5 Steps For Navigating Wedding Family Photos
Wedding family photos are one of the most important parts of the wedding day! You have all your family together in one place, all dressed up and maybe this never happens. So with good intention, you want to schedule time for your formal photos with family members to happen. It may seem like an easy task right? You just want wedding family photos with your immediate family, some relatives that flew in, your cousin crew, and your parents want a shot of all their siblings together. As you start to go through the list, it all seems doable. You may forget that you’re most likely trying to do this all during cocktail HOUR. To see how to split up wedding family photos, check out “Creating the Perfect Wedding Day Timeline.”
While the hour may seem like a long time, that clock starts the minute the ceremony ends. So as you make your exit, say hello to your guests, grab a drink/food and gather the family, you’re already 10 minutes in. Don’t forget if you’ve decided not do a first look, you may be doing bridal party and your couple’s portraits during that cocktail hour as well. It goes very quickly!!
Here are 5 steps on setting up your wedding family photos. This advice will work whether you’re doing a first look or not! Either way, hopefully it’ll get you to your party quicker than you expected!
- Make an Extensive List
- Create Combinations
- Revise list based on 2-3 minute advice
- Make Reception List
- Make a Plan
Wedding Family Photos Steps!
Extensive List
Start by making a list of everyone in your immediate family that you want pictures with. Then add on grandparents, god-parents, extend family that you would really “like” to have pictures with.
It’s great to start with an extensive list, so that way you’re not forgetting anyone. This includes spouses, children and significant others who will be attending the wedding.
Combinations
Now you need to create all the combinations of these family members. For example: Would you like an individual picture with each of your parents and siblings? Or a photo with both parents together?
Next, do you want it with your spouse or you all as a family before you got married? (This is hit with parents!) If creating your O.G. family photo, then we recreate this family photo with your spouse and all your siblings spouses/partners as well. Continue down the line of all the members you listed. It would look something like this:
Partner 1 with Parent 1
Next with Parent 2
Then with Sibling 1
Partner 1 with Parent 1, Parent 2, Sibling 1
Couple with Parent 1, Parent 2, Sibling 1, Siblings’ spouse
2-3 Minute advice
This is probably the best piece of advice anyone gave me for helping my couples plan their wedding day.
Each combination takes 2-3 minutes. Why? Well, we factor in the following:
Straighten clothes and/or dress of the couple
Telling people where to line up
Finding people who are missing
Checking to make sure the line up looks ok
Readjusting
Asking everyone to look at my camera, not elsewhere 🙂
Then taking the same pictures multiple times- blinks!
Now that you have all family members listed, you are going to revise the list. You are going to count all the combinations and see how many minutes total that gives you. Easiest to just say 2 minutes per combo when counting.
How many minutes do you have? If it’s over 20, you’re going to want to think about cutting it back. This is especially important if you still have to any wedding party photos or your couple’s portraits. This also cuts back on the “extra” photos that are inevitable while everyone is dressed up and all together at this moment 🙂
Make Reception List
Can’t cut down your extensive wedding family photo list- don’t fret!
Your photographer is going to be at the reception!
Some of the family combinations, cousin crews, college groups can be done during this time! Make a list of pictures you want your photographer to get as you visit tables or to have the DJ announce and do off to the side just after dinner.
Make a Plan
Now it’s time to make the plan!
Everyone who is on the list needs to be aware. It’s not a bad idea to send the list out to your family so they know they are included. If people have opinions on the matter, you can simple tell them due to time constraints, this is all we can do immediately after the first look or after the ceremony. Any other photos can be taken during the reception.
You want to tell them what time they need to be ready for photos. This will come from your photographer. It may mean they have to hold off on food or drinks. However- some venues have dedicated staff to bring these things right to the couples and their families so they aren’t missing out. They also can think of it is, the quicker they show up for photos, the quicker they get to cocktail hour themselves!
Last is location. It’s imperative that you ask your family to get to the agreed upon photo location or a room tucked away in the venue, so that you can keep the timeline moving. It is SO hard not to meet and greet everyone along the way- but your guests will understand! I promise!
Bonus Tip!
Have a dedicated person (or 2) available, who knows your family and friends, to help find anyone who’s supposed to be in family photos. Ideally this is someone who ISN’T in the family photos so they can run to find people and not miss any combinations we may need them for. When we say run, we kinda mean it! 😉
These beautiful family photos were taking at: Blithewold Mansion, Lake Pearl, Boston Public Gardens (Fairmont Copley Wedding), Oceanview of Nahant, and Terrydiddle Farm
Let me help you navigate these family formals on your wedding day!
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