $100. These blow away the DIY sites, and even surpass many professional albums in my opinion.

Unfortunately, they don't publish this on their website because they tend to work directly with studios, but you could email them at *******@**********.*** to inquire.

Sorry for duplicate post