What materials are best for a wedding photo album?

Leather (both real and faux) tends to be more durable, although more delicate materials like linen and silk will stand the test of time if they’re properly stored and cared for. When choosing a material, consider how your album will be used. Will it be on display on the coffee table for regular perusing? Stored in a keepsake box? Choose your material based on how much the book may be handled.

How do you put together a wedding photo album?

Roche says the first part is narrowing down your photos to your favorites. Make it a fun activity with your partner and turn it into a date night as you relive the day. Then, the easiest thing to do is work your way through the photos in chronological order. “This will allow the album to really tell the story of your wedding day from start to finish,” says Roche.

When should we make a wedding photo album?

The short answer: Whenever you want. “Some couples love to have it done by their first anniversary, but the truth is there's no perfect time to do it aside from when it works for you,” says Roche.

The 20 Best Wedding Photo Albums of 2024

A selection of wedding photo albums collaged against a pink background — Brides / Kevin Liang

Your wedding day will fly by in the blink of an eye, so having wedding photos you love is essential. The cake will get eaten, flowers tossed, the wedding dress will be dry cleaned, and the wedding dress will be put in storage, but it’s your wedding pictures that you’ll return to time and time again. What is the easiest way to relive those special moments? Compiling them all into a beautiful wedding photo album.

“An album allows you to relive your wedding day in a way that single photos—no matter whether they’re digital or framed—simply can’t,” explains Claire Roche, a Shutterfly Wedding Expert and the Creative Director and Planner at Grit and Grace Event Co. There’s no shortage of album options, whether you have your photos laid out digitally or go old school and insert the printed photos yourself. There are also all kinds of materials and colors to choose from, from luxe linen and leather-bound styles to personalized covers customized with pictures and text.

To help you find an album that perfectly represents your love, we researched the best wedding photo albums out there for all tastes and preferences. We narrowed our final selection based on functionality, size, materials, value, and quality.

Giannini Firenze Hand-Marbled Leather Bound Photo Album

View on Abask.com

Handcrafted by traditional artisans in Florence, this luxe photo album is a splurge that is worth it. With 100 ivory sheets to hold pictures, it features a hardbound cover wrapped in marbled paper (choose from six gorgeous colorways). The tan leather accents are a nod to the rich Florentine history of leather crafts and will only improve with age—this book is a true heritage piece that promises to be the star of your coffee table for many years.

Artifact Uprising Wedding Layflat Photo Album

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Artifact Uprising

$141 at artifactuprising.com

There’s a good reason why these have somewhat of a cult-like following. The foil-stamped, heirloom-quality albums are classic and timeless. Customize the size, fabric, foil colors, paper quality, and cover design, then lay out the photos (the website makes it easy and guides you along the way).

Zola Premier Wedding Album

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Zola

View on Zola

Offering everything from wedding websites to registries to invites, Zola truly is a one-stop wedding shop. So, it’s not surprising that they also offer wedding albums. They’re simple yet elegant, and you can choose from five sizes, 15 colors, and even the cover material. You can even add one of these to your registry.

Arcoalbum Suede Wedding Photo Album

PHOTO:

Amazon

$229 at Amazon $155 at Etsy

Simple? Yes. Super sophisticated? Also, yes. This album is covered in luxurious Italian suede and embossed with custom lettering. Choose from over 40 color and embossing font combinations, page colors, and album sizes to create a final product that perfectly suits your style.

Rag & Bone Bindery Small Page Paper Album

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Rag & Bone

View on Ragandbonebindery.com

This handmade album has a silk cover and is bound with a corset-sewn ribbon, making it a beautiful keepsake for years. The heavyweight, acid-free paper is great for photos, notes, and other mementos from the day you'll want to remember forever.

Smythson Large Photo Album in Panama

PHOTO:

Smythson

$810 at smythson.com

This splurge is ideal for those who want their wedding album to be a showstopper in and of itself, photos aside. The oversized, hardbound option is made of cross-grain calf leather and houses 50 pages of gilt-edged white paper. Personalize the cover with your names and wedding date for an extra special touch. For the couple who appreciates expert craftsmanship and heritage-worthy designs, this elegant album will not disappoint. The high-quality materials and construction ensure that it will last you a lifetime.

Arcoalbum Large Traditional Book

$96 at Etsy

Couples who prefer a minimalist, classic feel can opt for this understated yet stunning photo album. The luxe-looking book is carefully handcrafted with acid-free, conservation-grade paper and Italian eco-leather. It features 160 ivory pages that you can fill with all of your favorite moments from the big day.

Mixbook Photo Co. Wedding Photo Books

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Mixbook

View on Mixbook.com

Not sure exactly what you want your wedding photo album to look like? Well, Mixbook offers over 70 options to choose from. They’re conveniently designed for you according to various themes, likeas "industrial chic" or "modern beach wedding," making it easy to find the album that perfectly reflects the vibe of your big day. And if nothing strikes your fancy, there’s also a blank option that lets you do it yourself.

Janney Leather Leatherette Photo Album

PHOTO:

Etsy

$42 at Etsy

You’d never guess that this album is made from faux leather, but it is, helping to keep the price much more affordable. It comes in four sizes and six colors, and the front can be custom embossed with any text of your choosing.

Shutterfly Wedding Photo Book

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Shutterfly

View on Shutterfly.com

Shutterfly may be your go-to website for printing favorite vacation photos, but they also offer great wedding photo books. The books come in five sizes and a range of high-end covers, including premium eco-leather. You can even take advantage of their free design service and have one of their expert designers create your album for you.

