Whether you're a newlywed just embarking on life as a married woman or planning to celebrate your 30th anniversary, creating a wedding scrapbook can be a fun project that gives you a chance to relive many happy memories. It's also the perfect way to make sure your wedding photos can be enjoyed on a regular basis, instead of being relegated to a shelf in your closet.
Creating Your Wedding Scrapbook
If you're a novice scrapbooker, breaking down your project into several smaller steps is the best way to keep from feeling overwhelmed.
Download Free Wedding Elements
Free scrapbook supplies can be an affordable and convenient way to create your wedding album. These items can be used as many times as you wish, with no added cost. Combine them with wedding clip art to give your layouts a whimsical look.
The following wedding backgrounds and borders are available as printable Adobe PDF files. Click on the image you want to use, then save the file to an appropriate location on your hard drive. Print the design on acid-free cardstock and trim to the appropriate size.
If you're a digital scrapbooker, download the ZIP file with the individual elements as PNG images that are fully compatible with all image editing software.
Using Borders and Backgrounds
Include these downloads in your wedding scrapbook layouts in any number of ways. For example:
- Use borders to frame a photo, adding a border along the top and bottom of one large image that runs off the page.
- Pair borders with graphic diamond print patterned paper, using a portion of the diamond shapes to highlight the border elements.
- Cut borders into smaller parts, creating strips that can be used to make a graphic pattern on the page.
- Highlight your journaling by framing it with scrapbook borders.
- Use patterned paper as a background, then pair it with coordinating solids to avoid creating an overly busy layout.
- Cut patterned paper into decorative shapes, such as a heart. Use these shapes to embellish tags or photo mats.
Photos
Generally, it's best to avoid creating a wedding scrapbook from your formal portraits unless you're quite confident in your scrapbooking style. Since they are still learning basic scrapbook techniques, beginners who tackle their wedding photos as an initial project often find their results less than satisfactory, and it's difficult to remove the photos without ruining them.
If you're a new scrapbooker who wants to include formal wedding portraits in your album, use photo corners instead of a permanent adhesive. This will allow you to easily remove the photos at a later date if you decide you are unhappy with your album. Alternatively, you could try creating a digital scrapbook page if you have access to the original image files.
Many brides choose to create their wedding scrapbooks by using the candid photos friends and family took during the ceremony and reception. However, deciding what to do with poor quality shots that have great sentimental value can be a challenge for the novice scrapbooker. Converting the images into black and white or sepia-toned photographs is easy way to camouflage imperfections and add an elegant look to your wedding album. You can also use image editing software to crop and digitally enhance your photos.
Journaling
One of the easiest ways to approach your journaling is by considering the questions your future children might ask about your special day. For example:
- Who did you ask to be in your bridal party? Why did you select these people to be a part of your ceremony?
- What was the most difficult part of planning your wedding? What was the easiest decision to make?
- "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" - did you follow this tradition?
- What did you do to cope with wedding day jitters?
- How did your guests make your wedding day special?
- Every couple experiences a few minor mishaps on their wedding day. How did these unplanned events affect your wedding?
- What was your favorite wedding gift? What was the strangest present you received?
- What marital advice did friends and family offer on your wedding day?
- How did you feel the first time you referred to yourself as a married woman?
Layout Themes
You could also consider using one of the following topics as a starting point for your wedding scrapbook page:
- My Favorite Photo: Of all the photos the photographer took, which one is your favorite? Showcase this photo on a special layout that explains why you love the image. (You can scan and print the image if you want to avoid using the actual photograph.)
- It's All in the Details: Pair closeup images of your wedding bouquet, rings, and other special event details together to make a page that highlights the often-overlooked elements of your wedding day. Journal about why these images are special to you.
- Forming a New Family: A wedding brings together two families, linking them for many years to come. Create a page that celebrates this new bond by highlighting photos of the bride and groom's family members together.
- The Gift of Friendship: Make a collage-style page featuring the bride and groom mingling with the various friends who came to support them on their special day.
Memorabilia to Include
Memorabilia is often an important part of a wedding scrapbook. Try incorporating the following items into your layouts:
- Engagement announcement
- Bridal shower/bachelor party invitations
- Gift registry
- Wedding invitation
- Wedding program
- Sheet music for the songs played during the wedding ceremony
- Congratulations cards
- Engraved napkins
- Dried flower petals from your bouquet
- Reception place cards
- Scraps of ribbon and lace saved from wedding decorations
- Leftover confetti
- Plane tickets or travel brochures from the honeymoon
To protect your wedding scrapbook memorabilia, consider purchasing specially designed memorabilia pockets for your album.
Memories That Last a Lifetime
A wedding scrapbook creates a tangible reminder of the love you have for your spouse. With a little time and creativity, you can assemble a keepsake that you'll enjoy looking at for many years to come.
