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We get it. It's more than an album. It's a time-capsule of your best day, brought to life through photo and given permanence through print. And with a surplus of breathtaking shots paired with the ever-present call to celebrate every moment, making your own wedding album can feel intimidating, to say the least. At Artifact Uprising, we were founded by wedding photographers, and we handcraft our wedding albums with the single mission to honor your big day. For us, that goes beyond thoughtful design and heirloom materials. Because we're honored to print the story, but we're just as humbled by the opportunity to lend a helping hand along the way. That's why we created this simple roadmap — filled with everything from spread-by-spread inspiration for laying it all out, to wedding photo album ideas and design tips for a book that's I-can't-put-it-down beautiful.
Wedding album layout ideas come a dime a dozen, but after thousands of albums, we've found a framework that works well for getting beyond the blank page. Start with this simple template as ground zero, deviating from the formula as your own vision emerges along the way. Note: The photos below use layouts available in our Wedding Layflat Album. Not all of these layouts will be available outside of our Layflat series!
Start your album off by adding some context, such as a scene of the venue or the weather that day.
Try including a few special behind-the-scenes shots with the family or your wedding party as well.
Whether you saw each other first or not, include a "first look" shot as well as a few favorite portraits of you and your partner.
The cake, the flowers… too many details to count! Keep it simple and pick two to five favorites for a single spread. Sprinkle a few others throughout the rest of the book.
Candid shots and stolen moments of your family mean just as much as the formal portraits (if not more!).
It's likely you have photos of them in a number of different settings. Try choosing one for a centerpiece spread (like above!) and be ruthless picking your favorites.
Consider showcasing at least one panoramic spread here and add a few of your best ceremonial shots, such as the kiss, readings, and grand departure.
Be sure to include those beautifully unexpected shots that you didn't know the photographer captured.
Try including post-ceremony photos of your guests and venue here.
Select your most prized moments from the reception, and again, be relentless here! There are plenty of other ways to use those photos that don't make the cut. (A set of prints paired with a Brass & Wood Display Box, perhaps?)
Your reaction to the best man's speech is a moment you'll look back on with a laugh. Don't skimp out on those candid moments captured.
From the first dance with your spouse to moments with your parents, showcase your favorites here.
Don't worry if a few of your favorites didn't fit in above — we've saved 2-3 extra spreads just for you.
Finish your album with a moment that will last — such as your grand adieu, final kiss of the night, or that shot that strikes just the right sentiment.
The opening and closing spreads of your album are arguably the most impactful. Starting with the image that says it all is a powerful way to set the tone — it's also one of our most loved and approachable wedding photo book ideas. Even if you're ordering things chronologically (which is usually the easiest!), take some liberties here by following your heart and putting a favorite front and center.
With over 100 different layouts at your disposal, there's no shortage of ways to shape the narrative. Infusing layout variety from page to page can go a long way in adding intrigue and aesthetic appeal to your album. That doesn't have to mean packing it with photos! If you want to stick to a single photo per page, variety can still be achieved by switching up shape, size, and positioning from page to page.
Between all the emotional moments, grand scenes, and familiar faces, there's no harm in slipping in a visual palette cleanser here and there. Detail shots are a great way to signal shifts from scene to scene, set the mood for photos that follow, and integrate an artistic element into your storytelling.
Every wedding has its own unique personality, and that should follow through into print. So before you start to think about wedding album layout ideas, choose your album with thoughtful intention. A more baroque wedding might feel most at home in a Signature Layflat Album, while a minimalist wedding will shine in a Wedding Layflat Album, and a modern wedding could take to a Hardcover Wedding Photo Book. Pro tip: Use our photo book comparison guide for an at-a-glance idea of which album is best for your big day.
Layered beneath the story of how the day unfolded is a series of visual substories that give shape to your album: color, tone, and texture. Coordinating these elements is a quick strategy for making a wedding album that's as beautiful as it is meaningful. Luckily, you've already did much of this coordination in your wedding details, bridesmaid dresses, and beyond. All that's left is to pull it together on the page!
Let's be honest: weddings are tear-jerkers, and there were surely happy tears abound through ceremony and speech. But the day is filled with a spectrum of emotions, each positive and worth honoring in its own way. Maybe it's the cocktail-fueled jubilation (show us the lie!) of the late-night dance floor or the pensive butterflies as bride and groom got ready. Find the photos that speak to these emotions. Give them space in your album. Return to each often.
Sometimes, it's not just the climax of the scene, it's also the meaningful micro-moments that manifest along the way. These sorts of little moments bring out the best in multi-photo layouts, showing the progression of a single scene through its component parts.
Your wedding album is an heirloom, and it deserves to be protected and passed down as such. An engraved, wooden album box is a timeless way to protect your book from thrills, spills, dust, and the elements at large… so the story of your forever can live on just as long. Pro tip: The Signature Layflat Album offers an exclusive, engraved walnut box as an add-on to the album. Meanwhile, the Wooden Quote Box is available to house any other 10 x 10" or 8 x 11" album. Both are handcrafted from reclaimed materials that allow beautiful, once-forgotten wood to live on for a second life.