Snapfish Hardcover Photo Book

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Snapfish

View on Snapfish.com

Available in a wide range of styles and prices, a Snapfish photo book is out there to fit every style and budget. These Snapfish masterpieces come in various shapes and sizes. Plus, there are many different preset layouts, where all you have to do is pop in the photos of your choice. It's that easy! Glossy pages help the colors appear more vibrant and provide exceptional depth. It's like stepping right back into your wedding day whenever you open it up.

Printique Leather Photo Album

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Printique

$139 at printique.com

It doesn’t get more classic than this leather-bound album. There’s both a faux vegan leather option (which comes in 13 colors) as well as a genuine leather version (in four colors and textures). There are also eight different paper types, so you can create a high-quality album that works best for you.

PikPerfect Coffee Table Wedding Book

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PikPerfect

$89 at pikperfect.com

Create an album via this website, and you will get access to many unique features. For starters, you can take advantage of their wedding album design service, which comes with unlimited revisions). Plus, if you order an album, you get a link to a free digital version that’s great for sharing with family and friends. This particular album is oversized and ideal for a coffee table, creating a special new home décor piece. It holds up to 1,000 photos within its 300 pages.

Chatbooks Premium Layflat Book

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Chatbooks

View on Chatbooks.com

Nothing against your professional photo snaps, but we’re willing to bet that your guests probably captured some great photos on their smartphones, too. Enter Chatbooks, which allows you to upload pics directly from a phone to create a surprisingly high-quality album. You can even make a book filtered by that wedding hashtag you so carefully came up with.

Minted Heart Snapshot Mix Photo Art

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Minted

View on Minted

This out-of-the-box idea allows you to collage your favorite wedding memories and turn them into a beautiful piece of wall art. Choose from two sizes and plenty of frame options (though you can also order it unframed). It’s a creative way to look at your wedding pictures each and every day.

Heilsa DIY Supply Photo Memory Book

PHOTO:

Etsy

$34 at Etsy View on Heilsadiysupply.com

If you both love to scrapbook and make things together, this tactile album is a great opportunity for your next project. In addition to photos, it also can hold wedding mementos, like copies of your vows, a ceremony program, and a dried boutonniere—the options are endless.

Mpix Custom Art Cloth

PHOTO:

Courtesy of Mpix

View on Mpix.com

On the flip side, if you’re looking for an album that you can easily tout around and show off to anyone, this adorable mini option is perfect. It's perfectly pocket-sized, making it ideal for just a few of your favorite moments of the day. We also love it as an option for engagement photos or honeymoon highlights.

Aura Carver Digital Picture Frame

PHOTO:

Amazon

$150 at Nordstrom $149 at Bloomingdales $150 at Walmart

A digital picture frame offers a fun alternative for those searching for a modern take on the classic album. This one has unlimited photo and video storage and built-in speakers to play sound, making it the perfect place to upload all kinds of wedding content. Not to mention that it’s aesthetically pleasing and works well with any home decor. This album is ideal for the tech-savvy newlyweds. If you'd prefer a digital album over a traditional printed one, look no further than this versatile option.

RECUTMS Photo Album

PHOTO:

Amazon

$23 at Amazon $33 at sears.com

Opt for this fan-favorite album—available via same-day Prime delivery—and your wedding album creation can easily be a weekend project. The oversized, classic album can hold up to 600 vertical and horizontal photos and comes in eight colors. We love it as an option for the more candid snaps taken by family and friends.

Hey Blanks 3-Inch Mini Photo Album

PHOTO:

Amazon

$30 at Amazon

This mini-album is a must if you have Polaroid cameras at your wedding. It’s the perfect size to display all of those fun, candid snaps from the evening. And at such a wallet-friendly price, you can pick up as many as you need to make sure every one of those photos makes it in.

What to Look for in a Wedding Photo Book

Dual Orientation: According to Roche, it’s important to choose an album that allows you to include both horizontal and vertical photos. You can alternate between candid closeups, decor details, and formal portraits.
Photo Size: Roche notes that another important feature is the option to include photos of various sizes. A variety of image sizes ensures that the pages of your album provide visual interest and feel more dynamic.
Cover Color and Material: The color of your album cover is a matter of personal preference, though remember that darker colors are slightly better at hiding wear and tear over time. You might want to consider your wedding palette and theme when choosing an album—it's an added touch that will help you commemorate the big day on your bookshelf or coffee table.

FAQ

What materials are best for a wedding photo album?

Leather (both real and faux) tends to be more durable, although more delicate materials like linen and silk will stand the test of time if they’re properly stored and cared for.
When choosing a material, consider how your album will be used. Will it be on display on the coffee table for regular perusing? Stored in a keepsake box? Choose your material based on how much the book may be handled.
How do you put together a wedding photo album?

Roche says the first part is narrowing down your photos to your favorites. Make it a fun activity with your partner and turn it into a date night as you relive the day. Then, the easiest thing to do is work your way through the photos in chronological order. “This will allow the album to really tell the story of your wedding day from start to finish,” says Roche.
When should we make a wedding photo album?

The short answer: Whenever you want. “Some couples love to have it done by their first anniversary, but the truth is there's no perfect time to do it aside from when it works for you,” says Roche.

Why Trust Brides

Brides contributor Melanie Rud has nearly 15 years of journalism experience covering the beauty and lifestyle space for some of the biggest magazines and websites. She’s also a recent newlywed—who is currently in the process of mentally preparing to create her wedding album. For this article, Melanie researched the best online options, based on materials, customization options, style, cost, and overall quality. She also spoke with a leading expert for their insight:

Claire Roche is the Creative Director and Planner at Grit and Grace Event Co, as well as a Shutterfly Wedding Expert. She’s also amassed over 1 million followers on TikTok and was recently named one of the top people to follow if you’re planning a wedding.