apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We've been dealing with the same issue, especially since one year after the wedding they seem old...
I've kept our pictures in the bedroom, and we have a few smaller photos that I rotate on the walls around our anniversary time.
I have a friend who has just one large photo of from their wedding in their dining room, it looks really nice and works with their wall color.

Well I am not married yet, but here is a link to how one bride dealt with your problem. She too did not want to create a shrine of wedding pictures so she basically created a photo collage. Here is the link to her blog which includes pictures of her collage.
http://makemineamojito.blogspot.com/2008/11/house-tour.html

I'm planning on printing out a black and white photo from our wedding and then hang it along with some other black and white shots to make a sort of gallery wall. I think that way it wont come across as so precious, but it is still there to enjoy.

We had our four favorite black and white pictures printed (4x6), framed them and hung them together in a small spot near our dresser in the bedroom. I decided that although I love seeing them, guests to our house may not want to look at pictures of me when visiting.

I have absolutely no advice but thank you so much for asking. I just squirm in my seat and have to bite my tongue when I go to my friend's home and see the "shrine" to their wedding day!

Bedroom. Nobody else wants to see them, trust me.

Yes, yes and yes! I love the gallery idea, the black and white, and that girl's use of the stairwell wall for pictures. And, I've always thought that pictures of a couple should go in the bedroom. It's for you to enjoy, and if others want to see pictures of the special day, they can request copies. From a Feng Shui standpoint, it's auspicious to have not only paired items, but also pictures of you and your spouse in the bedroom you share. Brings luck to your relationship. What a great way to start a marriage!

Pictures, in general, can get fussy, so I've put mine in our tiny hallway, arranged around doors and doorways for a sort of gallery appeal.

bedroom - period.

Keep one or two in your bedroom on a dresser or nightstand. Maybe one in the living room.

Save the rest for the photo albums.

There was a house tour here I believe, where the couple had a black and white wedding photo that they hung next to wedding photos of each set of parents. I remember really liking it. Other than that I would say to have a smaller photo so it isn't screaming at people.

We have one picture of our wedding amongst other pictures of our family in the living room. They are small pictures and not dominant, but I like having them there. If any visitor doesn't like it then I think that is their problem, it's your home and you have to make something that makes you happy.
But no, it's not a shrine and most people probably wouldn't even be able to tell it's a wedding photo because we had a small wedding.

What about amidst other family photos in the hallway or elsewhere on a wall with other art/photos? If it's not alone, maybe it won't look like a shrine or too much like a vanity display? I had the same dilemma for the last 4 year. I figure now that our 5th anniversary is coming up, it's probably ok to display it! ; ) It's just one 8x10, and I don't want to hide it, nor do I necessarily just want to stick it in the bedroom. Hmmm....

I have one 8x10 Photo of of me an my husband from our wedding on a bookshelf in our living room. The background is beautiful fall trees and works perfectly with our decor plus I really like that picture. There are a few small ones in our bedroom on the dressers and I have a 5x7 in my office at work. My friends did a poster size photo from their wedding (the group photo with all of the wedding party) and hung it in their open stair well which looks nice.

We just took a few of the candid shots (4x6) and placed them in some groovy frames alongside our books and on a side table in our living room. They aren't posed, so they seem more 'natural' in the space. For the posed: Try one in a hallway.

We keep most of ours in a beautiful book. After the wedding my father made on "example" book with a number of different sized prints in it which we spent a weekend duplicating so that both sets of parents could have copies as well.

We have a section of wall where we have assembled around 30 or so 4x6 photos that are a mix of candid wedding photos, vacation shots, and family photos. They are all in those cheap Ikea glass frames and hung in a grid (laser level FTW!). It looks great, and avoids the "wall-o-family" aspect because they are all the same size and spacing, with landscape shots mixed in.

I like the *tasteful* photo gallery if there several other photos unrelated to the wedding. Tie them together with the same frame color or style.

Other than that, the bedroom is the perfect place. When I was married I had two black & white 5x7 images matted, framed and hung in what amounted to a foyer or entry way to the master bedroom.

The rest belong in an album.

As thank you gifts after the wedding, we had prints made of the photos of *our guests* and sent them each their own framed photo, along with an unframed copy of ourselves as a memento to keep or store or toss as they so wished.

It's your own damn business where you put your pictures. Personally I wouldn't make them the focus of the room, but I don't see any problem with having a few tucked, say, in a reading corner of the living room. Just because you don't want the shrine doesn't mean you have to hide them.

You are decorating your home to please yourself. Period. If you want to create a shrine then do so. I see lots of things in peoples decor that is not my taste or style, but I don't have to live there. I personally have our family photo's, wedding photo's etc.. hanging in our office.

