Reno couples have a setting that few places can match: the Truckee River running through town, the Sierra Nevada rising to the west and Lake Tahoe a short drive away. You probably have photographs that reflect it. Here is how to decide whether to print them as an album, a magazine or both.
The case for an album
An album is made for large images, slow pages and long-term keeping. At Folio Forever, albums come in 12x24, 16x24, 15x30 and 20x30 inches, with a classic or lay-flat binding. If your photos include wide mountain light, a river bend or a full reception hall, a bigger spread helps those images breathe.
Lay-flat pages open entirely flat and let a photo cross the center without a seam. For a Reno wedding that includes a mountain skyline or a formal group shot, this is the setup that gives the picture its full effect.
Reno also sits at about 4,500 feet, so the light is bright and clear for much of the year, which tends to make photographs crisp. High-desert Nevada skies can give you a deep blue backdrop, and a lay-flat spread is a good way to use it.
The case for a magazine
A magazine takes a different approach. It is 20 pages, 8.5x11 inches, with an editorial layout and 15 original styles to choose from. It reads like a feature on your wedding, with room for a headline, a short story and the best images.
At $70 it is easy to order several, so it works as a gift as much as a keepsake. You preview every page before it prints, and a magazine can be finished in a single sitting.
If you are unsure, remember that the two are not exclusive. Designing a magazine first can help you decide which photos belong in an album later, since it forces you to pick the strongest few.
How to decide
Ask yourself three questions. How many photos are you attached to? Who else needs a copy? How much time do you want to spend designing? If the answers are many, several and plenty, an album is the way to go. If they are few, many and not much, the magazine will serve you well.
Prices start at $240 for a 12x24 or 16x24 classic album and $275 for lay-flat. Extra spreads are $8 to $18 each, up to 40. A mid-size album plus a handful of magazines gives you both depth and reach.
There is no wrong answer. The goal is to get the photos off a screen and into someone's hands.
Selecting the photos
Reno weddings can include lots of settings in one day: a ceremony at a chapel or garden, portraits by the river or at a park, and a reception downtown or at a lodge. Group your photos by place and choose the best from each, so the album has a clear shape.
Include some quiet frames, such as a toast, a hand on a shoulder or a mother adjusting a veil. These are the images people linger over. Let Smart Auto-Layout create the first draft and rearrange anything you wish.
A common mistake is to include too many portraits and too few of guests. Aim for a balance, so someone who was not there can still see the party, the family and the way the day felt.
Giving copies to the people who matter
Think about who would treasure a copy most: parents, grandparents, a sibling or the friend who flew in. A magazine inside a gift box or tucked in a card is easy to hand over. An album to your own parents says more than any toast.
Plan ahead for shipping. Printing takes 5 to 7 business days after approval and payment, and delivery to Reno is $60 Express, $32 Standard or $12 Economy. If a book arrives with a print defect, transit damage or a mismatch with the approved proof, report it within 14 days of delivery for a free reprint or a full refund. The refunds page has the full terms.
Printing is easy to plan too. Add a few days to your timeline for approval, and select your delivery speed based on a date that matters, such as an anniversary or a family gathering.
Questions
Can I order more than one copy?
Yes. A second album, or several magazines for parents and grandparents, can be ordered from the same design.
What does lay-flat mean?
The pages open completely flat, so a photo can run across both pages with no gutter. It starts at $275 for a 12x24 or 16x24 album.
Can I upgrade the cover?
Yes. A photo cover is included, leather is $25 more and acrylic is $39 more.
Planning an album from your Reno photos? Design it online; you approve every page before it prints. See wedding album sizes and prices or the 20-page wedding magazine.