We planned our wedding in 6 weeks - scary, I know - but it actually worked. The secret? Don’t laugh, but the key to our success was in large part due to our wedding date - April 1, 2000. Since many couples were squeamish about choosing April Fool’s Day for a wedding ceremony, all the services associated with weddings for that particular day were available - some at a nice discount, too. Yes, I admit, I like a good deal 
We were given our first choice in everything - location, catering, cake, flowers, tables, etc. And, all our guests were free that weekend - imagine that!
My husband and I still giggle over our renegade day. Okay, so we had to include the following phrase in our invitations - “No Fooling, we’re really getting married” - but it was a small price to pay!
Now let’s take a look at some photo books that also take the road-less-travelled approach to weddings and engagements.
‘ The Marriage of Brian and Rachel’ by SarahD578 tells the story of a marriage made in…the Grand Canyon. Which, when you think about it, is an ideal location. It’s beautiful, it’s a great travel destination, and you’ll get some fantastic looking photos. Wish I could do mine over again just to have that kind awe-inspiring experience. Page 49 takes my breath away, with the dramatic sky and the canyon in the background. Notice the bride’s gorgeous white dress coupled with sensible hiking shoes. I love that touch!
What I appreciate about KristaA82’s ‘ Seth and Krista’ engagement book by is that it’s silly from start to finish (I’m a big fan of silly). We don’t see stiff studio poses or practiced smiles, it’s just pure fun from the very start. Page one is a dip right in the middle of the road. Page five is a shot from the neck down. Page 15 is a big jump on the grass. Wish I had thought of these fun photo opps. when I got married.
What was the most creative or unusual aspect of your wedding experience? Let us know by commenting on this blog. And if you have a photo book you’d like to share, we welcome you to post it on
Shutterfly Gallery.
August 7th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
I adored both of these books. The first one had such magical pictures of the Grand Canyon, I just loved it. I never noticed her hiking boots with her weddiing dress. I’m glad you pointed that out. Made for a great photo and is actually quite smart. I like that their wedding seemed so fun and laid back and beautiful. I LOVE the engagement book. The photos are so fun and silly, like you said. What a great keepsake for them and a great inspiration for other couples. Rachel, I love how you planned your wedding in 6 weeks and it was on April Fool’s Day. Thats smart planning and goes to show what a fun couple you and your husband are. I love what you wrote on the invites. So many brides are bridezilla’s and they concentrate so much on having the ‘pefect’ wedding, but what they need to concentrate on is their marriage. Most weddings are a year of planning with one special day, and the rest of their lives as a married couple. Not that I have been married, I just kind of know how some people are.
Thanks for the article and featuring these books.
Joanna T
Shutterfly Gallery Guru
August 12th, 2008 at 10:09 am
I love both of these books so much. I love that they’re not what you’d expect from the usual wedding or engagement books (though I love those too.) I was another one who planned our wedding rather quickly. About 8 weeks for us. I’m not at all the organized-planner type so the thought of spending a year planning was enough to make me break out in hives anyway. This wedding planning advice changed my wedding completely: Figure out what is most important to you and make those things happen. The rest will be just icing on the cake.
Before I stopped to focus on what was most important to me I thought I HAD to have a huge wedding with 250 guests and spectacular everything… but when I stopped to think about what I REALLY wanted it was small, personal and very unique to US. I wanted to be surrounded by the people I loved the most and I wanted great photos. We’d just bought a house so we were broke and would have had to save for a long time to afford that huge wedding that neither one of us cared about.
August 12th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Oops, the comment above was mine, I accidentally hit submit before I was done. My desire to be surrounded by the people I love forced me to push the date of our wedding way up since my dad was extremely sick and we couldn’t afford to wait a year or more when he might not have been with us. We got married at Christmastime, which has always been my favorite time of year, and always feels so magical and beautiful anyway. My dad was there to walk me down the aisle and a family member who is a professional wedding photographer took our photos. Our wedding was perfect for US and I wouldn’t have changed a thing about it. Thanks for posting this article!
Dione T
Shutterfly Gallery Guru
August 16th, 2008 at 12:23 am
I loved the engagement book you listed. I agree, it was fun from start to finish. I saved it to my favorites so that when my daughter gets engaged I can create something special like this for her. I am in awe at the books I have had the pleasure to view in the gallery. Thank you for you wonderful article, it was a delight to read.
Cheryl_Whitesel
Shutterfly Gallery Guru
August 18th, 2008 at 9:22 am
It is so great that a bride and groom can have a wedding they want. Sometimes there are so many people that want a say in such a special day like this that everyone over looks the point of the day. These book seem to fit the couple’s personalities and the joy of there love for each other. So unique and joyful.
Ann Abbott
Shutterfly Gallery Guru