Whether you're planning you own big day or wondering about gifts for someone else's celebration, wedding books are probably on your radar. But should you go down the wedding album or the guest book route? While they may look similar on the outside, both types of books suit quite different purposes. This handy overview should help you make the right choice...
Wedding Photo Albums
Ranging in size from the small but perfectly formed to the impressively oversized, wedding albums provide the perfect place to store any and all of your wedding photos. From behind-the-scenes images taken in the lead up to the ceremony, to funny photos from guests' phones and candid shots taken in the wee small hours, these irreplaceable memories will be safely preserved for posterity between the pages of your album. The secret? The glassine pages which separate each photo board page, protecting every photo from grease, moisture or (heavens forbid!) sticking to a picture on the opposite page.
Pros
- Lots of different sizes to choose from, depending on whether you just want one photo per page or a big collage of images
- Simply the best way to keep photos safe and looking vibrant forever
Cons
- The glassine pages need to be treated with a bit of care as due to their delicacy they can crease easily! Definitely for using after the big event rather than on the day.
Wedding Guest Books
Don't be fooled by the name! Many of these books are great for much more than just recording your guests' comments (although we do have some skinny ones that are designed for just this). Our larger guest books are also a really flexible way to keep and preserve a whole host of memories from the special day, whether you're scrapbooking the menu and order of service, sticking in dried flowers from the bridal bouquet, handwriting messages or photo booth photos. The result is guaranteed to be a super personal keepsake to treasure forever.
Pros:
- The best solution for bringing together a mix of memories. Think the 3 M's - messages, menus, mementos! Also great to have out on the day as, due to the lack of glassine interleaves, they can be happily manhandled by tipsy guests!
- Available in a huge choice of size and thickness, meaning you'll find a book that's perfect for whatever you're hoping to preserve.
Cons
- If you're looking for a book that's just for photos, we'd recommend choosing an album instead. The glassine pages will mean your pictures stay pristine!
So, in a nutshell, the fundamental difference between the two is quite simply the glassine interleaves. They are there to protect the photos and make the book an album. Without the glassine interleaves you’ve got a guest book - which to be honest is a much more practical option if it’s going to be passed around from guest to guest!
In short, if it’s to be used on the day, go for a guest book. If it’s to be used after the event, opt for an album. Enjoy!