How to select photos for our new formats

Create beautiful books and select the right photos for your format

Your wedding day will be filled with unforgettable moments, but choosing which of those moments to preserve in print is an art in itself. In the excitement of receiving hundreds, sometimes thousands, of images, the question becomes: which ones truly tell the story?

At MILK Books, we believe that the right photos don’t just record your day. They honor it. They become a legacy. And they deserve to be preserved in formats that feel as intentional as the day itself.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to curate a photo collection that captures the full beauty of your wedding, and introduce you to two of our newest, most-loved formats: the Extra Large Premium Album, for the grand, once-in-a-lifetime moments, and the Mini Magazine, a small print magazine for the quiet, editorial, and emotionally rich details. Together, they tell your story with depth, dimension, and beauty.

1. The grand moment

The first kiss. The walk down the aisle. The vows that brought your guests to tears. These are the headline moments of your wedding day, and they deserve a space as expansive and breathtaking as the moment itself.

The Extra Large Premium Album is handcrafted with lay-flat binding and high quality, archival-grade paper. Its generous dimensions allow your hero shots to unfold across panoramic spreads, capturing every detail in striking clarity. These albums are designed not only to showcase but to elevate your most powerful images.

Tip: Choose full-bleed images with clean composition and natural light. Wide-angle ceremony shots, sweeping landscapes, and bold portraits work particularly well in this format.

2. The quiet, candid details

While the big moments make headlines, it’s often the quiet in-between ones that linger in memory. The spontaneous laugh while getting ready. A stolen glance across the room. The flower girl asleep in her chair. These softer moments may feel less staged, but they hold just as much heart.

The Mini Magazine offers the perfect home for these glimpses of intimacy. As a modern small print magazine, it’s lightweight yet luxurious, with refined templates and matt​ options that give your story a calm, editorial feel.

This small print magazine with luxury paper options is ideal for documenting the smaller threads of your day, and it’s especially suited to pre-wedding shoots, bridal showers, or even the rehearsal dinner. Consider it the companion to your main album less formal, just as beautiful.

3. Emotion in motion

Your wedding day is rich in emotion joy, excitement, nervous energy, love and your album should reflect that. Beyond the posed portraits and polished moments, include images that capture unfiltered feeling. The groom tearing up as you walk down the aisle. Parents embracing. Friends roaring with laughter.

The Extra Large Premium Album is the perfect format to give these moments the presence they deserve. With ample space for storytelling, you can pair a striking image on one page with a supporting series on the next building narrative and emotional weight throughout.

Tip: Ask your photographer to deliver a gallery of candids and behind-the-scenes shots. Often, these turn out to be the most treasured.

A high-quality short-run photo album like this preserves not just how the day looked, but how it felt.

4. Design details and story moments

Weddings are rich with visual storytelling. From the invitation suite and table settings to the lace on your dress or the blooms in your bouquet, every detail is a reflection of your aesthetic. These are the design choices that tie your theme together and they deserve a dedicated space.

The Mini Magazine excels in this role. A custom printed photo magazine in a small format, it allows you to showcase these artistic elements with clarity and care. Designer templates let you pair macro-detail shots with thoughtful captions or vows, creating a layered, magazine-style spread.

This is also the perfect place to feature the smaller, joyful chapters that surround the big day. Think engagement portraits, bridal brunches, or even travel snapshots from your honeymoon.

Tip: Treat it like your own personal editorial. Include headings, text blocks, or handwritten notes to add even more character.

5. Sweeping scenes and group shots

Some moments simply need more space. Group photos with your entire guest list. A wide shot of the reception under twinkling lights. The landscape that surrounds your venue. These are not just pictures they’re atmosphere, energy, and emotion, all captured in a single frame.

The Extra Large Premium Album is built for scale. With seamless lay-flat binding and ample page space, you can give full attention to the images that define the day’s environment and energy.

The ultimate format for grandeur, the Extra Large Premium Album wedding photo album that brings the full scope of your day into focus, page after page.

Tip: Use these expansive images to open or close your album. They create an unforgettable first and final impression.

6. The playful or post-wedding extras

Your story doesn’t begin or end with the ceremony. There are moments before and after that deserve their own space to be seen. Polaroid snaps from the night before. Candid toasts. Honeymoon moments. The Mini Magazine is the perfect place to gather these into something tangible and beautiful.

As a compact print magazine for travel, weddings, or gifts, the Mini Magazine allows you to curate smaller, more playful memories in a format that feels intentional but relaxed. Its contemporary size and editorial layout make it a favorite for sharing or gifting with close friends and family.

Tip: Create a “Volume I” and “Volume II” pairing one magazine for your engagement journey and one for post-wedding celebrations.

This small print photo magazine for personal publishing is also ideal for capturing memories you want to keep close at hand or replicate in multiple

7. Consider color, composition, and curation

When curating your photos, it’s not just about the subjects you include it’s about how they’re presented. Choose a consistent editing style or color tone that ties the entire collection together. Warm tones offer a nostalgic, timeless feel, while cooler tones create modern elegance.

Pair full-page spreads with white space to create breathing room. Combine portrait and landscape formats for rhythm. Use minimalist Designer Templates when working within the Mini Magazine, and be bold with scale in the Extra Large Premium Album.

Your photo selection should reflect the pacing of the day quiet, slow beginnings, followed by vibrant energy, and then gentle, heartfelt endings. Let your photo book flow like a story, because that’s exactly what it is.

Your wedding day is filled with layers: the grand celebrations and the quiet moments in between. Choosing which photos to print is ultimately about honoring both. With MILK Books, you don’t have to choose just one lens through which to view your memories.

By pairing the Extra Large Premium Album with the Mini Magazine, you create a comprehensive and beautifully nuanced keepsake set. One preserves your epic, legacy-defining moments. The other captures the personal, the poetic, and the quietly powerful. Together, they celebrate the full spectrum of your love story.

At MILK, every book is handcrafted with care, intention, and quality materials designed to last. Whether it’s a bold statement album or a lightweight small print magazine, your moments deserve to be preserved beautifully for you, and for generations to come.