Stories

Wayta Monzón on Creativity, Culture, and Finding Balance

Meet Wayta Monzón, a creative force shaped by rhythm, culture, and heart. As a senior art director, photographer, and mother, she moves between the tactile and the digital, the natural and the metropolitan. With roots in Surinam, Indonesia, and Papua, and a life built in Amsterdam, Wayta creates with purpose, presence, and soul, whether behind the camera or dancing with her daughter Dela at home.

Matilda Hellström – Transitioning to motherhood

Matilda is a designer, ELLE Sweden blogger, and new mother navigating life, creativity, and identity from her home in Gothenburg. In this candid conversation, she reflects on the early months of motherhood, its joys, challenges, and the quiet moments that matter most.

Inside the rainbow: Life as equals in every way

Lotte and Lia-Belle have built a life grounded in intention, connection, and quiet magic. As partners in parenting, business, and life, they move side by side, sharing not just responsibilities, but the emotional rhythms that make a home feel whole. In this heartfelt glimpse into their family life, they show us what it means to grow together with grace, joy, and deep mutual care, turning the everyday into something extraordinary.

8 unique honeymoon ideas for adventurous couples

Dreaming of a honeymoon that’s more than sun loungers and room service? Whether you’re stargazing in a glass igloo or road-tripping through Tuscany, here are ten adventure-packed, non-traditional honeymoon ideas designed for couples who want their love story to begin with wonder.

Build your own collection of memories

In today’s digital world, our photos often live forever on our phones. We never take the time to sort, print, or even delete some, eternally growing our memory bank, but never reliving. But what if you could turn those moments into a tangible treasure? Photo books let you create curated collections that you can hold in your hands.

Kajsa Larsson: What incredible places could trusting yourself take you?

Nestled in the stunning landscapes of Åre, Kajsa Larsson has crafted a life that’s entirely her own. As a professional skier and mother to her three-month-old daughter, she has spent the past year navigating some of the most transformative and challenging experiences of her life.

Four ways to make a year book

In today’s fast-paced world, there aren’t many things that actually last. We tend to buy things and get bored with them quickly. But memories...they become more precious with the passage of time. So help yourself remember to remember by creating your very own collection of memories that will actually last for generations.

Five tips on how to win Christmas

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift? Look no further. You’ve found it. A gift that’s guaranteed to make your loved ones cry. Happy tears of course!

Holiday cards you’ll keep forever

The holiday season is a time for connection, reflection, and creating memories that last a lifetime. But what if your holiday cards could do the same? Instead of sending a card that gets displayed on the fridge for a few weeks and then tucked away, imagine sending a card so meaningful, it becomes something to cherish, frame, or even hang on the wall.

The perfect gift for everyone

The holiday season is a time for giving, and what better gift to give than one that captures shared moments together? A photo book is the perfect gift for everyone on your list – from grandparents and partners to your kids and friends.

Nina Pierson on sharing family responsibility and finding your confidence

A recent study reveals that women typically bear most of the responsibility for capturing family memories. To address this, we’ve partnered with Nina to highlight the importance of including moms in family photos. Together, we aim to make a change this summer.

Your motherhood, their childhood

We got the chance to have a chat with Teresa and Sarah about balancing a life in the spotlight with family, the importance of documenting family memories, and their heartfelt advice for mums everywhere.

The Power of Embracing Life's Imperfect Moments

In a world obsessed with perfection, where every image is meticulously staged, edited, and filtered, the true essence of a memory can sometimes be lost. Because often, the imperfect photos, make the happiest memories to reflect on, and play a big role in holding our loved ones close and keeping their memories alive.

Five reasons to make your photo book together 

Instead of trying to send photos back and forth between each other, try making a photo book together! 

Take her picture

Sometimes it can feel hard, asking someone to take your photo. That's why we created the contract. A fun and easy way to remind people around you, that you want to be in the photo too.

Why you should be in the picture!

It may not seem very important now, but there will come a time when you flip through your old photo books and regret not being in more photos. 

Are you a mom who...?

