My parent’s marriage has met the test of time, but their black and white wedding photos are another matter. Their fifty-two-year-old pictures are stained yellow because all the photo chemicals weren’t rinsed off during processing. Of course this wasn’t immediately apparent; it took several decades for the damage to appear. My mom is pretty upset about it because her expensive wedding photos now need conservation. What happened to my mother’s pictures doesn’t have to happen to you. To avoid disaster ask your wedding photographer a few questions.

Photographs
Pick up a copy of any bridal magazine and look at the ads for photographers. Wedding images today are creative compositions and albums now resemble magazines in layout and design. The cost for these photographic memories can be in the double digits.

In addition to asking wedding photographers to show you their portfolio of work and to give you an estimate, inquire about how they process their pictures. Most photographers use digital cameras but it’s still possible to find a few that shoot film. In either case, ask them the following:

How long do they retain negatives/digital files?
If something happens to your photos, you’ll want to request new copies from the photographer.

• Who processes their prints?
  Find out who makes the prints and if they use long-lasting paper and ink. You can check the ratings for inks and papers on Wilhelm-Research.com. (http://www.wilhelm-research.com)
• Do they laminate their prints?
  Some photographers coat their photos or laminate them to protect the surface from the wear and tear of handling. While this is an attractive option, think twice about it. Lamination and chemical coatings accelerate the deterioration of your pictures.
• What type of adhesive is used to affix prints to a page?
  Some layouts are created using digital imaging and printed out as a single sheet while others are created on the page using the cut and paste method. Ask if the glue used is safe for photographs.
• What materials are used in the albums?
  Not all albums are constructed the same. A high quality album will use acid- and lignin-free paper and come with a slipcover to protect pictures from dust. Price is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of the paper and album.
• Which is longer lasting--black and white or color?
  For a long time black and white was considered a preservation quality pick, versus color that fades and discolors, but no more. Color photographs are a great choice for couples as long as fade resistant inks and acid- and lignin-free papers are used to produce the prints. Brides can choose either the vibrancy of color or the moody qualities of black and white and not worry about their decision.

Video and Digital Video
Today, digital videos of weddings are choreographed productions with digital editing touches that make them fun to watch. My wedding video, shot by a cousin, is barely visible today due to disintegration of the tape. If you have a VHS cassette of your wedding sitting on a shelf, take it out, and look at its condition. Before you think about placing it in a VCR (if you even have one!), consider its age. If it was taken more than ten years ago, it’s likely that you won’t be able to play it. Instead look for a video transfer company in your area and have it copied to a DVD because it’s a commonly used format.

There are ways to transfer video to DVDs yourself but old tape is a little tricky and you could end up with even more damage. VHS tape is not a very stable medium and neither are CDs or DVDs. Estimates on the life of a DVD vary from a few years to several decades. Do two things to make certain you’ll be able to see that footage in the future.

• Ask for multiple copies. Use one as a preservation copy master (not to be viewed) and one for showing to family.
• Regularly transfer those images to the current media so that you’ll still be able to look at it after DVDs have been replaced by some other medium.

No bride wants her marriage to outlast the pictures and digital video of their event. Be an educated consumer and you’ll end up entertaining your grandchildren on your 50th anniversary with pictures and video of your wedding day.

Maureen Taylor loves writing about photography and family history. You can search her website at www.photodetective.com.

Copyright 2006, MyFamily.com.