I think my friends must be awesome, because I've never seen a shrine to a wedding. Most people have one picture up somewhere, and why not? People usually look good on their wedding day, and it's a happy occasion they like to remember. (Or at least, that's what one hopes). But a single picture of reasonable size displayed on a shelf or a wall somewhere in a hall or a living room seems reasonable. I don't quite understand why anyone would have a problem with that.

Here's something I'm curious about. I used to keep Christmas photos behind my regular photos in the frames. When the holidays rolled around, I switched over all the pictures just for a few weeks. So instead of the picture of my grandparents on the day they bought their farm, there's a picture of them in front of the Christmas tree at my parent's house. I haven't done this in a while, because I didn't have any family/friend photos up, but I put together a black and white display this year, and I'm thinking of reinstating my tradition. My question is: am I the only one?

Similarly, where does one put a large framed ornate ketubah (the jewish wedding contract)?

Luckysquid: Ketubahs are works of art as well as the symbol of bonds--both between you and your mate and with God. So display it proudly and anywhere--def. don't hide it. I might find a spot in the dining room (a place for happy family-and-friends gatherings). Guests who don't know what it is will certainly ask, and it'll lead to an interesting discussion. (and, congrats!)

i've never understood the aversion to putting personal photographs out in your house. You don't have to be all granma's piano but it's your house, put them where you want to. I'd probably put it in a more formal area, with smaller frames around - like in the office, bedroom etc.

I confess that I do have a very small shrine in my bedroom. I have four of my favorite wedding pictures, our toasting glasses, guest book, and a framed invitation on a small shelving unit. We've been married three years, but it still makes me very happy to see it all.

Ah, we have two pictures from our wedding in our bedroom, but we have our invitation matted on robin's egg blue silk in an antique silver frame in our formal living room. The invitation is really special to us since it's on paper from a local New Orleans artist and it symbolizes not only our wedding, but our commitment to starting a new life together 1000 miles from home.

I think as long as the photos aren't huge, i.e. poster size or larger than 8 x 10, then it's fine to have one or a few displayed alongside photos of other family members. The link that was provided above looks great. I think the problem comes when wedding photos are just everywhere. I know it's a happy day that should be remembered, but it can look like an obsession. And frankly, after you've seen what the bride and groom looked like in the dress and suit/tux (or whatever they were wearing on their wedding day), then you don't want/need to see them again and again in various posed scenarios.

On or near your desk in your office (either at home or at work). That way it's where you will see it every day, but it's in your personal space. I'd suggest only displaying one at a time and rotating through them on occasion. If they're the same size, you can tuck the alternates in the same frame behind the current picture.

I visited someone's apartment and they had printed all their wedding photos kind of small, bigger than thumbnails but not much, onto a huge poster, with a huge heading above it in a really simple font that had their names and the date on it. It was graphically kind of genius, and hung on a side wall that you wouldn't really see from any seating in the apartment. I love that idea, and if I'm cursed with a proper wedding, will probably do something along those lines, with bigger sized pictures maybe hung in the bedroom, if I'm so inclined.

Wow...lots of comments here. Our wedding photos are scattered amongst our Wall of Shame. I only printed the more abstract/quirky ones (like husband and I in the bounce house) and since there are other non-wedding photos and artwork hanging on the same wall it doesn't feel like a shrine.

You can see a little of it here:

http://embritadesign.blogspot.com/2008/10/inspired-by-domino.html

One 8x10 photo - in a simple Sterling Silver frame placed on your desk in the Den or at the office...

...and the remaining photos in a tasteful album (Faux Crocodile? Monogrammed?) on your bookshelf at home.

if you want a shrine, like brandyjane, why not? it was your day and it's your home. if a little shrine adds meaning to your home, go for it.

We have 2 5x7's in simple frames that sit in with other family pictures of my parents, inlaws, nieces, etc. we are also planning a wall of 'old family pictures' - a bunch of 1910s to 1950s black and whites in different sizes of family members. They're great shots and they're really interesting, too.

You probably spent a lot of money on those photos.
I say put them wherever the heck you want!
And I really like to see other people's wedding photos, so I would not think less of you.

I think you should be able to put up what you want in your home, but I'm with the others who personally hate seeing the shrines in people's houses. I never even took my wedding photos out of the box they came in - they're in a drawer. But then again I'm probably not the right person to ask ... I a) think weddings are totally boring and b) never take photos of things like "hey ... we're sitting around a table at a bar ... hey ... we're sitting in front of a tent ... let's take a photo!" I'd prefer to remember things myself ... I don't need to see photos every day to remember them!

I've been thinking about this challenge too. I have to admit, I'm a little puzzled by all the comments here saying "No one wants to see your wedding photos". That's kind of hostile, isn't it? Personally, I love seeing my friends' wedding photos and I think anyone we like enough to invite into our home would enjoy seeing ours. I wouldn't make anyone sit through a slideshow, but one photo - what's the problem? Anyway, I'm with the people who said it's your house and you should hang up whatever photos you like!