Are you the one who always captures moments from behind the lens? Do you sometimes feel like your not a part of your own story? Well, we’ve got news for you. You’re not alone! Moms everywhere have the exact same experience.

Questions to ask your Mom while you still can

In a heart-to-heart with my mother I ask the questions I would never have known the answers to unless I asked them.

Make a kid's art book

Who actually keeps all 762398 drawings that your kids make? Anyone? Well, here’s how you make your kid’s artwork into a coffee table book:

Make a thoughtful gift for Mom and Grandma

Showing your gratitude for the incredible women in your life is best done with a heartfelt gift made with love. A Mother's Day photo book is the perfect way to show your partner, mom, or grandma how much they mean to you. Here are some helpful tips to make a photo book for Mom:

Make your own recipe book

Sharing and enjoying food together have a way of uniting us. Whether it’s your grandma’s favorite dish or a friend’s everyday breakfast bowl, adding those recipes into your own cookbook will connect you through generations and kitchens.

Strengthen relationships with photo prints

When we look at photos of the memories we’ve shared together, we strengthen our relationship with one another. It’s not really about the photos themselves – it’s about the stories they tell and the emotions they stir.

Five reasons why you should make a year book

2023 is coming to an end and it’s time to take a moment and think about your year. Maybe all your dreams came true this year, or maybe they didn’t at all...

Prints as Christmas cards

Looking for an alternative to the traditional Christmas card? Say hello to our photo prints. The perfect way to get a little more personal this holiday season and create something that your loved ones will want to keep forever.

Three ways to make a recipe book

There are plenty of ways to make a recipe book. And we mean plenty. You probably have recipes saved on print screens on your phone, jotted down on a notepad somewhere, recipes saved on your computer or ripped out from a magazine? Here’s three easy ways to make your own cookbook from all those scattered recipes.

Sweet summer memories

Beach days, barbecues, flowers, freckles and ice creams and much, much more that all deserve more than being forgotten on your phone or in your camera. Time to get cracking on your Summer of 22' photo books to make sure all your sweet summer memories aren’t forgotten.

Personalized gifts for everyone

We might be a teeny tiny bit biased, but let’s be clear, there’s no gift like a photo book when you want to give away all the feels. So, here’s how you turn your photos to perfect gifts for all your loved ones.

Que saves her food art forever...

...in a Once Upon book, of course! Que Phuong Tran is a food art expert from Vietnam who has made a Once Upon book showing her favourite art pieces.

Remember all your kid’s funny sayings

All little kids are just straight up comedians, aren’t they? Some of the things they say, ask or just contemplate about makes you bite your lip numb not to burst out laughing. Because you can’t really laugh at them, not then and there, but what if – in a couple of years – you could laugh together about their un-knowling hilarious sayings? Here’s how you remember those funny comments with close-to-zero effort

The journey behind our new brand identity

Some things never change…But sometimes a little change is just what’s needed. The same Once Upon you know and love. We had a chat with our CEO, Lina Andersson, and our Product Designer, Evelina Örn, to better understand the in’s and out’s to why and how we’re introducing a new, more once uponier, us.

Wedding photo list

Your big day is coming up and, of course, you want to capture that day in every way possible. From the small details on the wedding dress to the “I do’s” and the crazy dancing at night. And that’s no easy job. But it can definitely be done. So, here’s our go-to list to capture all those moments:

Five tips: How to get in the photo

Clothes, haircut, makeup and glasses. The list of things that have changed throughout the years can be made long. Did you find your Steve Job style early on or have you experimented with many different styles along the way? Either way, it’s great to be able to look back on photos, travel through time and see what you were into back then.

Make your Once Upon book in our webapp

We all use our phone camera for those everyday photos and a lot of our pics are stored right in the phone’s camera roll. But maybe you do bring out your real-deal-camera to capture certain moments a bit more vivid, a bit deeper and in a bit more special way? And, maybe you have some old photos stored on your computer or hard drives that would be way happier in a photo book? If that’s the case, it would probably save you a lot of time to make your photo book straight from your computer instead of on your phone.

