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Anonymous
Savvy September 2012

Custom Photo Books - Which is the best?

Anonymous, on October 26, 2012 at 12:51 PM Posted in Do It Yourself 0 13

So after searching the forums and the interwebs, I can't seem to find a very good answer. My husband and I want to make a custom photobook, but with the legit thick, like cardboard pages, I think they're the layflat, although I really don't know. But Where was the best place to get them. We got our engagement book from Shutterfly, and it was nice, but I want to know the best thick-paged printer service. Please and thank you! Smiley smile. And we are not looking to do the cheapest option, but we're not millionaires either lol.

13 Comments

Latest activity by sabrina, on November 11, 2018 at 5:23 PM
  • Kimmi
    Super November 2012
    Kimmi ·
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    I usually do all of my photo books through snapfish, but I've used other sites as well.

    I have not seen the option for the really thick pages like you are talking about, so unfortunately I won't be of much help here.

    I do know, though, that the lay flat has to do more with the binding than the pages. I made a lay flat photo book for our guest book. The difference between the bindings are normally if you have a photo book and you get through 3 or 4 pages and set the book down, the book will close, or the pages will flip on their own. With the lay flat, it doesn't do that.

    I hope that makes sense.

    Good luck!

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  • Mrs. B to be
    Devoted June 2013
    Mrs. B to be ·
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    I second Snapfish as well. The books are excellent quality. I have also heard that Shutterfly has nice books as well.

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  • MJ
    Master June 2013
    MJ ·
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    We have done walgreens, walmart and costco. I like the walgreens and costco best but was really happy that the costco I could do a picture on the book front. It looks really nice and the adding pages is endless. The only difference in the two walgreens and costco was walgreens I got it on a 50% off sale and no cover photo. Walgreens may have the cover photo but I am just not great at this computer stuff.

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  • MrsO
    Master May 2012
    MrsO ·
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    You are not going to get the album that you want from places like snapfish, walgreens, costco, and walmart.

    For the type of album you are wanting, you want placed that offer flush-mount albums. Usually those albums are going to run you a couple hundred dollars and up, depending on size. They aren't cheap. Another problem is that a lot of the places that offer these higher quality albums, only deal through professional photographers. I got a flush-mount album (https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-forums/my-wedding-album-is-here-my-wedding-album-is-here/72cf22fda626fe56.html) that I ordered through a professional company through a friend who is a photographer, though I designed it all myself. My 54 page 10x10 album cost me $460.

    Before I decided to have my friend help me have access to ordering from the site I did, I did look for other companies that offered these albums directly to consumers. Somerset Albums was one. Bay Photo was another. There are probably some others.

    Cont.

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  • MrsO
    Master May 2012
    MrsO ·
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    But expect to pay a few hundred dollars for these types of albums. I don't know what you budget actually is.

    A nice middle ground might be Shutterfly's new premium photo book. They are lay flat pages and claim to have double thick pages. They are still not going to be as thick as the albums that I think you want, but if the others are not in your budget, then it might be a nice second option. I haven't seen these books yet in person though.

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  • Carole M (a.k.a "old tart")
    Master October 2011
    Carole M (a.k.a "old tart") ·
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    Mrs. O....your book is outstanding.

    We used Shutterfly and I love our book. It is not high end, but it is just right for us. We didn't place a great deal of importance on photos.

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  • Carrie
    Master December 2011
    Carrie ·
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    Another photographer here suggested as an alternative to a professional album adoramixpix. It's printed on real archival photo paper and lays flat.

    http://www.adoramapix.com/app/products/books

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  • ladyvaill
    Super November 2013
    ladyvaill ·
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    I print my photobooks from picaboo. they have lay-flat (which i have yet to order) but i'm not sure if they're the thick pages you're looking for.

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  • Latisha M (Latisha B)
    Super November 2011
    Latisha M (Latisha B) ·
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    I fell in love with mypublisher. It was easy to use and provided so many layout options.

    http://www.mypublisher.com/index?e=OHm3Q8zJl3RAVKtWgtsQnDzc9mpTOCYj&showForm=true

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  • Dorothy Perry
    Dorothy Perry ·
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    Another company that offers different styles of heavier, lay-flat pages is Nations Photo Lab http://www.nationsphotolab.com/index.aspx, but like with MsO's post you would have to have a photographer friend order it.

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  • Linda E: Fairy Godmother
    Master September 2012
    Linda E: Fairy Godmother ·
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    I also used Shutterfly and was very happy with it. They have different types of photobooks and you can even get the lay-flat pages.

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  • Christine
    Super December 2011
    Christine ·
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    I actually just created my wedding album from a recommendation from Mrs. O at Somerset Albums. I am so excited to see how it comes out!!

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  • S
    Just Said Yes June 2019
    sabrina ·
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    What type of pen did you use on your snapfish photo guest book that dried fast and didn't bleed?

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