Most Popular Wedding Album Sizes

As soon as the wedding day is over, couples can’t wait to see the pictures from their special day. Wedding photographers know how excited newlyweds are, and often aim to get the digital files to them as soon as possible. These “preview” shots are perfect for sharing on social media or sending to guests right away.

But when you get all your photos back, chances are you’ll want to store them in a wedding album. That’s where knowing the most popular wedding album sizes comes in handy.

Here’s what you’ll find in this informative article:

• Part 1: Wedding Album Details 101
• Part 2: How to Decide on the Right Wedding Album Size for You
• Part 3: Most Popular Wedding Album Sizes
• Part 4: Unique Wedding Album Alternatives

Do I Really Need to Think About Wedding Album Sizes?

If you plan on having photos of your beautiful wedding day printed and displayed in a wedding album, then yes, you need to think about wedding album sizes. There are different orientations, sizes, and page counts to be aware of, and the process of knowing what wedding album size is right for you can be overwhelming. After all, a wedding album is (hopefully) something you’re going to have your entire life, so you want to make the right decision. Plus, deciding on the wedding album size is a vital step in the process—you can’t start without it.

Part 1: Wedding Album Details 101

Before we get into the most popular wedding album sizes and which one is right for you, it’s important to know wedding album details 101. What are wedding albums, how much do they cost, how many photos go in a wedding album, and who designs them is all in this guide.

What Are Wedding Albums?

Wedding albums are special keepsakes to hold your wedding photographs safe. After you get your wedding photos back from the photographer, it’s time to sit down and select which photos you want to put in your wedding album. Because wedding photographers often take hundreds of photos, not every single one will make the cut. But the must-have shots, including your first kiss and first dance, deserve to have a permanent home.

A wedding album is also important because it lets you keep an organized album to pass along to future generations. Sitting down and reliving the best memories from your big day is easy to do when you have a hard copy of your favorite pics in front of you.

How Much Do Wedding Albums Cost?

The cost of wedding albums depends on various factors including size, page count, cover material, and paper quality. Wedding albums can cost anywhere from $150 to $1,000, whereas a wedding photo book can cost much less. Not sure what the difference is between wedding photo albums and wedding photo books?

Wedding albums are often created with thicker paper that lays flat when opened, whereas books are designed with thinner paper. Because wedding books typically have thinner paper, you may be able to hold more photos in your keepsake than you would with an album. Albums also are often a bit more durable and elaborate, meaning they can cost more than a book.

How Many Photos Go in Wedding Albums?

Again, this depends. Wedding albums typically start with at least 20 to 30 album pages, which allows for anywhere from two to six photos a page, depending on size and layout. Some couples opt to have one photo spread across two pages. Here at Zola, our popular wedding albums start at 20 album pages over 10 spreads, but the average wedding album length is 40 pages.

A general rule of thumb? The size of your wedding album should correlate with the length of your wedding. So, for example, if you’re having a small intimate affair, you may not need as big of a wedding album. But if you have a destination wedding or multi-day affair, you may need a 90-page album to account for all of the shots that you want to include.

Can I Design My Own Wedding Album?

Of course you can. Here at Zola we make the wedding album design process easy and fun. On our wedding album site, you can customize the style, page count, size, and color of your custom wedding album and then use templates to design the perfect layout. While you can order a wedding album in less than 30 minutes, we recommend putting aside two to three hours to pick out your favorite pictures and lay them into the best design for you.

How Do You Organize a Wedding Album?

You want to decide which photos you absolutely need in your wedding album and go from there. Once you make a shortlist of your wedding photos, then you can narrow down the photos for your custom wedding album from there.

There are photos that should certainly make your album, including getting ready shots, first look photos, family group shots, and a snap of the entire wedding party. You also want to include your first kiss, a few portraits from your newlywed session (right after you say “I do!”), and candid pics from your reception. Depending on the type of wedding photography you go with—like traditional, candid or documentary—you may have more or less of various types of shots.

How Many Wedding Albums Do I Need?

This comes down to personal preference and budget. Some couples order multiple copies of their wedding album, so they have one for display and another for safekeeping, or one for family members, including the parents. Other times, couples simply order one wedding album for themselves and keep it on display or keep it in a special location for viewing.

Again, budget and personal needs will determine how many wedding albums you need. Another option is to order a full wedding album for yourself and then a smaller one for your parents or grandparents, should they wish to have one. Because wedding albums are customizable on Zola, you can add pages to your book with ease.

