After your wedding day, one of the most anticipated things is receiving your wedding photos. While digital images can be shared quickly via email or social media, many couples still invest in printed wedding albums. A beautifully crafted wedding album serves as a tangible keepsake, allowing you to relive the memories of your special day. But how long does it take to create a wedding album?
The process usually takes about three months from when you first see your wedding photos until you hold your album. Here’s a breakdown of what happened during that time:
Summary
Creating a wedding album typically takes around three months from the time you first receive your wedding photos. After the wedding, the photographer edits and selects the best images, which can take two to six weeks. Once the images are finalised, couples select their favourite photos for the album. The photographer then designs the album, with a few rounds of revisions allowed. After approval, the album goes to print, which takes about four weeks. Patience is key, as quality wedding albums take time to ensure they become timeless keepsakes.
The Wedding Photography Process
The real work begins once your wedding ends and your photographer has captured every moment. Photography isn’t just about taking pictures—it’s also about selecting, editing, and presenting the best images to tell the story of your wedding day.
Editing The Photos
If your photographer was present from the start of the day until the evening, they likely captured hundreds, if not thousands, of images. These photos must be sorted, removing obvious outtakes (closed eyes, awkward angles, etc.). Once the initial selection is made, the photographer will begin editing, including colour adjustments, brightness, contrast, exposure, and cropping. This process takes time because each image must be fine-tuned to achieve the best possible quality.
Your photographer may take two to six weeks to send you the full set of edited photos. During this waiting period, many photographers offer a sneak peek or a preview of the retouched images.
Why It Takes Time
Many clients wonder why it takes weeks to receive their photos in the digital age, where we’re used to instant results. However, wedding photography is about more than just clicking a button. Photographers spend far more time editing and preparing your photos than taking them. The editing process ensures that each image looks professional and reflects the style and tone of your wedding.
Creating The Album
Once the photos are ready, the album-making process begins. Designing a wedding album involves:
- Selecting the best images to tell the story of your day.
- Arranging them cohesively and beautifully.
- Making any necessary adjustments to the layout.
Steps To Creating A Wedding Album
1. Selecting Photos For The Album
After your photographer delivers the final set of photos, the next step is selecting which ones to include in your album. This process can vary—some couples take a few days, while others take up to a month to make their selections. Photographers usually provide a private image selection gallery where you can choose your favourites. You can take as much time as you need to select the images, but it’s always a good idea to communicate with your photographer if you want your album completed by a certain date.
2. Album Design
Once you’ve selected the photos, your photographer will begin designing the album’s layout. The design process typically takes one to two weeks. After the first proof is ready, the photographer will send it to you for review. At this stage, you can request minor adjustments, such as swapping out images or rearranging the order of the pages.
Most photographers allow up to two rounds of revisions at no extra cost, but it’s always important to review your contract for specifics. Each round of changes can take an additional week, so it’s important to account for this when planning the timeline for your album.
3. Final Approval
Once you’re happy with the design, you’ll approve. From here, the album is sent to the printer. This stage usually takes around one to two weeks, depending on the printer’s schedule and the complexity of the album design. Reqyou’ve special customisations, such as embossing your names on the cover, which could add extra time to the process.
The Printing Process
1. Album Printing And Binding
After the design is approved, the album is sent to a professional printer. The actual printing process usually takes about four weeks. High-quality wedding albums are printed on premium paper and bound to last for decades, so this stage is critical to ensuring the final product looks perfect. The album is assembled after the pages are printed and any custom features (like embossing) are added.
2. Quality Control
Once the album is printed and bound, it undergoes quality control. Your photographer will proof the prints, checking for colour inconsistencies or printing errors. If everything looks good, the album is packaged and sent to you.
Delays And Other Factors
While the entire process typically takes around three months, several factors could delay the delivery of your wedding album:
1. Busy Seasons
If you get married during a peak wedding season, your photographer may have multiple clients, which can extend the timeline for editing and album production. It’s always an idea to ask your photographer about their workload and when to expect your album.
2. Client Delays
Some delays are due to couples taking a long time to select the images for their album or not responding quickly to proofs and revisions. If you want to expedite the process, choose your images and approve album designs as soon as possible.
3. Customisations
Certain custom requests, like having your names embossed in metal or using premium materials, can also add extra time to the production process. If you have specific requests, talk to your photographer about how they may impact the delivery time.
Why Patience Pays Off
While waiting for your wedding album might feel like forever, the time and effort put into the process are well worth it. By carefully selecting and editing the photos, creating a stunning layout, and printing the album on high-quality materials, you’ll end up with a timeless keepsake you can cherish for years.
It’s important to remember that quality takes time. Rushing the process could result in a less-than-perfect album; no one wants that for their wedding memories. While waiting for your album might feel frustrating, enjoy the anticipation of seeing your photos in print. In the end, holding that album in your hands will make the wait worth it.
Conclusion
On average, it takes about three months to receive your wedding photos and hold the finished album. While digital images are delivered much faster, creating a custom-designed wedding album takes time due to the editing, selection, design, and printing processes. Patience is key, and when you finally receive your album, it will serve as a lasting reminder of your wedding day that you’ll treasure.
Working with your photographer and being proactive with image selections and approvals will help ensure you get your album as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality. After all, your wedding album is more than just a collection of photos—it’s the story and one of the most important days of your life.
FAQs About Wedding Album
How Long Does It Take To Get Wedding Album?
4-6 weeks for fully-edited photos. 6-8 weeks during wedding season but less during winter months. Between 2 weeks and 2 months, with an average of 4 weeks. 4-6 weeks depending on what you’ve ordered
How Many Pictures Should Be In A Wedding Album?
On average, most album designs have roughly 3 to 4 images per spread. This varies from design to design, as some spreads will only have 1 picture (as a gorgeous full spread) and others will pack in a ton, usually in the detail and dancing spreads. That being said, you can fit about 30-35 images in a 10 spread book.
Should Wedding Photos Be Glossy Or Matte?
If you are planning on displaying your photo prints behind glass, a matte finish is definitely the best choice. Not only will matte photos not stick to the glass of photo frame, but they will also reflect less light, making them much more enjoyable to look at.
Do People Still Do Wedding Albums?
I’m here to advocate that, yes, they most definitely are. Digital images are amazing. The freedom & convenience they allow is just incredible (I can’t tell you how many times, I’ve pulled up the folder that has my own wedding images in it, just to grab a photo for a blog post, or Instagram, or whatever)
What Do Wedding Albums Cost?
Lower quality photo books can cost anywhere from $25 to $75, while higher quality photo albums may run anywhere from $150 to $1,000. As a sweet spot, we suggest budgeting $150 to $350 for a nice, high-quality wedding album.
