Wedding photography package with album: why it’s still the best way to relive your day
A wedding album isn’t an “extra” – it’s the one part of your wedding budget that becomes more valuable over time. Flowers fade, the dress gets packed away, and your camera roll disappears into the scroll… but a properly made wedding album keeps your day alive in a way digital files never quite do.
We’re Marta May Photography – also known as The Mays (Marta + Artur). Many of our most popular wedding photography packages include a professionally designed album, created with trade-only makers who build albums to last for decades.
QUICK ANSWER
If you want a wedding album that lasts, choose a wedding package where your photographer designs it (story + pacing + colour), and it’s made with archival materials and proper binding – not a consumer photo book.
Professional wedding album vs photo book (what’s the difference?)
When couples search for a “wedding album”, they often end up on sites selling photo books. They can be lovely for holidays or everyday prints, but a professional wedding album is built differently, and it shows (especially after a few years).
A photo book is…
A consumer product, usually made with thinner pages and lighter binding. It’s often template-led, and while it can look nice, it isn’t designed to be handled for decades, passed around at family gatherings, and still look incredible.
A professional wedding album is…
A photographer-designed story of your day, printed and bound using archival materials and proper construction (thicker pages, strong binding, and finishes made to last). The difference isn’t just quality – it’s how it feels to experience your wedding again, page by page.
The biggest difference (that couples don’t realise until later)
A professional album is designed like a film:
pacing, emotion, and storytelling flow.
You don’t just see your wedding – you relive it.
If you’re choosing a wedding photography package with album, this is the part that makes it worth it: the album is curated and designed by someone who knows your story inside out – your wedding photographer.
How our wedding album design process works (you pick the best-of-the-best)
We keep this simple: you choose your favourite images, then we design an album that feels like your day – beautifully paced, emotional, and timeless.
Step 1: You pick your Top 80–100 favourites
After you receive your full gallery, we ask you to select 80–100 images you truly love. This is the easiest way to make sure your album includes the moments that matter most to you – the “top of the top”.
(Don’t worry – we’ll guide you on what to include if you feel stuck: key people, key moments, and the little in-between bits you’ll want more with time.)
Step 2: We design the first album draft (story first, not a template)
Using your favourites, we build the first layout with a DOCU-ART flow: real moments, cinematic portraits, and a natural rhythm that feels like a film, not a random set of prints.
Step 3: One round of tweaks (so it feels exactly right)
You can request small changes (swap an image, add a family photo, adjust pacing). Then we finalise the design.
Step 4: Professional print + proper binding (built to last decades)
Once approved, your album goes to our trade-only professional makers. It’s properly bound, made with high-quality materials, and designed to be handled, shared, and passed down, not left on a hard drive.
Wedding album: your visual legacy
If you think about it, a wedding album is one of the only parts of your wedding budget that becomes more valuable with time. Flowers fade, the cake gets eaten, and even the dress ends up stored away. But your photos? They become your family’s story.
So here’s the real question: how do you want to relive and share your wedding day in 10, 20, 40 years?
Have you ever seen your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding album? That feeling of stepping into their world – their joy, their youth, their people- is priceless. Now imagine having that… but with modern storytelling: real emotions, real moments, all the in-between magic. That’s what a properly made album gives you.
“Digital only” sounds tempting (but it often disappears)
We get it. A digital-only wedding photography package can feel like the simplest option, and yes, we can absolutely tailor packages to suit you.
However, this is what we’ve seen over the years: digital photos often get lost in the scroll. Galleries are downloaded “later”. USBs go into drawers. Laptops break. Life gets busy. And then suddenly it’s five years later and nothing is printed.
We always keep your images safely archived and in your online gallery, so you’re protected. But the bigger truth is this: most people don’t regularly sit down to re-live a wedding on a hard drive, especially not with family.
A professional wedding album is different (and couples can’t usually buy these direct)
The highest quality wedding albums are usually made through trade-only suppliers that work with professional photographers. The difference is in the details: print accuracy, colour consistency, paper and page thickness, and proper binding designed to last for decades.
That’s why, when couples want a wedding photography package with an album, it’s not just “an add-on”. It’s a finished piece of your legacy – designed by your photographer, made to be held, shared, and passed down.
The simplest test
When friends or family visit, are you going to pull out a laptop and scroll through folders… or would you rather open a beautiful album on the coffee table and relive the day in five minutes?