Part 2: How to Decide on the Right Wedding Album Size for You

Here are some important things you need to consider when choosing a wedding album size.

Budget

Like all wedding-related costs, budget is often a key determining factor. (If you are in the wedding planning process now and haven’t yet started a budget, get on that ASAP!) When budgeting for your actual wedding day, most couples forget to account for the after-event extras, like the cost of wedding photo albums. This is easy to do, so it’s important you account for any post-wedding costs in your original budget. If you’ve gone over budget already (it happens a lot!) here are some tips for getting back on track.

As we said, wedding albums can cost anywhere from $150 to $1,000, depending on the quality, amount of detail, page count, and cover material. If you want a high-quality wedding album, we suggest putting aside $150 to $350 for a nice album that won’t disappoint or entirely break the bank. When it comes to photo albums, it’s always a good idea to allocate more budget than you think you might need, as you may end up wanting to add additional pages to your album once you get your photographs back. You can also register for a gift card for Zola’s wedding albums, so guests have the option of giving you this keepsake.

Amount of Photos

The right size of your wedding album depends on the amount of photos you plan to put in the keepsake. If you had an intimate event and only selected 40 photographs to print, you might be okay with a 20-page album. On the other hand, if your wedding spanned over several days, or you had multiple ceremonies or receptions, you’re going to need a 70 to 80-page premium album of a larger size like a landscape option of 10 x 8 inches or 14 x 11 inches.

Some couples think they need to include every photo taken in their wedding album, but that’s not the case. In fact, your wedding album should be a curated selection and help tell the story of your big day in chronological order. How to choose photos for your wedding album isn’t always easy, but we have tips on how to do so.

Personal Style

The size of your wedding album depends on your personal style and what design you’re looking for. Some couples want to keep it classic and go with minimalist designs, whereas other couples may want a more premium album. Material, size, and cost are all factors that may influence your style choice, too.

You might want to pick a wedding album that reflects the style of your wedding or your wedding theme. For example, if you had a destination wedding in Hawaii, you might go with a hand-painted album cover that has hibiscus motifs, whereas if you had a lux winter wedding, you might want a velvet-covered album that evokes a warm and cozy feel. Some albums also only come in specific sizes, like our Deluxe Wedding Album, so it’s important to go with a look that also has the page count you’re looking for.

Photographer’s Style

Your wedding photographer’s personal style may affect which wedding album you go for. If your photographer took a lot of landscape shots, you might choose a wedding album that matches that orientation, like a 10 x 8-inch album. On the other hand, if you end up choosing mostly portraits, a 10 x 10-inch album may do the trick. You can always play with Zola’s wedding album layout tool to see which design best works with your photo choices.

Part 3: Most Popular Wedding Album Sizes

Once you’ve determined exactly what you need for your wedding album, you can make a more educated decision about what size of album you need. As a general rule, the larger the wedding album, the higher the cost. It’s also important to know that you can add pages to your wedding album, so if you want a 40-page 8 x 8-inch album, that can easily be done. Customization is always possible when it comes to wedding albums.

Here are the most popular wedding album sizes.

8×8 inches

The classic 8 x 8-inch wedding photo album is square in its shape and the average length is 40 pages. This is the most popular small-size wedding album, and comes in a variety of materials, colors, and designs. Many vendors stock this size wedding album, so you’ll have no trouble finding this size either in-person or online. Zola’s classic and premier wedding albums both come in this size in linen and vegan leather options, respectively.

This size is also ideal if you want to have your wedding album on permanent display on a bookshelf or on a smaller coffee table. It isn’t too bulky or large, meaning it’s a convenient size for storing, too.

10×10 inches

Another popular wedding album size is the classic 10 x 10-inch album. You can safely fit four pictures per layout in this design. This size option is ideal for couples who want something a tad bigger than 8 x 8 inches, but don’t want a large-format album. It’s also a square format, and is one of the most popular sizes for wedding albums here at Zola. Because the front of your wedding album can be customized with foil text, for example, this size offers a bit more room for getting names and/or wedding date on the front.

12×12 inches

The largest option in the square-size wedding album family, a 12 x 12-inch album can typically fit up to six images per layout. This format is great for couples who want to include more photos without bulking up the page count in their wedding album. This size wedding album allows for creativity when it comes to photo layouts, while also letting couples play with full-page spreads. In other words, this size is ideal for those who have lots of pictures to share. Both portrait and landscape photos work well in this wedding album.

