By Gary Barrett, three-time Wedding Photographer of the Year
We make two kinds of books for your wedding photos: our Wedding Albums and our Coffee Table Books. They share the same beautiful covers, so couples often ask us what the real difference is. Here's a simple guide to help you choose.
The pages
This is the biggest difference. Our Wedding Albums have thick 800gsm pages that are hard to bend and lay flat. They feel substantial in your hands and are made to be handled again and again.
Our Coffee Table Books have thinner 400gsm pages that bend easily, more like a beautiful hardback book. They're still high quality, but a little more care is needed when turning the pages.
The covers
Both come with the same high-quality covers: leatherette, linen, velvet & suede or an acrylic photo cover, in a choice of colours. Both can have your names and wedding date laser engraved on the cover.
Number of pages
A Wedding Album holds up to 80 pages. A Coffee Table Book can go up to 120 pages, so it suits couples who want to include a lot of photos.
Price
Because the pages are thinner, a Coffee Table Book costs less than a Wedding Album of the same size.
At a glance
| Wedding Album | Coffee Table Book | |
|---|---|---|
| Pages | Thick 800gsm, hard to bend, lay flat | Thinner 400gsm, bend easily |
| Maximum pages | 80 | 120 |
| Covers | Leatherette, linen, velvet & suede, acrylic | The same high-quality covers |
| Engraved cover text | Yes | Yes |
| Feel | Our most luxurious, heirloom album | A beautiful book for the coffee table |
| Price | Higher | Lower |
Which should you choose?
For the main album of your wedding day, we always recommend a Wedding Album. It's the one you'll bring out on your anniversary, show your children, and keep for life, so it's worth having the thick pages that are made to last.
A Coffee Table Book is a lovely choice for everything else: your honeymoon, your engagement shoot, extra photos that didn't fit in the album, or a gift for family.
Whichever you choose, we design it for you. You send your photos, we lay out the story of your day, and you review it and ask for changes before anything is printed.
If you're torn between the two, just email me and tell me what you have in mind. I'll tell you honestly which one suits your photos and your budget.
Browse our Wedding Albums or email us at info@weddingalbums.ie with any questions.