Traditional Photo Albums

Looks Your parents' book may be in this style. A traditional album generally has a durable leather, imitation-leather or fabric cover that can be stamped or embossed with the couple's names and wedding date. Pages are made of heavyweight paper, typically white, ivory or black, and often feature decorative gilt edges and rounded corners.

Size Generally 10" square (12" square and 8" x 10" are also common) with 20 to 70 pages

Display Photos are set into mats—framelike holes (typically rectangles or squares) cut directly into the page. The mats' size and arrangement are determined by the manufacturer, so choices may be limited. A typical page has one large or a few small mats, though some makers now create pages that look more custom; they may include one long, horizontal mat surrounded by smaller square mats. Circles and ovals are sometimes options too.

Price If you choose a traditional album, expect to pay between $200 and $1,000 (typically not including prints), depending on the book's size and cover material.

Next: Handcrafted Albums