It’s important to note, however, that 12 x 12-inch styles are larger albums, so they may not fit on all bookshelves easily.

10x8 inches

Landscape wedding albums typically come in two sizes, one of which is 10 x 8 inches—the most popular smaller option. This size is ideal for couples who may have more landscape photos to include in their album, or want to include a few double-page spreads. If you’re going with a deluxe wedding album, Zola’s deluxe creations do not come in this size. Both Zola’s classic and premier wedding albums do, though.

14x11 inches

14 x 11 inches is the most popular large landscape wedding album. This size is more like a scrapbook size and is suitable for couples who had multi-day weddings or more than one celebration. With this option, you can play with tons of layouts, as it easily allows for portrait, landscape, and full-page spreads. If you’re looking for the biggest size without going over the top, 14 x 11 inches may be the right option for you.

Part 4: Unique Wedding Album Alternatives

If you’re unsure of what to do with your wedding photos or if you want to order a wedding album, no sweat—we have ideas for you. Here are some unique wedding album alternative ideas, from wall prints to homemade scrapbooks. (For couples who are debating the wedding album route, check out this article on unique wedding album ideas.)

#1 Scrapbook

Not all of us are crafty, but for those of us who are, creating your own DIY wedding scrapbook is a fun and creative option. Scrapbooks allow you to display your wedding photos and create your own layouts, while also letting you add wedding day details, including cards from guests, a copy of your menu, or vows or speeches. Wedding scrapbooks take wedding albums to the next level. They’re also a fun and unique wedding album alternative that you and your spouse can do as a joint activity. Set aside a few weekends and get crafty.

#2 Wedding Photo Box

A wedding album alternative that many couples like is a wedding photo box. Photo boxes let you store all your wedding prints in one safe place, without needing to be pasted into a book or uploaded and printed into a wedding album layout.

Loose wedding photos allow you to comb through the images with ease—and in a random order. Wedding photo boxes can also be decorated with your wedding date or any other script that you’d like. One of the best parts of wedding photo boxes is that you can take out a photo at any time to display in a frame or hang in the house for viewing.

#3 Wedding Wall Prints

Unsure of what to do with your wedding photos, but want to make sure the top shots are on display? Why not get a few of your favorite snaps printed and framed into gorgeous wall prints? You can have anywhere from one to four images printed to hang above the sofa or your bed, or go all out with a wedding gallery wall. With a gallery wall, you can print photos of varying sizes and hang them in a creative way. This is a fantastic—and easy—way to display your most memorable wedding day photos.

#4 Digital Wedding Album

Let’s face it: Most of our photos live online these days, or on our phones. While scrolling through social media is nice, it’s not the best place to store and share all your wedding photos. That’s where a digital wedding album comes in.

A digital wedding album is an online place to display the best photos from your big day. You can make the wedding album link private and share it with guests via a password or make it public, so all friends and family members can easily view the gallery at any time. A digital wedding album is a cost-effective alternative to a physical wedding album and can be easily updated at your convenience. You can also share your engagement photos or honeymoon pics in an online wedding album, too.

Zola: The Destination for All Your Destination Wedding Needs

The wedding planning process can be a lot of work, but Zola is your one-stop shop to make it that much easier. We are here to support you every step of the way, from helping you find the right wedding photographer for you, to supporting you throughout the process designing your own wedding ablum on Zola.

With our selection of wedding albums, you have everything you need to craft the perfect collection of photos and memories from your big day, including:

• Multiple cover materials (including linen, leather, and vegan leather)
• A wide variety of fully customizable templates
• Photographic printing for the highest-quality images
• Up to 80 pages of wedding photos per album
• Fast shipping

Knowing the most popular wedding album sizes can help you choose the option that best suits your needs, including your budget, layout preferences, and photography style. The most popular wedding album sizes start at 8 x 8 inches—a square format—to 14 x 11 inches, which is a landscape design. Zola’s wedding album tool offers all the most popular sizes in a range of materials, colors, and page counts. You can also have the album cover customized with your names and/or wedding date in classic foil text.

Here at Zola, we are ready to help whenever you’re ready to get started. We want to make your wedding memories last a lifetime, and wedding albums are one of the best ways to do just that.