Wedding photographers love to talk about their approach to photography– editorial, documentary, posed, prompted, etc. No one really wants to talk about the posed family photos, but they are an important part of your wedding photography! A purely documentary wedding photographer still needs to wrangle your family members for those post-ceremony family formals. I’ve put together a list of five tips for making the family formals at your wedding quick and painless for everyone.

TIP NUMBER 1

Before the big day, send your photographer a list of family photos you would like. Be detailed in this list– include the names of people. For example, instead of “bride and groom and bride’s family” say “bride and groom and bride’s immediate family: Carol, Bob, Julie, and Matthew.” Put the groupings in an order that makes sense. Maybe do the full bride’s side first and then the groom’s side. Start with the biggest group and work your way down (bride and groom with bride’s extended family, immediate family, siblings, mom and dad, just mom and bride).

TIP NUMBER 2

Spend some time thinking about what family photos are actually important to you. Do you need a formal photo that includes your great aunt Jenny or is an iphone pic taken later just fine? Do you want all your cousins in a photo or just one with your cousin who is also your bestie? If family members really want a photo with you, they’ll find you at the reception and get one on their phone. Think of the family formals as the photos that are important to you and to your parents, if you want to make sure they get the photos they’d like (especially if they’re helping pay for your wedding!)

TIP NUMBER 3

The biggest considerations for location for family photos are: ease of access, quick transition time, and big enough space for crowds to gather. Don’t worry about finding the most scenic backdrop for the family photos. What is more important is that the space is big enough for big groups (if you plan to take extended family photos) and there is room for people to wait in the wings, as it were. If you’re getting married in a church, the easiest location and time for these is right at the front of the church after the ceremony. Any experienced wedding photographer can work with the lighting and get it right for these photos, so you don’t need to worry about trying to take them outside in natural light.

TIP NUMBER 4

Print the list of family photos out and put a bossy and loud family member or friend in charge of calling out names and wrangling the groups of people. It helps to have people “on deck” while the photo before them is being taken. Seriously, a bossy person is best at this job. This helps your photographer focus on arranging the people in the photo rather than taking precious time to find everyone. I love a loud friend who can make this happen!

TIP NUMBER 5

Inevitably, your mom or your aunt will want a specific photo added to the list day of. They’ll say something like, “oh can we get a quick one with Grandpa Joe and baby Meredith?” I’ll be there to say, “Let’s grab that at the reception! Why don’t you come find me during dinner or dancing and I’ll make sure to get that for you.” It’s important to be efficient with family photos so we can move on with the next part of the day, whether it’s going to a location for bridal party photos or heading to the reception for cocktail hour. I’m always happy to grab a photo that someone wants at a time of the day where there’s some breathing room in the timeline.

The comment I get often after family photos from family members is, “Wow that was so easy!” or “That was so fast!” I pride myself on being prepared for family photos and moving through this part of the day quickly so you can get back to celebrating, being present, and enjoying your wedding day. If you want to hear more about my approach go ahead and visit the home page of my website or fill out an inquiry and I’ll be in touch very soon.