Bea Fagerholt on honest conversations about motherhood

Bea Fagerholt is the co-founder of To The Moon, Honey, a podcast and community for women navigating motherhood and family life. Through conversations with women sharing their experiences of pregnancy, birth, and family, Bea has witnessed how storytelling creates connection, understanding, and strength. Since founding the platform in 2018 with Liv Winther, she has helped build a space where women can share openly and learn from each other.

8 creative and meaningful bachelorette party ideas

Planning a bachelorette party and want to make it all about the bride-to-be? You’re in the right place. Whether you’re organizing a cozy weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, the best bachelorette parties are personal, thoughtful, and full of memories worth keeping.

Charlène Sery: Who takes care of Mom while she’s taking care of everyone else?

As a vibrant mom of four kids, Charlène Sery knows how to embrace the chaos, joys, and lessons of raising a family. Below, she reflects on her year and why navigating the delicate art of prioritizing herself has led to finally feeling whole again.

Wedding anniversary names by year

If you want to know the name of all the wedding anniversaries here is a list of wedding anniversary names One year of love, or 60. Whether you just started your marriage or celebrating a milestone most can only dream of, every anniversary deserves a little celebration.

5 ways to make your travel book unique

Travel moments almost always warrant a relive. The laughs, the great food, the views... all of it comes together when you look through your photos again and again in a photo book. And we’ve got some even more fun ideas on how to make it really sparkle!

Celebrate your love story

This Valentine’s Day, celebrate your love story. It’s not just the words, it’s the moments along the way that make your story yours. The ups and downs, the challenges and triumphs. A photo book is a thoughtful way to show your love your story, (and it so happens to make the perfect Valentine’s Day gift too.)

Own your story with a year book

As the year comes to an end, it’s time to reflect on the moments that made it special. From small everyday moments to big celebrations, and even the tough bits – yes, every moment is part of your story. And now’s the time to make sure all those memories are kept safe and sound – in a photo book that will last generations.

3 easy ways to create holiday cards that will become keepsakes

Does making holiday cards feel like a huge project? We’ve got a shortcut. Skip the time (and possibly tears) spent on capturing a staged holiday photo this year, and pick a lovely memory from your phone instead. Our photo prints are perfect for holiday cards, and you can easily make your own collection of unique and personalized greetings for friends and family – all in just a few clicks. Check out our tips below and give cards that are so meaningful they will be kept forever.

Gifts designed to last

One of the best things about the holidays is giving thoughtful gifts to the people that we care about. But let’s be honest. It’s easy to get carried away and end up buying things that will end up forgotten in a corner or never used at all.

Dive into our climate goals: Our journey towards a sustainable future

"It begins already in the forest, our work to reduce the climate footprint and contribute to a book that considers both people and the environment - and it continues until you open the book."

Framing motherhood: through a photographer's eyee

Ina Nederdal, a Swedish photographer, shares a heartfelt story about the significance of getting moms in front of the camera. Passionate about capturing these moments, Ina reflects on her childhood memories and her own experiences as a mother.

Capturing moms: A movement for visibility

Inspired by the structural inequality and lack of appreciation for caregiving, Natalie Stanczak and Nicole Noller started the "Faces of Moms"-campaign during the pandemic. As new mothers, they wanted to create a platform for mothers and marginalized parents to share their stories and challenges. . We had the chance to sit down with Natalie and delve into why it's crucial for mothers to be more visible in their own family stories.

Breaking generational cycles by stepping into the picture

Photography has played a significant role in my life since childhood. My mother meticulously curated our family albums, capturing every detail in perfectly arranged photos and accompanying texts. These albums provided a sense of comfort, especially when my family moved from the Middle East to the United States when I was just six years old. Flipping through those pages helped me cope with the challenges of leaving behind familiarity and friendships.

Make the perfect travel photo book

Whether you’ve been on a fancy vacay, a long road trip or spent a week on the countryside, you’ll always have tons of precious memories after a trip. And what better way to preserve those special moments than by creating a stunning travel book?

