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Check out this custom photo album that Christina Richards commissioned from Hinged Strung Stitched.

I think my wedding polaroids are still in the refrigerator.

Either that or they're in one of H's desk drawers?

We haven't even printed the 35mm negs.

Hinged Strung Stitched: handmade albums, books + boxes

For those of you still on the hunt for the perfect wedding album, Hinged Strung Stitched makes these simple, beautiful pieces by hand in their Portland studio.

Materials for the albums are all 100% cotton rag, acid free + archival, which I learned from my dear archivist readers (multiple! I've got multiple archivist readers!) is pretty crucial.
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First person to say "$200 for a blank book?" gets STRUNG UP. You are welcome to go to Walmart and buy a cheap-ass non-archival album, or source the acid-free paper and bind a motherfucking archival album yourself, but I really don't want to hear it.

Seeking: A NON-Velvet Wedding Album

Hi esb,

I just passed my two year anniversary and am finally looking at putting together an album of the day. But I'm having the hardest time finding a rad album and hope you might be able to recommend some.

I don't want overpriced velvet (or any velvet), faux leather or shiny polyester fabric. And I don't want all my photos reprinted into a coffee table book either.

The other question I have is, is it better to get an album where I buy the stickers and stick them onto the paper which is covered with that soft white paper, or to get an album where the photos sit behind plastic?

Side story - I was in a stationery shop and asked the clerk about photo albums and when she asked "for what?", I reluctantly admitted it was for wedding photos. She took me to the shelf of gaudy, embellished, shiny, white albums, just the kind of albums I don't want. She then noticed I was wearing a single ring (that has diamonds) on my ring finger and exclaims "oh you're getting married!!!!!! How long have you been engaged?" and I said "No, I am married already" so she snaps back "How am I mean't to know you're already married if you only wear one ring!?" W-T-F right!? I left the shop pretty soon after that.

*****

Um. You do realize I'm the lady who's still "storing" her wedding polaroids in the refrigerator three years later?

I emailed my lady Christina Richards to ask if she had any advice for us. Here's her reply:

I wish I could be more help to you here. I've been looking for affordable diy albums since I got married but without much luck.

I actually just ordered a sample of that velvet book. The 10x10 is $150 at Jenni Bick and it's made in the usa with archival materials so I don't think the price is crazy (just my 2 cents).

Since you're not into the look of it anyway what about a book cloth or paper covered album?

Rag and Bone and Kolo both make paper page (you mount the prints) and photo-sleeve versions.

Mounting the prints in a paper page album can be a little tricky, you will need to have a lot of patience to get those prints in there perfectly. Whatever album you end up with it's best to use prints from a professional lab and make sure the album and adhesives are archival.

Maybe some of the readers have found better resources, I would love to hear more suggestions.

Editor's Note: I kind of don't hate the velvet album. I kind of like it a lot more than the Rag + Bone with the stupid flowered diaper-bag fabric (just my 2 cents).