Shutterfly and Photo Book Question UPDATE on page 2--I placed an order

I just got my 10 x 10 wedding album from shutterfly and I love it. It took a bunch of time to upload and arrange the photos and pick the layouts. They have an auto-fill option, but the auto-filled managed to pick the wrong photos to be big, so I ended up doing it manually. The 10 x 10 is pretty big. I think 8x8 would be plenty for a gift album.

I'm in the process of making a Shutterfly photo book with my e-pics too! There's a great sale on right now.

I'm interested to see if anyone has any tips.

ETA: I'm leaning toward an 8 x 8 book.

Personally, I don't like using Shutterfly for photobooks, I like mixbook.com a lot better. I think their choices and layouts are lot more elegant looking whereas Shutterfly seems kinda cheap, IMO. Right now mixbook has a sale right now for a 20 page book for $15.

SIde note, I spent 2.5 hours making one for my mom last night, my battery light came one and I got up to fix the charger, came back to the computer and my laptop died right then. I was on the last page...I almost cried.

Thank you JDubs! I was originally thinking about the auto-fill option, but I think I'll use the one where I arrange it instead as I do have certain ones I want to put in the book.

I've been trying to use my ruler to determine the sizing, but it's different when you actually have the book in your hand. Good to know they wouldn't feel like I was giving them a small/cheap album if I go with the 8x8 size.

@Maltese I've never heard of mixbook.com! I'll have to check it out as that's a good price for a 20 page book. And it doesn't save the changes you've made as you go along?

I have ordered numerous albums from Shutterfly. The process of putting the book together can be lengthy though if you do the manual fill, which allows you to arrange your pages any way you want to. Since you are giving them as gifts I would recommend doing the hard covers. Also if you are using a promo code or coupon make sure you read the fine print...most of them only cover 20 pages and charge for each page after 20.

You know...I don't know if it does or not. I meant to check this morning to see if it autosaved, but forgot. Thanks for reminding me.

I ordered 4 wedding photo albums from Shutterfly bc we received so many free coupons (gave them as gifts to parents/grandparents). 8x11 is the way to go. It takes some playing around, but you can add a lot of cool graphics and pages if you search for them. My only advice is make sure you proof read. I forgot and didn't change the default city we were married in. Oops!

I've made a couple 8X8 albums. I think they are the perfect size!

Would 8x8 be better for a gift book or could I use it for a more traditional guest book? Or should I go with a larger size?

We don't have a ton of bookshelves in our house yet (we're planning on building more in the near future... after the wedding though lol) and I'm already overflowing into stacks in our spare bedroom. So I was thinking the 8x8 for a guestbook album that people sign?

I use my 8X8 photbooks as coffee table books. I think they are the perfect size and people are always picking them up and browsing through the book. Maybe order 1 as a gift book first and see how you like the size and then order another for your guestbook.?

Ugh....it didn't save. Stupid me didn't log into my account before starting it...I just jumped the gun and went at it. Guess I know what I'm doing after work today....again.

ETA: 8.5 x 8.5 hardcover right now are $30, but there is a 55% coupon code on the site you can use.

@Kate Good idea! At this point, my brain is on overload so I don't know why I didn't think about doing that. I guess I was just going to do a bulk order lol.

@Maltese I took a peek at mixbook and now I'm trying to figure out which route to go! They're very pretty!

I used shutterfly for our guestbook (relationship and engagement pictures), then made picture books for our parents afterwards, one for us, and a honeymoon picture book. I have been very happy with the variety offered, and they do have some great sales. For example, right now they have $20 off a purchase of $20 or more, and there is always free shipping for $39 and over, and if you are just signing up I think you always get 100 free prints. I would definitely look into them!

I used shutterfly to make a book for my bridal shower and it turned out great. I did a 8x8 which is a little smaller but fine for an event like that or a gift. The hard covers turn out really nice and they have so many embellishments to use that make it look so much better than just a book of photos.

@Elizabeth....the one I was making was actually the first one. There are soooo many layouts you can use to change an alter from what they have too. I've seen these in person and the shutterfly ones. These look a bazillion times better

@Maltese....now I am going to have to take a look at mixbook!! I've always loved my Shutterfly books so if these look better......

Okay I LOVE shutterfly. But 1) upgrade your pages to the layflat pages. They looks so much nicer and don't have that cheap feeling mentioned before in this thread. They also make your pictures look better and less shiny. 2) I might have the only family who missed this, but I have a shutterfly guest book, I spent A LOT of time working on it and love it. However, someone opened the back page at the reception and everyone signed that. No one signed the pages on the inside or even looked at the pictures. Not even the spots where it says "words from mother of the bride" or anywhere like that is there any writing. If I could do it over again I would not do that book again.

I would also suggest Mixbook. I used them for my boudoir photobook and it turn out great! I have used shutterfly a bunch in the past, but they screwed up the printing on my guestbook. When I contacted customer service about it, they gave me major attitude. I don't plan to use them again because of that experience.

^ I can't believe they gave you attitude. I have had the best customer service from them every time. Last Christmas I ordered a Christmas ornament and a little while after I placed the order I changed my mind on what I wanted it to say on the back. I contacted customer service and even told them I understood if it couldn't be changed as it was my own fault...they told me I couldn't change it because it was in production already but gave me a coupon for a free ornament so I could reorder it with what I wanted and they gave

Me free shipping with it.