Here are some tips to help you get going:

-- Figure out the details ahead of time.

Making some decisions as to the theme and color scheme of the album will save you time and money.

First, you'll need to decide whether this album will cover your entire wedding celebration - from engagement through honeymoon - or will you focus on just the wedding day itself? If you decide on the latter, you might want to choose a 6x6 or 8x8 album project for the bridal shower, bachelorette party, honeymoon, etc.

Next, you'll want to choose a color scheme. The most popular choice is to work with your wedding colors. Consider setting off these wedding colors (or other colors you choose) by pairing them with a classic black or white cardstock background. I love the look of black-on-white in wedding albums. I also love mulberry flowers, ribbons, vellum and fabric. Deep reds and pinks accents are gorgeous, too, for simple embellishments.

Remember that elegance and simplicity tend to go hand in hand. The wedding scrapbooks that stand the test of time are timeless and classic.

You'll also want to look at some simple wedding scrapbook layout samples or sketches of completed albums so you can see what kind of supplies you'll need. At the very least, you'll want to know how many pages the finished album will be before you go to the scrapbook store. The more detailed your plan, the less money you're likely to spend.

-- Go through your photos and memorabilia

For me, scrapbooking is about telling the stories of our lives, so I love to work with the photographs that really tell a story. You'll want to choose only the best and most interesting photographs for your wedding scrapbook album. (The posed portrait-type photos can be framed and sent to family members.) Store the remainder of the photos in a companion photo album. Remember, simple is elegant.

It's also a good idea to work with duplicates of your priceless wedding photos. You may find that you want to work with these photos again in the future, and you're certain to feel more of a creative license if you know that the originals and intact and safe.

Memorabilia. I tend to go easy on memorabilia...maybe keeping the majority of it in a memento box along with my companion photo album and scrapbook, because I don't like to detract from the story of the album.

Memorabilia you might want to include (either directly on the page or in a special pocket):

- Wedding and shower invitations

- Fabric from your dress or bridesmaid dress

- Receipts

- Honeymoon plane tickets

- Place cards

- Bridal registry

- Shower gift lists

- Napkins

Make a simple checklist of the kinds of things you'd like to include, but trust your inner artist to take the reins and let the story unfold.

-- Don't forget the journaling

The most powerful journaling comes not from the 5 w's (who, what, where, when, and why) - but from the 5 senses. Specific details are more memorable and intriguing than generalities and the best way to vividly remember your wedding day is to focus on each of your senses. What do you remember seeing, hearing, thinking, feeling, tasting? How did you feel as you were standing at the altar? How did your wedding cake taste? What was the weather like? What stands out as the visual symbol of your day?

Ask the wedding party to contribute their thoughts via journaling, too. Ask for specific memories..."the most memorable part of my day was..." Coach guests and members of your bridal party to use their five senses, too.

Another trick that creates more powerful journaling is to start with a blank page and write "I remember" at the top. Now, simply reflect on the day of your wedding and let your hand move across the page. If you get stuck, write "I remember" again and keep writing. Your goal is simply to keep the pen moving across the page, without crossing anything out or stopping to think too much. Aim to complete two to three pages, and you'll be amazed by the flood of memories this technique release - even if your wedding wasn't in the recent past. These methods can create very emotion-filled journaling, so consider keeping private journaling tucked away in journaling pockets.

-- Assembling the Scrapbook

Start the album with a dedication page. Tell why you created the album and a few details on why your wedding was such an important day in your life.

It's a good idea, in wedding scrapbooks particularly, to avoid overly trendy design techniques. I've talked to more than one scrapbooker who now regrets cutting her priceless wedding photos into silhouettes or cutesy shapes. A wedding scrapbook is timeless, so - again - simple is most likely better. A simple design also tends to better draw attention to the photos and journaling - your personal love story.

Your wedding scrapbook will be one of the most albums in your home. Enjoy the process of creating it!