I just got married, and in our bedroom we have 2 of our engagement photos in white frames, blown up pretty big. I love them. We also have a wedding photo framed with the quote "for ever for always and not matter what" under it. Everyone who comes in comments on how much they love the photo.
We are about to move, and plan on getting one of our favorite photos of us laughing and dancing blown up pretty large, but done with the printing on canvas thing and putting it in our living room.
We had an amazing photograher, i had an amazing dress, it was an amazing day and i don't see why i can't hang them wherever i want in my home! i'm not going to have a shrine with our wedding topper or my flowers or something all in one place, but i think photos are for looking at, not keeping in a box under your bed!

Why are we worried about how other people will feel about pictures of OURSELVES in OUR homes?

Why are we annoyed by photos of other people displayed in their home?

I just don't get it.
If it's your house, put your photos where you want even if it's a giant poster of you. It's YOUR house.

If you have fabulous photographs, they should be flaunted.

A great photographer should capture your day with a photo-journalistic and creative style. This way, there will be amazing art that you helped inspire.

I can't believe no one has talked about wedding albums! There are so many different kinds of photo albums (mounted photo paper or digitally printed) that cross many price points.

My favorite idea is a high-end digitally printed book (that looks like it came from Barnes and Noble) with a custom design. This tells your wedding day story and people can look at every face in every photo, skim the pages, or not even pick the book up off the coffee table.

I have lots of opinions about albums if people have questions.

I eloped in October but had a photographer friend come along - he got two shots in particular that thrill me to my toes. So I blew them up to poster size and hung them in the bedroom. I would probably put one or both somewhere else in the house, if I had the wall space. They are the hotness.

In other news, my friend's sister has not only the wall of giant photos but also the big glass ball with the bouquet under it. Wowee.

Keep one or two small photos in your bedroom.
I know several married couples who have huge and/or multitudinous wedding photos, (including one couple who had 2 foot by 3 foot portraits of each of them alone flanking an even larger photo of the two of them together at their wedding - in their living room) and I generally find it pretty tacky. Then again, if you want to display them, and don't care what anyone thinks, then more power to you.
Oh, also, the album idea is nice. Then people can look at it if they want, or not.

We have a collage frame of our family and us from our wedding in an alcove in our upstairs hallway. We also have an 11x14 in our living room mixed in with several other non-photo wall hangings, where our wedding picture is smaller than the largest picture.

Anything else we keep in our bedroom.

My mom always joked about her bridal portrait starting out in the living room on year one and gradually making it's way to the bedroom by year 10. I think mine has done that too! Now at 17 years, I have put in in the far hall by my children's bedrooms. They can look at it for a while, as they are teenagers and will be leaving the house in a few years. It is the only photo I have on the wall because I am more of a album person.

I just have 1 small photo in our bedroom and then we did a great album through iPhoto. I actually did a small album for our parents and grandparents as well and it worked out great!

I used to babysit for this couple. Married 15 years. 4 beautiful kids. The only family photos on display? Photos from their wedding, in silver frames all over the house.

Intense.

"Bedroom. Nobody else wants to see them, trust me."

I have to disagree with this. I love seeing wedding and family photos! I agree that it shouldn't be done in excess ("Shrine"), but a couple of pictures interspersed with other photos is totally fine.

"Bedroom. Nobody else wants to see them, trust me."

Yes!! I agree !!! It's awfull to be invited and watching the old wedding pics specially when your friends who seems so happy on it are in a conflict!!!!

No please give your souvenirs for your private space.

Would you be happy to see my own collection of bf on my wall? ^-^

i personally love seeing my friends wedding pics, especially the black and white ones. the only kind i actively dislike is a huge portrait of the couple (the painted variety). I think its tacky in the dining room, but hey--they like it so more power to them !

I dont think you should worry too much about where to put the pics and offending your guests, if they are friends they are happy for you ! geez !

anyways, im sure as you take newer pics, and have children they wedding pics will naturally gravitate to the album or the bedroom to make room for new ones.

Your average wedding photo isnt something that should make someone feel uncomfortable. I disagree with the "bedroom only" idea. I dont want to see pics of people all over each other when I walk in the door or anything, but even if I did, I would remind myself that its not MY HOUSE! I have a small photo college in a hallway from my wedding, all tasteful photos of us with friends. I figure I spent a lot on these pics and they are really the only ones I have of us and all those friends and I want some mileage out of them! I have seen some half naked pregnancy photos in houses that freaked me out though! So maybe some people the same about wedding photos.

This question baffles me.