Capture now, cherish later

Forget what you look like! What story is the photo telling? What memories live inside it?

Why aren’t you in the photo?

Are you part of the invisible mom club? Do you feel like you aren’t part of your own story?

The importance of letting your kids be bored

In a world filled with constant stimuli, we need to give our kids space to do nothing, maybe even be a little bit bored. Because it is these idle moments that allow our kids to explore their thoughts, be curious about their surroundings, experiment with ideas and let their imagination run wild.

Make a baby photo book

From the tiniest toes to the very first steps. As a parent, you’ll want to remember every moment of your little one’s journey. And the easiest way to do so is to make a baby book. It will be a keepsake that tracks all the milestones, from the cutest smiles to the messiest moments at the dinner table.

Step-by-Step guide to reviving old photos

Do you, or maybe your parents and grandparents, have stacks of old photos gathering dust? Transforming those cherished memories into a photo book will bring your old photos to life again – and it’s a very thoughtful gift for your loved ones.

Make the perfect gift for Dad

There’s no better way to tell your partner how much you and your kids love them (and appreciate all those little things they do) than by showing it in a book you’ve made with love. A Father’s Day photo book is the perfect gift for your partner, dad, or grandpa.

How to make a photo wall

Are you looking for a simple (and very affordable!) way to display your favorite photos in your home? We’ve got a quick and fun project for you – a photo wall of prints. There are so many ways to make a photo wall, so we've gathered some tips to inspire you.

Make your own coffee table book

Are you tired of the classic coffee table books? The ones that look pretty fabulous on the outside but no one ever wants to actually flick through? We think it’s about time to give your dinner guests some real inspiration, inside out, with your own personal coffee table book.

How to make a year book

There’s something special about collecting your favorite moments in a yearly photo book. Because just like that, all your photos come to life and the memories they hold will live on in that book. Forever. Pretty awesome, right? So, it’s about time to start your very own collection of memories with these five tips on how to get started.

Make, copy, paste, repeat

We’ve said it before – and you’ll hear us say it again – there’s no gift like a photo book. So why not give it to the whole fam or the entire friend group? It can honestly be as easy as make-copy-paste-repeat. Here's how!

Make a personalized travel book

When we found @lou__lundberg on Instagram we instantly loved her techy tips, tutorials and lifehacks. Louise is a digital designer who runs her own business and when we realized she’d made a Once Upon book, we asked her right away if she would share some of her tips with our Once Uponers.

Create balance in your photography

A lot of us want to capture memories from when life is at its best. Imagine your camera roll after a wedding, graduation or vacay. Pretty much to choose from, eh? Exactly as it should be!

Three ways to “my baby’s first year” book

Obviously there are a lot of ways to make your baby’s first year-book. It all depends on the amount of time you have.

Anna's very own cookbook

Anna grew up with her mom as her big inspiration and together with her interests for healthy living, communication and sustainability – she started sharing her recipes on Instagram (@consciouskitchenstories) and, of course, made her very own Once Upon cookbook.

The journey behind our image uploader

We’ve had a little chat with our Product Designer, Helena Melender, to take a little peek behind the scenes on how our image uploader feature has been developed.

Three photo books that are waiting for you

It's the time to cosy up under a blanket and get started on those photo books that are waiting for you in your camera roll. Having trouble deciding where to start? Here are a few handy tips:

Make room for all the feels

As we all know, things don't always go as planned. Be it falling flat on your face as soon as you arrive at the skate park, the babysitter cancelling or bad weather ruining your day at the beach...

Discovering our new product – photo prints

As you have probably gathered, we’ve launched a new product – photo prints. The perfect match for our photo books, offering multiple ways to make the most of your memories. We got Frida Rindevall, CX Designer, and Linda Ingolfsdottir, Chief Sustainability Manager, to tell us a little more about the latest product in the Once Upon family.

