by Kimberly A. Smith

Created on: April 27, 2008

Over time, memories fade. Stories and names are lost. Don't let this happen to your wedding memories. Creating a beautiful scrapbook of your big day is a fun way to preserve them. Whatever the theme and mood of your wedding, design your album to express it. Use these tips for a great place to start:

1. Plan the contents

Is your scrapbook going to cover the entire process, from engagement to honeymoon, or just the wedding day itself? If you have too many photos and mementos you might want to break the project into smaller scrapbooks. Perhaps make wedding and honeymoon scrapbooks, and make mini ones for the engagement and bachelor/bachelorette parties!

2. Organize your photos

Collect your pictures and begin to separate them into logical groupings. How many photos you can use on a page depends on the size of your album. If a picture isn't perfect, consider cropping it and using only your favorite elements.

3. Consider memorabilia and embellishments

There is a balance to adding other items to scrapbooks. Too many can make the pages look cluttered and distract from the photos. However, when it comes to your wedding there are certainly many items that you will want to include. The invitation, scraps of material, ticket stubs, and other small items round out the story of your special day. Pressed flowers can work as well, since flowers are such a focal point in most weddings.

4. Purchase supplies

I like to plan my craft projects as fully as possible before I head to the store. That way, I don't get distracted by all the great items I don't really need! It also helps prevent me from running out of supplies in the middle of a project. When choosing your paper and embellishments, consider using the same color scheme that you used for your wedding.

5. Journal in the scrapbook

Pictures alone won't tell the story. Caption them and journal the important stories. Funny, romantic, or interesting quotes from the day make a great addition. Focus some attention on the way you felt during the wedding. What were you thinking when you walked down the aisle? How did the cake taste? What was the most memorable moment? Consider calligraphy or script for some of your writing if you are making an elegant scrapbook.

6. Have fun!

If you have friends who love scrapbooking or other crafts, invite them over and make it a party. Your wedding was a celebration of love, friendship, and family. Use that energy to create a scrapbook that truly captures what is important to you.

Happy scrapbooking!

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