You want to know something embarrassing? It wasn’t until I started working full time at APW that I printed a single photo of my wedding. And I used to be a professional wedding photographer. Whoops. There’s a lot of lip service paid in the wedding industry to the importance of photography and why you should get your wedding photos off your hard drive. (Because technology fails, you guys. Like, often.) But the problem is, that lip service is usually followed by a lot of reasons why you should spend All The Moneys doing it. And for some of us, waiting until you can get the premium prints or the fancy wedding album means possibly waiting forever. (Not to mention, you can’t always get the premium prints or fancy albums for, say, your parents. Because rent still gotta be paid.) So today we’ve partnered up with Shutterfly to show you three easy ways to get your photos out of virtual reality and into actual reality:
1. Premium Photo Books that look real fancy: If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to a traditional wedding album, there is no shortage of photo books available online. The difference is that Shutterfly has about a gazillion different options to choose from, so you aren’t backed into a corner when it comes to your design. And while I normally prefer really minimal photo book designs, Shutterfly has officially converted me with their cool modern layouts (for an extra $5.99, you even get a bunch of style elements to use in your album if you want to add text or graphic designs to your photo book). Plus, while you might already be familiar with Shutterfly’s regular photo books, they recently added a new premium photo book option that straddles the line between pro album and user-friendly photo book. The premium albums have lay-flat pages (so you can do those cool image spreads without losing half your face to the crease), plus extra thick professional grade paper for added longevity. Premium photo books start at $55, and you can get a 12″ x 12″ photo book with a twenty-page spread for under $200. Do I hear the words “holiday gift” whispered somewhere?
2. The easiest gallery wall I’ve ever seen: We never had albums lying around my house as a kid, but we did have lots of photos hanging on the walls. So when it came time to decorate with all the art and photos I’ve gathered over the past few years, I figured a gallery wall had to be easy. (I mean, why else would they be all over Pinterest?) Let me tell you how that went. First, I was all, “You have to plan it! And organize! And measure!” I got tape, and some cardboard (can’t remember why), and was really into my process for about ten minutes before giving up and randomly drilling holes in the wall and hoping for the best. And while my wall turned out… acceptable, let’s just say Shutterfly has a better solution. You just upload your photos, choose what photo products you want to order (they’ve got canvas prints, metal prints, wood-mounted prints, and a bunch of other options), and then once you place your order, Shutterfly will send you a free hanging kit that shows you exactly where everything is supposed to go (including where you need to place the nails). It couldn’t be easier if it tried.
3. All The Gifts That Are Fit to Print: I will never be too cool for printed photo mugs (current fave: the one featuring my mom’s glamour shot that says, “You love me”) or the annual photo calendar I get from my niece, and my guess is neither are the people who love you (if nothing else, think of the blackmail). But photo gifts don’t have to be just for your loved ones. Shutterfly has recently added some cool, unexpected photo gifts to the mix, like metal prints, acrylic photo blocks, and clear serving trays (how cool would that look with a more abstract photo inside?) that are perfect if you want something a little more low profile to show off your photos.
And if you’re looking for inspiration on how to put those ideas to work, the Shutterfly Design Studio is chock full of creative concepts from super talented designers (I need this glass top table). Because you paid all that money for a photographer/did all that crowdsourcing with your guests/took all those selfies for your wedding. Might as well have something to show for it, right?
This post was sponsored by Shutterfly. Shutterfly makes it easy to get your pictures off your hard drive and into your home by offering unique print options, premium photo books, and home decor. Thanks Shutterfly for helping make the APW mission possible!
