Capturing Wedding Memories

Inspiration

Conventional methods of capturing your memories of your big day such as photography and video are, for most brides, an indispensable part of the day itself.  Having a record of your wedding day in the form of your wedding album or DVD (or both!) is priceless and something you will both treasure even when the day itself is little more than a dim and distant memory.

We’ve got lots of ideas here – some simple and inexpensive, others hi-tech and budget busting that allow you to take a multi-layered approach to making your big day unforgettable for both you and your guests.

Many couples are going the extra mile to preserve memories of their big day. Here, we take a look at just a few of the latest memory-making trends, as well as a few old favourites you may have overlooked…

All Boxed Up

As one of the most special items of clothing you’ll ever own, it makes sense that you might want to preserve your wedding dress as an heirloom to pass on to your own daughter one day even if it’s just so she can laugh at your old-fashioned tastes!  In order to keep your dress in good condition you should have it professionally dry-cleaned as soon as possible after the big day to remove any stains and spills.  It should then be packed in acid-free tissue paper and neatly folded into a sturdy acid-free box (both are readily available online) before being stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.  There are professional companies who will handle this entire process for you if you wish, but you can do it yourself if money is tight.

Of course, the other option is to preserve some memories of your dress, rather than the dress itself check out our Trash the Dress feature to find out more!

Dazzling Displays

And finally, please please don’t leave those beautiful wedding photos festering in an album that only gets opened once a year on your anniversary get them on the walls!  Your wedding photographer should be able to offer you a whole range of print and framing options from traditional mounted styles to contemporary canvas wraps so whatever your style, you’ll find something to suit and make you smile every time you walk past it.

Say Cheese!

Bring a touch of retro fun to your big day by hiring a mobile photo booth, a bit like the ones you use for passport photos.  Your guests (especially younger ones) will have a whale of a time making faces and getting silly as they lose their inhibitions in the relative privacy of the photo booth, and they will receive prints of their photos as a keepsake of the day.  Most companies will also provide you with copies of all photos on disc or even in an album so you can have a good giggle at the antics of your guests when you return from honeymoon.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

If you had an engagement session with your photographer in preparation for your big day, a nice idea is to have one of your favourite prints mounted on plain card, but not framed.  Your wedding guests can then sign the mount as an alternative to a guest book, and you can have it framed afterwards to create a wonderful keepsake you can display in your home.

Flower Power

Brides often feel emotional about their wedding bouquets and it’s a shame to see something so delicate and beautiful allowed to wilt and die after just one day, which is why many like to preserve their bouquet.  You can do this yourself at home by hanging the bouquet upside down in a warm place until completely dry and then spraying with an acrylic preserving spray, or by packing it in silica gel to remove moisture before spraying.  A more expensive but highly effective alternative is to have your flowers professionally freeze dried this preserves more of the fresh colour and texture of the flowers than any other method, and you can even have the bouquet framed afterwards if you wish.

Video Guest Book

As another alternative to a guest book, you could have your guests make short video messages for you to watch back after the big day.  Your chosen wedding videographer may be able to help with this by setting up a camera on a stand in a quiet corner and assisting your guests as required, or if money’s tight you could try a DIY version by asking one of the groom’s attendants to travel around the room with a handheld video camera, capturing messages from willing victims as he goes!  Either way, it’s sure to make for some very funny and emotional viewing later on.

{ photobooth print  via Swanky Tables }
{ preserved bouquet via finishingtouchhawaii.com }
{ photo booth via green wedding shoes }
{ wedding dress box via bestweddinggift.org }