Most consider their wedding day to be one of the happiest days of their lives. It is certainly a huge life event and a memorable time for families. The second happiest day of one’s life might just be the day they get their wedding photos in hand!
How beautiful the moment is as you and your partner go through the images and relive the happiest moments you shared together. But when your folder is full of great photos, your first challenge is to determine which ones you want to print and custom frame. Perhaps the next big obstacle is determining what size of print to order for the custom framing project.
It’s not uncommon for couples to find it challenging to choose the perfect size for printing and framing. Of course, you can make the photo as big as you want to – but that’s not always the best. At Suburban Frames in Atlanta, GA, we put together a few tips to help you hit the sizing sweet spot and get the perfect custom frame for your wedding photos so you can enjoy them for years to come.
Balancing Tasteful and Striking Custom Framing Size
Firstly, you really don’t need to worry about finding the perfect size because our experienced framing professionals will make sure your photo is custom framed just right. However, it does help to have an idea about how large of a print you’ll need for the perfect custom framed wedding photo. The sweet spot is a size that is both striking and tasteful and stays that way when you bring it home to hang it on your wall to enjoy for years to come.
Finding the Right Size for Printing Wedding Photos
Here are a few tips to consider as you prepare to order your wedding photo prints for custom framing.
Photo Size and Frame Size are not Equal
Even though this sounds simple, it’s essential to the custom framing process. When you choose a photo size, remember that the mat and frame will add to the total size of the photo you’re going to hang in your home. You may also want to use different sizes of photos and custom frames if your plan is to create a gallery wall of wedding photos.
Display Environment
Where are you planning on hanging your custom framed wedding photo(s)? Will you use your photo as a statement piece and place it over a large piece of furniture or a mantle? Are you mixing it in with an existing gallery wall? Do you want to use it as an accent on a table? Once you know how much space you want to fill, it will help you choose an appropriate size.
The Subject of the Photo
You’ve got tons of wedding day photos and they involve a variety of subjects from the bride to the entire bridal party, families to flower girls. If you want to custom frame a family photo or a photograph of the entire wedding party, keep the photo size smaller, say up to 5×7”. A wedding portrait of the bride, or the bride and groom together, then up to 9×12” works well. If it has an artsy flair and is abstract, you can go up to a medium-sized image.
Knowing the subject, how and where you want to hang the wedding photo will help you feel more comfortable selecting a size for your photo. One caveat, the photo size isn’t the only thing that comes into play. You’ve also got to consider the size of the frame itself and the matboard. After you’ve settled on the size of the frame and where you plan to display it, then you can figure out how large to print the photo. Just subtract the width of the frame and mat to determine how large your photo should be.
- Mat Size: A typical mat used in custom framing will add another 5” to the piece. That’s about 2.5” on each side.
- Frame Size: Frame width will vary depending on the style you choose.
The slimmest frames will add about 1.5” to the piece’s dimensions. Add in the mat width and it’ll add about 6.5” to the photo’s dimensions. Wider frames can add more usually around 4” to the photo’s size.
This should give you an idea of how large to print your wedding photos for custom framing. But you don’t have to guess or do all the math! We’ll help you figure out what size you want. You can also get prints of any size and we can make a custom frame for it. That’s what we do at Suburban Frames. The frames are custom-made to fit your photos! Call us today and let us help you create the perfect display in your Atlanta home!