# Can anyone recommend pro traditional leather wedding album suppliers?



## GerryDavid (Jul 24, 2012)

Its time to step things up in my business again and take things to the next level.  I want to offer high quality leather *italian maybe* wedding albums in my middle wedding package, and I was hoping I could get some recommendations here.  I suspect these will be in the $500-$1000 price range?  Although if I can get an awesome deal that is cheaper on something that is high quality that would rock!


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## GerryDavid (Jul 24, 2012)

I forgot to mention that if they can assemble it, that would be great!  A wedding I did a couple of years ago got a pretty nice wedding album, and it was nerve wracking taping the pictures into the album and putting it together.  I knew a good size mistake would be a huge delay and costly on my part. : )


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## jamesbjenkins (Jul 24, 2012)

Check out Blurb.

I use them. Lots of choices, leather, textile, etc. Great prices.


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## GerryDavid (Jul 24, 2012)

Just from the name alone, it sounds like blurb makes press printed books?  And not pro level ones at that.

Im talking about the traditional albums that were the only option 10 years ago.


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## jamesbjenkins (Jul 24, 2012)

You're correct. My desired clients aren't interested in paying a grand for an album, so blurb is fine for me.

Good luck.


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## jamesbjenkins (Jul 24, 2012)

To be clear, Blurb has several options that are extremely "pro" or else I wouldn't be using them.

;-)


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## GerryDavid (Jul 24, 2012)

Im going to be offering my wedding clients both types of albums, the press printed ones for the lower end package, and more traditional albums for the higher end packages.  I want to I want to appeal to those that have incredibly awesome weddings and want the nicer end products.    Not someone looking for a bargain.

Ive noticed the consumer labs dont seem to offer hinged paper/pages that can lay flat on the table.  Plus the pro labs seem to use thicker paper.


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## GerryDavid (Jul 24, 2012)

jamesbjenkins said:


> You're correct. My desired clients aren't interested in paying a grand for an album, so blurb is fine for me.
> 
> Good luck.



Oh and the grand is the photographers cost, not the customers.  It would have a grand or two in markup before the client sees it, but that is with prints.


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## Big Mike (Jul 24, 2012)

professionalalbums
Finao Online - Home
Graphistudio | The Original Wedding Book© | Italiano - IT
Custom Coffee Table Photo Books and Wedding Albums for Professional Photographers | AsukaBook USA
Collages.net - Professional Lab, Albums, Books, Design Services & Sell Images Online


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## GerryDavid (Jul 24, 2012)

Thanks Mike!  Ive seen the name Asuka before, but forgot about them.


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## CCericola (Jul 24, 2012)

I use Kiss Albums and Queensberry. I would say Queensberry is higher end than Kiss.


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## CJThompson (Jul 24, 2012)

I have used Art Leather Albums for years! The changed their name recently to Professional Albums dot com.


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## jamesbjenkins (Jul 24, 2012)

GerryDavid said:
			
		

> Oh and the grand is the photographers cost, not the customers.  It would have a grand or two in markup before the client sees it, but that is with prints.



Yeah, my weddings are around 2k right now. If you can get somebody to buy your $3000 album, more power to you. Clearly, I live in the wrong market. Lol


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## GerryDavid (Jul 24, 2012)

Weddings are not my focus so Im happy if I just book a few per year, and I figure I may as well price accordingly.  I use to offer a $1000 package and let people add on to it from the a la carte list but it seems better to have packages that will represent my work better.  This isnt a rich area but there are those that value photography and will pay for it.    And $3000 isnt that crazy if the album itself costs $1000 from the supplier, has twenty 10x10 pictures *sizes and quantity may vary* that would normally be $1200, then the profit margin off of the album.


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## Big Mike (Jul 25, 2012)

IMO, a bigger/better seller, when it comes to albums, is a custom designed album.  So rather then just putting in twenty individual images, each page or spread designed.  You might have a background, then a few different photos placed around the page.  You might have one image that spreads across two pages etc.  Most of the album companies have software for layout album designs...and of course, you could do it in Photoshop or Lightroom etc.  There are basic templates as well.

And here is the great tip for albums.  You pre-sell the album (included in the package) with say 20 sides (pages).  But then after the wedding, you design 30 pages and ask them to choose which 20 they want (or they can include them all, for an upgrade fee).  I'd even recommend telling them that you will do this, right up front...so that it doesn't feel like you are hustling them.


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## GerryDavid (Jul 25, 2012)

ive heard bad things about doing that, customers feeling pressured and deciding to go somewhere else next time, and repeat customers are much cheaper to get than new customers.  but if you do warn them in advance that may help, but im still a bit weary.  If they pay me $3000 for a wedding, I want to keep them on my good size and not alienate them.


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## GerryDavid (Jul 25, 2012)

and you can do the same thing with traditional albums to, my mentor did that, create a 30 page album and remove the pages they didnt want.

I have my own press printed album templates but not many of them are suitable for weddings.  I need to find some good online websites that let you design them for printing.


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## Big Mike (Jul 25, 2012)

GerryDavid said:


> ive heard bad things about doing that, customers feeling pressured and deciding to go somewhere else next time, and repeat customers are much cheaper to get than new customers.  but if you do warn them in advance that may help, but im still a bit weary.  If they pay me $3000 for a wedding, I want to keep them on my good size and not alienate them.


That was my first impression when I heard about this technique...but there are many, many professional wedding photographers that have implemented this technique and found that it dramatically increased their revenue.  And yes, to stay on their good side (and to feel good about it yourself), I think that it's key that you explain it to them up front.  You can say that you will do the 'extra work' to design more pages and that it gives them more choice...which is a good thing.  
But the idea is that if you do a good job of designing the pages and you have great photos...they will want to buy more pages.  And since this is well after the wedding (and hopefully they've paid for the package already) the added cost shouldn't be much of a burden.


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