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Locally, two innovative characters are bringing the concept home. Professional photographer, Mike Lanesman and web developer, AndrT Pretorius - each with their own unique style and flair for design - have introduced this exciting new medium to South African bridal couples.

In order to hone his craft, Mike studied and recently completed a diploma in Multimedia Authoring. This, along with his international diploma in photography and years of `behind the lens` experience, led him to believe that digital was the `format of the future.` Online wedding albums and beautiful memories captured on CD Rom have recently been added to his repertoire.

Says Mike, "The wonderful thing about either option is that they are open-ended. Unlike a traditional photo-album, which ends on the final page, CD Roms and personal websites can be infinitely expanded on. Honeymoon pictures, the arrival of a first child and all the milestones along the way, can be recorded in a high-quality, portable medium.

Although Mike believes that the potential is limitless, he stresses that `wed` sites should never be thought of as a substitute to video or the traditional wedding album. Rather, they should be seen as complementary.

AndrT Pretorius, a webmaster who consults for the corporate sector and designs personal websites, believes that the gathering of relatives around a computer to witness the spectacle of a marriage or the introduction of a new arrival may become standard procedure within the next decade. Live video clips, though slow to download, are also set to become more fashionable, given the swift advancement of technology.

In the meantime, AndrT offers a popular alternative in the form of `stills`, which resemble a slide show and tell the story in a similar, yet quicker and cheaper way. Other simpler and more cost-effective `wed` site options are also available, where pictures are laid out on a pre-designed template that already has space allocated for the text. In addition, AndrT provides couples with a free diskette on which a replica of their site is pasted. This allows them to own a mobile keepsake that can be revived at any time after the site has been pulled down.

So it would seem that the vogue is set to catch on here fast. Soon, South African couples will exchange their vows not only before the altar, but also before a world-wide congregation of computer-linked guests. And if they`re still traditionalists at heart, or if Great Granny Josephine`s retirement village lacks access to the Internet, here`s a helpful hint you can give them: Images printed from `wed` sites onto glossy paper (available from most stationery stores) will turn out almost as good as the real thing!

`Wed` site fact file
How do we arrange an online wedding album?If you`re the creative technical type, you can attempt to design the page yourself. Alternatively, you can request more information from the addresses listed on the previous page. Generally, clients who are interested can submit their pictures and personal details to these companies in negative format, digitally or as photographs. They will then be scanned and placed according to the design.

What features are standard?
The average `wed` site contains a minimum of 20 photographs, along with a brief description of the events taking place. Packages are varied from one company to another. Some include growing up pictures and follow the story of how you met, others just display pictures along with the specifics, such as the date and time. Design can be as elaborate or simple as you choose, and many offer the option of a custom-designed site or a standard template on which your photographs are set. The site is usually online for six months to a year, but couples can choose to extend this. After the wedding, most companies offer clients the opportunity to `grow` their site by including honeymoon and `life there after` shots.

What features can be used to make our site special?
Sound, image manipulation and a few exciting interactive design elements can transform your `wed` site into a veritable masterpiece, at a price. Video clips can also be inserted, so guests can get a sense of actually `being there`.

How much can we expect to pay?
The cost depends on how interactive and elaborate the couple wants to make their site, but the average `wed` site will set you back between R1 000 and R3 000. On average, this usually includes a frontpage (or homepage), a minimum of three linked pages, with four to six photographs displayed on each, and a guestbook or e-mail facility, which allows electronic guests to send their own comments and wishes.

Who will tell our guests where to go?
Some places provide a standard e-mail message to the couple containing information about the site and a link to their album. Alternatively, they will inform you when the site goes `live`, so that you will be able to notify all your electronic guests immediately.

A final word of advice:
Be careful of what you place on your site, as it`s open to anyone on the Internet. For privacy reasons and if you are having a small wedding and you don`t want any uninvited guests, consider leaving some details off (like full addresses and full names.) Go to some sites already out there to get an idea of what you want, and how you want people to navigate through it.

Article source: LifeWorld