Picture perfect photos give a distorted view of reality

With her unfiltered depictions of everyday life, photographer Karolina Horner wants to give both parents and children real portrayal of what family life is actually like. Dirty clothes, sibling squabbles, toy chaos and tired parents are recurring features in her photos as well as lots of laughter, tears, bonding and all kinds of interaction.

Wedding Photographer: Everything you need to know

Thinking about whether to hire a wedding photographer? You’re definitely not the only one. From costs to coverage, from finding the right photographer to getting those in-the-moment wedding photos you’ll actually want to look at again and again, this wedding photos guide has you covered.

Togetherness: Vanessa on motherhood and meaningful moments

Vanessa, a mother of three, travel lover, and natural food enthusiast, shares her journey through motherhood - shaped by global experiences, deep family connection, and a love for presence. Reflecting on the lessons her children teach her, and the balance between self and parenting, Vanessa reminds us that the small, intentional moments are often the most meaningful.

Embracing stillness with Agnes Maltesdotter

As a photographer and digital marketer, the co-founder of Tori Retreats, proud husky owner, and soon to be mother, Agnes Maltesdotter shares her perspective on preparing for motherhood, appreciating nature, and capturing the still moments.

Katrina Gorry: Do we miss the beauty of now by stressing over the unpredictable?

As a professional athlete and mother of two, Katrina Gorry navigates challenges with grace while finding beauty in the chaos. Below, she shares her reflections on a year marked by highs, lows, and life-changing lessons.

Linda Tol: What if accepting that you can’t do it all is the key to self-worth?

As the creative force behind Jules Coffee & Concept and Jules Bakery, Linda Tol seamlessly blends her passions for design and community. With her effortlessly vibrant approach to life, she juggles a thriving career, the joys (and chaos) of motherhood, and the complexities of personal growth – all while staying warm and authentic. Below, Linda reflects on her 2024 and the power of staying true to oneself.

The Journey to B Corp at Once Upon

At Once Upon, we view sustainability as more than just a goal – it’s a way of doing business. To deepen our commitment, we became B Corp certified in 2023, which aligns with our vision of building a business that drives positive change. As a certified B Corp, we’re part of a global community of businesses committed to transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet.

10 photo book gift ideas

A photo book is a thoughtful, personal gift that everyone will love. Check out these ten photo books that'll win you every gift-giving award this year.

The Forest - One of Our Most Important Stakeholders

Forests cover about one-third of the Earth's land area, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). At Once Upon, we rely on forests for the paper in our photo books and prints, and prioritize sustainability and quality when selecting it. We do this to protect the planet while ensuring our photo books last a lifetime.

Crop your photos: Perfect your photo books with ease

Making a photo book should be as seamless as the memories it captures. And we know how important it is to make each page reflect the moments you’ve captured, down to the tiniest details. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce in-app photo cropping.

Climate Investments Beyond Our Value Chain

At Once Upon, we acknowledge that everything we do has an impact on our planet. Guided by our ambitious climate goals, we are constantly taking steps to minimize this impact. However, we understand that achieving these goals will take time. That's why we complement our efforts to reduce our own emissions by also offsetting our total emissions through certified projects that reduce emissions faster than we can on our own.

I love this photo of me because…

Here’s a little challenge for you. The next time someone takes a photo of you. Force yourself to think of three things in the photo that you like, about yourself and what the picture shows!.

Rethinking beauty standards through family photos

Last summer, we did a summer trip to Austria, stayed by a beautiful clear lake, surrounded by mountains, meadows, and forest. On this day, we had rented a pedal boat to go across the lake. Our child had never been on a pedal boat before – so it was an exciting and special experience.

Is the photo responsibility equal in same-sex relationships?

Fierce, funny, feminist. Katharina Wohlrab is the definition of cool and we got the chance to have a chat with her about demanding photos from your partner, being the one who takes on most of the responsibility in a relationship, and, of course, those nap times that save your sanity.

Make a summer photo book

Make your summer last forever by saving all your sweet summer memories in a photo book. That way you’ll remember all the funny sayings, things that didn’t go exactly (or at all!) as planned, and the pinch-me-moment watching the sunset.