You do not need an okay from the fashion police to figure out where to put your own damn stuff in your own damn house. Decide where to put your wedding photos by thinking about where they look good to you and make you happy, just like you'd decide where to put any other photo/print/painting/framed vintage placemat.

Seriously, what the hell.

i completely agree with elvedon. who cares whether a potential visitor thinks your photos only belong in the bedroom? it's ridiculously intrusive for anyone to say anything like that. put them in places where you want to see them. a friend of mine has a bunch in her apartment in little unexpected places, pretty much all over the place, and i think it's lovely and sweet. another one has one giant photo in the living room. not my aesthetic taste, but i have never had a problem with it. these photos, displayed very differently, make my friends very happy, and i like that they've filled their places with things that please them in places that please them. do whatever the hell you want, and if your friends like seeing you happy, they'll be fine with it.

on the flip side, i have married friends whose photos i've never seen--i don't know whether they're in their respective bedrooms or whether they just don't like photos, but i don't care. they're wedding photos, for christ's sake--the only reason i'd care about where someone put them would be on the off-chance that they'd hidden them away out of fear of judgy visitors.

Place them in your "private spaces" as you like...but the fewer choice ones, the better, as one or two special ones will stand out and recall your happy memories, rather than a jumble of multiple photos. I also think changing them out once in a while keeps it fresh. Also: Consider a digital photo frame...I love this on my desk...I keep all sorts of things on it...nature photos I've taken, pix of beautiful things I've seen on websites to inspire my creativity, be it a room, a flower, art work and photography from various art websites...whatever...as well as personal photos. I work from home and enjoy looking at the the random, ever changing photos as I work.

I have to add that I've just finished reading the comments to this question! Wow...I think it's pretty funny that ppl really seem bothered by seeing these photos/shrines. Seeing personal photos would never bother me...it's a matter of personal taste, and if you enjoy looking at your photos, then why not put them wherever they make you happy. If they were to think about it, I think the offense these people are taking is not so much to viewing personal pics, but more of a "design aesthetic offense", and that's just silly, bc no one is asking them to live there...or to design their space. I'm pretty sure that the person asking already has a good design sensibility that would naturally temper the approach to displaying her pix.

Do people really make judgments about something as minor as having personal photos around? That sounds tough even for NYC, where I live. We have one 5 X 7 b & w from our wedding, in a silver frame that was a wedding gift from my closest friend. I move it around the apartment from time to time. Now it's on a living room bookshelf, for a while it was part of a vignette in our entry hallway, with fresh flowers and some ceramic pieces. I like how my husband and I look in the photo (ten years younger, a few pounds lighter). In his home office, my husband has a 3 photo series in a black frame black frame, of us on the beach before our ceremony. He can see it when he sits at his desk. The pics are of us kissing with the wind in our hair-a little too Lifetime For Women channel for public viewing.

I really don't think it's anyone's damn business where I hang pictures, thanks. If it bothers visitors so much, they can pay my rent and put them where they see fit.

Until then, they can suck it up until they go back to their own homes with their own pictures.

Years ago, in a tastefully decorated guest bath, I reached for the guest towel to dry my hands and saw the wedding photo. It should have been tacky, but it was not.

The small frame (2x3ish)was sitting in a group of typical bath needs, the dish of soap, the towels and hand cream. It was in a small frame which had the same finish as much of the bath. The colors of the photo coordinated perfectly with the photo. That photo was in plain sight as I was sitting there and was never even noticed it until I reached for the towel.

It really made an impact with me that it should have been so tacky, but it just wasn't. It made a huge statement by being so subtle and unexpected.

What I did was get a large bunch of cheap all-glass frames from Ikea and ordered a bunch of "artsy" shots from important places in our life (try Smug Mug) - like where we've gone for every anniversary - as I don't actually have a lot of photos from those things from us (I always forget to take pictures!). These are in all different sizes in a random scattering around the wall above our table - and I just keep adding to it as I get more things I want to remember. The wedding pictures will be added to this collection when I get them. This way, some of our best memories are in one place that I see all the time, but it's not a giant shrine of obnoxiousness.

Wow, I love to see people's personal photos out and always get compliments on mine from guests. This is so bizaare that people don't like to see evidence of their friend's happy lives. We have one wedding photo up on the wall as you walk in, and a few others in a photo screen in our dining room, as well as one bridal portait in the hallway. Nothing is larger than 8x10 (most are 5x7), but I've never heard any complaints, and we've been married 9 and a half years.

There are pictures of my daughter and our travels everywhere in the living room and hallway, as well as our bedroom. I think photographs make a house a home!

I design cool, contemporary wedding albums - "journalistic coffee-table art." Thick, upscale pages, no linen hinge so you get full panoramic spreads that can either be split or folded.
Square, vertical, or horizontal. Genuine leather, beautiful fabric. Email me for photos of album samples: suzanne@suzannekarp.com