I have the Becky Higgins ring binder albums, and have just bought a WRMK. Happy with the quality of both.

My pages don't match - I kind of pick a couple of colours and then choose cards to match. Often I start by choosing a card that might have a quote that suits and then choose the other cards to coordinate. I also use photoshop to put two photo's onto a 4x6 so I can then cut it up and slip into the smaller pockets. If you want to use some papers to make your own cards, then go for it. You can buy a die that cuts them out to the right size, if you have a die-cut machine. Some of the scrap brands do 12x12 papers that are meant to be cut into 3x4 and 4x6 cards.

At the moment, I am only doing the last two years, so all my photo's are digital so I select the ones I want to print and then just have the others on the computer. I have a family year album on the go, plus when I get chance, each kid has an album too. The family one is month by month, and the kids one will be events specific to them and if there is a photo of just them. I'll put one photo of their birthday in the family album and then put more into their own album. I also make collages of photo's on a 4x6 so that if I want to put lots of photo's in, then its not going to go over pages and pages if that makes sense.

I do two sides, back to back. I haven't noticed that it makes the pages too heavy or bulky.

If you're on facebook, that group I mentioned up above is good. Otherwise, Becky Higgins has some good examples on her pages. Or pinterest or instagram. Some people keep it really simple, others make each card into a mini work of art. Personally, I keep it simple, with the odd sticker or washi tape here and there.