At initial meetings with my prospective clients, I am often asked about various types of wedding books an albums available. Over the past few years, the number of options for presenting one’s wedding photographs has increased significantly – and that means a lot more choice for anyone getting married these days.

Most photographers will create wonderful images of your wedding day. You can put a photograph (or several) in a frame and it will look quite good. Take those images, put them in a beautifully printed book designed by a graphic artist to tell your wedding story and now you have something very special.

So, why would anyone pay a lot of money (ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars) to have their wedding photographs displayed in a “coffee table book” or a “fine art album”? Simple answer: for a timeless and beautiful presentation of your wedding day.

I’ll talk about a few options available to you:

Basic Coffee Table Books

These are used for simple presentations and are prepared using offset printing techniques. They are not a substitute for an album and are still a tasteful way to present your wedding images. Most coffee table books do not lie flat and some of the image is lost in the gutter (the part where the two adjacent pages are joined in the centre spine) so they are not ideal for two page spreads like panoramic shots. The covers are custom designed and excellent in appearance. Quite often, they are used for guest signing books (using the couple’s engagement photos) or as an inexpensive way to preserve your wedding memories.

Several retailers like Walmart and Future Shop (in Canada) have started offering these for sale. The price is inexpensive (about $50 to $70) and the quality of their books does reflect its price (compared to what most professional photographers offer). This is due to the use of thinner paper, a standard cover (using linen typically), and not being able to print “full bleed” (printing to the edge of the page). In some cases, you will be forced to use their “theme templates” that they provide online.

Coffee Table Storybooks

These are a major step up in quality from the basic coffee table book and offer excellent value. The covers and pages are custom designed and printed using the finest quality materials. And the best part of these books is that they lie flat, so there in no image loss in the gutter. They are what some people refer to as “magazine” style books as they are professionally designed and beautifully presented.

They come in all shapes (vertical, horizonal, square, panoramic) and sizes so the couple can have a large book for themselves and have copies printed in a smaller (and less expensive) size for their parents. In my wedding photography practice, I sell a lot of these books as they are priced midway between a coffee table book and a fine art album.

Fine Art Albums

In a word: gorgeous.

These are not books – they are works of art. And, they are priced accordingly. They often feature hot foil stamped leather or even laser etched brushed metal covers. Every option under the sky is available for them. The printing in the books is unsurpassed by nothing on the planet. They are the ultimate keepsake for any couple getting married.

You also have the option of having books in different shapes and sizes – convenient when you give a copy of your album to family members. And like the fine art book, they are sometimes referred to as “magazine style” albums. With some album manufacturers, there is no loss in the gutter and they lie perfectly flat.

Whatever you decide for your wedding photographs, enjoy your wedding day – your wedding photographs will preserve those memories for a long time to come. And, if you can present them in professionally designed book, well, all the better!