FAQ: What’s the difference between an Heirloom Book and Heirloom Album?

In case you didn’t already know, I’m a huge fan of Heirlooms and real, tangible prints.

In a world where our phones fill up on the daily with quick snapshots, I believe prints are all the more important. Instead of gathering around a screen, holding your memories brings them to life in a beautiful way! It’s an experience that can be shared and passed down rather than being lost on a phone, computer or thumb drive.

In an effort to make the process of bringing photographs to life a bit easier for my clients, I’ve included Heirlooms with each and every one of my wedding collections. You invest way too much time, energy, love & heart into your wedding day for the photos to just sit on a hard drive somewhere!

My Heirloom Box has been a signature favorite for many couples, but for couples wanting a page-turning experience, the Heirloom Books and Heirloom Albums are a perfect fit!

But, you may be wondering….what’s the difference in a Book and Album?

So today, I’m sharing the four main differences between and Heirloom Album & Heirloom Book:

Page Thickness

-Heirloom Albums have very thick and luxurious pages that lay flat. Your album design is printed on photographic paper and mounted to thick board-like pages for a luxe experience.

-Heirloom Books have thinner pages more like a photo book that you are used to enjoying. The papers are luxurious press papers though, not just your average photo book. They are thicker and have a true matte finish for a beautiful fine art Heirloom!

Page Style (Layflat vs. Magazine-style)

-Heirloom Albums have pages that lay flat when opened fully. A full spread is two pages (left and right) and the spread is creased in the center for a seamless design….which means you can have one big beautiful photo spread across two pages without being bent in the middle!

-Heirloom Books have pages that are creased in the middle, so photos can’t span across two pages. Each page is designed accordingly to account for the binding in the middle (like a normal book and magazine would have)

Cover Options

-Heirloom Albums have the option of Leather or Linen Covers. You can engrave the front with your names on either material, or, you can choose a photo to be cut out as a cameo on the front! Blind (no color) engraving or foil engraving are both available if you choose to engrave your names on the front.

-Heirloom Books come with lovely linen covers, but not leather. You can still engrave the cover though! Blind (no color) engraving or foil engraving are both available.

Number of Pages & Photos

-Heirloom Albums can be designed with up to 40 spreads/80 pages. With an average of about 3.5 photos per spread, you could include up to about 140-150 photos.

-Heirloom Books can incorporate up to 100 spreads/200 pages. With an average of about 3.5 photos per spread, you could include up to about 350-375 photos.

So, which one is right for you?

You may want an Heirloom Album if…

You’re wanting a gorgeous, luxe Heirloom that allows you to have photos spread across the page. Heirloom Albums allow less photos, but each photo & spread make an ever bigger statement. When you feel these Heirloom Albums in your hands, you won’t be able to stop swooning over their beauty! 

You may want an Heirloom Book if….

You prefer the thinner book-style pages and you’re wanting to choose more photos. The Heirloom Book can hold more spreads and more photos, so some of my couples prefer having a 100-page Heirloom Book over a 50 page Heirloom Album.

Do you still have questions? I’m more than happy to answer any questions about which Heirloom is perfect for you! I adore them both, and it really depends on how you enjoy your photos best! Email me here with any questions you have!

Amy Nicole Photography has been documenting stories of life and love for 10 years. Amy is based in Charlottesville, VA but travels all over Virginia and the US for simply elegant weddings. She strives to create timeless, genuine and effortless photos for you and your family to enjoy for years to come. 

Learn more about weddings & wedding heirlooms.