Celebrating Kids' Creativity with Nike van Dinther

On May 16th, we had the pleasure of hosting an inspiring creative afternoon with the talented writer and digital creator, Nike van Dinther, in Berlin. 

Calling all moms

We asked some moms and every other one of them feels that they don’t have enough photos of them with their children. But what happens to our memories in the long run, when moms aren’t in photos?

Turn your kid's art into a photo book

Facing an overwhelming number of drawings and art pieces when you’re getting started? Involve your child in selecting their favorite pieces. Then you’ll make sure that the book holds the most meaningful and sentimental creations.

7 tips for photographing old photos

Transforming old photos into a photo book will bring your and your family’s old memories to life again.

The art of food photography

In an apartment with paintings covering the walls, flowers in every corner, and a ceiling resembling a pink summer night sky, we find Therese Elgquist. With her, we discuss the art of capturing food in photographs, covering everything from sunlight and depth of field to the number of raspberries on a dessert.

Choose a heartwarming title

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12 ways to decorate your home with prints

Pimp your wall with some printed photos. Here are 12 ways you can display your favorite memories on your wall and make your home even more homey.

Make your photo book bit by bit

Even though it is very easy, and honestly, pretty fun to make photo books in our app (if we may say so ourselves), it still takes time. Simply because there’s typically not just ten photos to look through. More like ten thousand. But you know what? You can get around this way easier than you think – by making your photo books bit by bit.

At home with Sarah Jane Gottschalk

In the cozy Kreuzberg district in Berlin we met up with Sarah Gottschalk in her cozy apartment to chat about how to make your personality shine through in your home, memories on printed photos, vacations that never happen and as they say in German - Dekofimmel.

Three Mother’s Day book ideas

All moms out there deserve the best. And they deserve it all year round, of course. But on Mother’s Day, you get a little reminder to recognize all the little (and ginormous) things they do. So whether this makes you think about your own mom, your partner, sister, friend, or grandma, here are some Mother’s Day photo book tips you can use.

Baby book questions

Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. But making a “my first year book” for your baby can actually be quite fun. To help you out a little we’ve created this list of things to write about and photo tips to make it a little easier.

Ylva's Story

It was February, freezing cold and dark outside the first time Ylva felt that little lump in her right breast. She was only 43 years old and could never have imagined that the tiny lump a few months later would turn her life upside down. Read Ylva’s story about her cancer and how it helped her to share it with others.

A football book for the ages

Say hello to ten year old football lovers Tuva and Alice. Their photo book passion project completely knocked our socks off.

The journey behind our image caption

You can now choose to say a little something about each memory in your photo book. We have talked to our Product Designer, David Resoluth, to deep dive in the journey behind the scenes on our image caption feature.

Make your photo book on different screens

Now when you can make your photo books on your computer too, it means you can seamlessly make your books on your phone, your tablet and your computer.

Make a beautiful wedding album

Your wedding photo album isn’t like any photo book you’ve made before. There’s nothing quite like it. Filled to the brim with love, passion, and pure joy, this will become the gateway to relive one of the best days of your life. We get it though. Starting your wedding album seems like moving a mountain, but we’re here to tell you it’s way easier than you think. Especially with a quick guide from us.

“We don’t have to do something special to have fun together”

How does a single mother of five get through the day? Therese Hellström has found a way. The key? Everyday routines that actually work. But sometimes, she let’s go of everything that needs to be done, all the requirements and expectations, to just be in the moment, something we all need to be reminded of once in a while.

5 reasons photo books are such great gifts

Giving a photo book as a gift can sometimes feel a bit like cheating. Because they’re so awesome. It will seem like you put in a lot of work and effort to them - and sure, they do need some love - but it doesn’t need to take a lot of your time.

A photo book to celebrate love

All photo albums are filled with love, but the photo book that Farrah Almira made literally had us crying happy tears when she shared the story with us. The photo book, that the whole family helped put together, is a book filled with 50 years of true love. They made it as a gift for her parents-in-law’s 50th wedding anniversary – and as you can imagine – it was a success.