After you return from your honeymoon and start fondly looking back through your wedding photographs, you may decide to do something different with your pictures, such as creating a simple scrapbook.

Now if you've never created a scrapbook before you don't want to start off with anything too ambitious, but there's no reason you can't take some of your favorite pictures and turn them into a beautiful, creative keepsake you can treasure forever.

Preliminary Wedding Scrapbooking Steps

First, you'll need to choose an album. A variety of sizes and shapes are available but if this is your first scrapbook you should choose a smaller album so you won't feel overwhelmed by all of those empty pages. Plus, you want to stick to your wedding theme and use only your favorite pictures, so it's better to have fewer pages.

Once you have picked an album, you can begin gathering the rest of your supplies. You'll need paper and glue, as well as embellishments. If you have any ribbon, charms, or pressed flowers left over from assembling your invitations, you can add these to your scrapbook, as well.

Next, you need to start organizing your photographs. You may want to make three piles: pictures you definitely want to include, pictures you definitely don't want to include, and pictures you might include if you have room. If you have duplicate photos, these might be good to include in your scrapbook. You may also want to choose pictures from the main parts of your wedding, including when you cut the cake, your first dance, etc. If you have an engagement photograph, you should consider including it, too.

Organizing Your First Wedding Scrapbook Page

After you have selected the photographs you definitely want to include, arrange them in the order you want to use them in the scrapbook. Now before you begin placing the photos in the album you should start plotting out where each picture will be placed so you'll know if you have enough pictures or if you'll need to add some from your stack of possibilities.

Generally, each page should have one primary photograph. The photo will serve as your focal point. Choose a page which will look nice with that photograph. Some couples choose paper that matches their wedding colors, for example. Leave space on the page for journaling – this is where you write a few words about the picture.

Next take the paper and place all of the elements on the page where you are thinking of keeping them permanently. Arrange things until you are satisfied, then start gluing things down. Add embellishments to the page but don't overdo it. Your extra decorations shouldn't overshadow your main picture.

After the First Page is Done

Once you finish your first page, you simply repeat the process until you fill the album. To complete the scrapbook, you should add a title page, including a brief explanation of why you created the book. A table of contents page is also a nice addition. You can also add in section pages to separate photos of your engagement from your ceremony and your reception.

If you're happy with the results of your first wedding scrapbook, you can always repeat the process with the photographs from your honeymoon. You could also consider creating scrapbooks of your wedding pictures as gifts for your parents or other close family members.