So, you’ve received your final edited images, you have the printing rights -now what?
How do you make the most of your wedding pictures? And do so within the first 6 months of getting married, because -let’s face it- anyone who’s been married, or had a baby, knows that the rush of life takes over after the big event and it’s nearly impossible to find time to get prints made and decorate. Except for those type A people (that we all secretly admire and envy at the same time.) They get it done in no time flat -and with their gorgeously manicured nails. (Another thing I wish I could have, too. My self-manicures look like a 13 year old boy did them.)
Notice I said “within the first 6 months of getting married.” Girly, if you don’t do anything with your pictures before your 1st anniversary, it ain’t never gonna get done. Trust me. Been there, done that -and know many o’ brides with the same sad story.
I’m here to help. Throw you a few tips so you can plan ahead. And for those of you who have an anniversary coming up or want to get started on your 2014 resolutions, grab ’em and go. (If you haven’t noticed, today is an ‘apostrophe’ kind of day. I’m slangin’ it.)
Tangent Alert: You may know I have an affinity for sparkling water. Well, have you tried La Croix’s coconut flavor? I feel so fancy saying “La Croix” even if it’s just in my head. “La Croix.” Ooooh, where’s my baguette and arrogant expression? And beret. You need a beret with La Croix. Anyway, coconut flavored sparkling water. It’s um… not my favorite.
Where To Print
Not W——. Not W——–. Not any one hour photo place. WHY?
Printers have their own calibrations. Many of your instaprint places will give you waaaay over-saturated prints. What does that mean? It means the photos your photographer slaved away editing to look perfect will end up VERY dark, with colors far too loud and contrasts that yell at you. Basically, they’ll look like a crap.
The photos I give my clients have innuendo, have subtlety. I’ve seen my clients print their own engagement photos from our session to have displayed at their wedding and I nearly cried and hid in horror because what they printed did NOT represent the true edited image because the instaprint’s color calibration was ALL OFF. That is often why many photographers will not release their printing rights, will not provide digital images. They want to ensure that the final photo their clients display represents their artistic expression. Instead of holding on to my art with a death grip, here are just a few places I feel confident sending my clients to have their prints and gallery wraps done. (This isn’t a definitive list, just my personal recommendations.)
Shutterfly, Costco, FullColor.
The first two are easily accessible for everyone, the last is a little trickier -but you can do it, and I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend using FullColor for your prints. It’s who I go through for all of my display prints and they are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Excellent quality, tremendous customer service, cheap shipping (which, sorry to say, other online print companies will happily screw you on.)
WARNING: When you’re selecting your print size, here’s a tip. Digital images are slightly longer than film images, so that means that you’re going to have to significantly crop a digital image if you’d like it to fit an traditional print size, like an 8×10. I suggest finding the correct ratio of the image as it was edited and then custom matting it to fit a slightly larger frame. Hobby Lobby and Michaels, as well as your local framing expert, will be able to take care of this for you with no trouble at all -and you’ll have the picture displayed as it was meant to be.
Where to Make Your Own Albums
I LOVE that there are so many options available for you to create your own books. Here are a few tried and true places that I suggest for DIY books. (They make excellent Christmas presents for the relatives, by the way.)
BE SURE to use TOP QUALITY PAPER. You’ll have options on what to print on. Personally, I love matte or linen finish, uncoated paper. You want it thick so the photos don’t show through the pages and will stand up through the countless times it’s adored by you and your loved ones.
Order a spare for back up. I know that Blurb.com gives you the option (at least it’s currently being offered) to purchase additional books for 30% off once you head to checkout. That’s some nice savings, sister! Consider it insurance. Save it in a special place just in case your original copy falls into the paws of Fido or one of your bouncing babies in the future.
Where To Make Your Own Cards
Whether it’s for Thank You’s, Christmas, or a stack of “From Us” notecards, you can custom create your cards with your photos.
Minted.com, Overnightprints.com, My Own Labels
Minted, if you haven’t been there yet, is a site you will get lost in, enjoying all of the adorable stationery options. Seriously. Bring bread crumbs, Gretel. It’s also fabulous for wedding and shower invitations.
Overnightprints is my personal go-to shop for my business cards and postcards. If you want to cut costs on your TY’s, Christmas, etc. cards, I highly recommend making 4×6 postcards. You can make them double sided and each one is a fraction of what you’d pay for notecards. It’s my top choice when it comes to budget and quality. Order a month before you need to get them out since fast shipping will cost you an arm and a leg and your first born.
MyOwnLabels is soooo fun! (You’ll be hearing more about this company in a minute.) You can create custom stickers, gift tags, cards, CD labels, wine and beer bottle labels, coasters, etc. with your photos and they also have a marvelous blog filled with really fun ideas for custom hand made gifts, favors and uses for your new labels.
Note: Proof read. PROOF READ. PROOF. READ. If you’ve added words to something and you’re going to order it, proof read 8 times before you press “PURCHASE.” (Note based on personal experience. Sad, embarrassing story.)
Where to Make Custom Gifts
Ho, ho, ho, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
(I just had to do that. Christmas in July. I’m kinda feelin’ it.)
I have a really bad story about custom Christmas ornaments I ordered for my mother-in-law from an instaprint store (starts with a “W.” I’ll leave it at that.) I ended up with 1 crappy looking ornament with a picture of my son and another ornament with a picture of SOMEONE ELSE’S DAUGHTER. I can only imagine where my daughter’s ornament ended up. The quality was so bad, it was embarrassing. Needless to say, my mother-in-law is not the proud owner of said ornament of my son and the strange little girl that doesn’t belong to me.
Here are places that shouldn’t disappoint you like my situation did.
Zazzle.com myownlables.com FullColor.com
Zazzle is where I ordered my custom buttons for my bridal shows. Love ’em. My bride and coordinator friend, Bailey, order her custom-made wedding coordinator folder there. Love it. Again, you’ll be lost browsing the endless possibilities of what you can make with your wedding and engagement photos for you, your family and friends.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Especially if you’re a crafty, homemade kinda gal, you are going to LOVE MyOwnLabels for their endless ideas of gifts you can create.
FullColor offers great quality and customer service you won’t find at many of the big online sites. And they have some amazing ways to customize gifts and prints that I absolutely adore. From iphone cases to vibrant metal prints in custom cut-out shapes, this biz is rockin’ with great options for alternate ways to use your wedding and engagement photos.
You’re ready, you’re set, You GO, GIRL!
Use them photos, ladies! Display those memories. Gift those best friends, mamas, grandparents, and second mothers (you know, those ladies who’ve played major roles in your life, even though they aren’t related.)
You’ve got all the tools you need. And now you know exactly what to do with next Saturday: Pot of coffee, credit card, disc of pictures, “Dirty Dancing” on DVD, computer = conquering your photo to-do list. Happy Creating, Dear!
Kelly Cameron Blog 