A reunion is unusual here: the archive spans decades and the occasion generates new material at the same time. Thirty people arrive with old photographs in their pockets and spend an evening producing new ones.
That doubles what you can make, and it changes when you should make it.
Two books, and they are not the same book
Before the reunion — the then book. Old photographs, contributed by everyone, from the years you actually shared. This is the one that makes the evening better, because it gets passed around and argued over.
After the reunion — the then-and-now book. The same people, decades apart, on facing pages. This is the one people keep.
If you only make one, make the second. But making the first is what generates the material for it.
The structure that does the work
| Approach | Effect |
|---|---|
| Then and now, facing pages | The strongest structure a reunion book has |
| One card per person, old and new | A deck, and everyone gets one |
| Chronological by year | Works for a school or batch reunion |
| By group or house or hostel | Only if those groupings still mean something |
Then-and-now on facing pages is the single most effective layout available at a reunion, and it needs the new photographs, which means it needs the event to have happened.
Collect before, not after
⚠️ People are far more responsive in the fortnight before a reunion than in the month after. Before it, everyone is looking forward to it and searching their own archives anyway. After it, the moment has passed and messages go unanswered.
Ask for old photographs in the run-up, even if the book will be made later. How to collect messages for a group gift →
Take the photograph nobody takes
At the event, somebody will organise the group shot. What nobody does is photograph each person on their own, which is what a then-and-now layout needs.
Ten minutes with a phone against a plain wall produces the material for the whole book. It is the single most useful thing anyone can do at a reunion, and it needs deciding in advance because nobody thinks of it on the night.
Who keeps it
The awkward question, and the answer is usually everybody. Reprints of one design are much simpler than separate books, so decide the print run early — an 8 to 16 page magazine at ₹499 to ₹599 each is achievable for a group in a way one album per person is not. Which format suits a shared occasion →
Timing
There is no deadline pressure if the book comes after the event, which is a genuine advantage — this is one of the few occasions where “later” is the better plan rather than a compromise.
5 to 14 days from order to doorstep, 5 to 12 to Delhi NCR, whenever you are ready.
Frequently asked
What is the best reunion keepsake? A then-and-now book with the same people on facing pages, decades apart. It needs photographs from the event itself.
When should I collect old photographs? Before the reunion. People reply in the fortnight beforehand and stop replying afterwards.
What should I photograph on the day? Each person individually against a plain wall. The group shot will happen anyway; the individual ones are what a then-and-now layout needs.
Should everyone get a copy? Usually. Reprints of one design are far simpler than separate books — decide the run early.
Should the book be made before or after? After, for the keepsake. Making a small one beforehand is what generates the material and makes the evening better.
Part of our guide to which photo gift suits which occasion. See also: best format for a farewell and which format suits a big family.
For a reunion: Photo magazines from ₹499 · Photo card decks