That’s the power of a wedding album.
What’s included in our wedding album packages (and how you can upgrade)
Most couples choose our classic album package, because it hits the sweet spot: premium quality, timeless size, and enough pages to tell the story properly.
Included album (our most popular option)
Size: A4 landscape
Pages: 30 pages (15 spreads)
Finish: professionally printed + properly bound (built to last decades)
Want to go bigger (or more “wow”)? You can upgrade almost everything
Bigger sizes: square albums and larger statement sizes (perfect if you love big portraits and epic venue scenes).
More pages: up to 100 pages if you want a fuller story (guest moments, dance floor, the whole film).
Album boxes / presentation cases: a protective case that keeps the album safe and makes it feel like a proper heirloom gift.
Fine Art albums (for the “gallery print” look)
If you love that tactile, artistic finish (especially for black & white), we can create a Fine Art album printed on specialist Fine Art paper for a more museum-style feel. These albums are typically paired with a presentation box for protection and that “wow, this is special” reveal.
Covers: make it yours
This is where albums get really personal. You can choose covers in materials like:
linen, suede, eco materials, and leather – in loads of colours, so your album can feel clean and modern, soft and romantic, or bold and editorial (very you, basically).
Wedding album cost in the UK (what affects the price)
Wedding album pricing can vary a lot, because it depends on what you choose. The main things that change the cost are:
- Album size
A4 landscape is the classic “included” size. Larger albums and statement sizes cost more because there’s more material and print area.
- Number of pages
More pages = more of your story in print. Our standard album is 30 pages (15 spreads), and you can upgrade all the way up to 100 pages if you want the full “every chapter” version.
- Cover material
Linen, suede, eco materials and leather all have different price points. (And yes, the colour choices are dangerously addictive.)
- Fine Art paper
Fine Art albums use specialist paper and a different finish. They’re a premium option, but the look and feel is something else.
- Presentation box / album case
A case protects the album long-term and makes it feel like a proper heirloom piece.
If you’d like a precise quote, we’ll guide you based on what matters to you most (size, pages, and whether you want Fine Art paper).
How many photos and pages do you need in a wedding album?
We keep it simple: you choose your Top 80–100 favourite images, and we design the album around them so you know your absolute best-of-the-best are printed.
Our included album: 30 pages (15 spreads)
That’s ideal for a story-led album that covers the full day without feeling overloaded.
Want more of the story in print?
If you love guest moments, dance floor chaos, or you want more space for portraits and details, you can add pages, right up to 100 pages.
A good rule: more pages means more breathing room. The album feels more cinematic and less “crammed”, especially if you want big hero images.
Wedding album FAQ
Can we choose the photos that go in the album?
Yes – you’ll select 80–100 favourites, and we design the album from those.
Can we make changes to the design?
Yes. You’ll see a draft and can request tweaks (swaps, pacing, small changes) before we finalise.
Can we order a bigger album or add more pages?
Absolutely – we can create square or larger sizes, and extend up to 100 pages.
Do you offer Fine Art albums?
Yes – Fine Art albums are available on specialist Fine Art paper for a more gallery-style finish.
Do albums come with a box/case?
You can add an album case/presentation box to protect it long-term (highly recommended if you want it to last decades).
Can we order parent albums?
Yes – parent albums are a brilliant gift option, using the same design in a smaller format.
Wedding albums are real (and that’s the whole point)
Scrolling through digital photos is easy. But holding your wedding story in your hands is a completely different experience.
It’s a bit like books. You can read on a screen, but a real book pulls you in. It’s calmer, easier to focus on, and it becomes part of your home – something you reach for without thinking. A wedding album works the same way. It’s not just a “place your photos live”… it’s how you actually relive them.
A fun example (you’ll get it instantly)
Years ago IKEA made a brilliant ad for their printed catalogue – they called it a “Bookbook”. It’s hilarious, and it makes the point perfectly: print feels real in a way digital never quite does.
If you want a laugh (and a surprisingly accurate wedding-album analogy), search: “IKEA Bookbook”.
Want a wedding photography package with an album included?
If you’re looking for a wedding photography package with album, we’ll help you choose the right format and create something that lasts – properly bound, beautifully designed, and made to be shared for generations.
Get in touch to check availability, or head to our pricing page to see which packages include a professional wedding album.
