Family Matters...

Family photos on your wedding day

Full disclosure, groups photos are one of the craziest times at a wedding. Mainly because your family and friends would prefer to be at the bar mingling with loved ones they have not seen in forever! Nothing wrong with that at all and a little preparation will help make this process a lot easier!

If I don't have a list, this is generally how I treat family photos!

( please use only as a guide – edit to your needs )

Family Group Shots

Bride's Fam

  • Bride & Groom + Parents
  • Bride & Groom + Parents add Grand Parents
  • Bride & Groom + Parents, Grand Parents, add Brothers and Sisters
  • Bride & Groom + Parents, Grand Parents, Brothers and Sisters add kids and Partners
  • Bride + Immediate Family (Parents, Grand Parents, Siblings)
  • Bride + Grand Parents
  • Bride + Mom & Dad (Separately too)
  • Bride + Siblings

*Using names to make the process a little easier, always helps!

Groom's Fam

  • Bride & Groom + Parents
  • Bride & Groom + Parents add Grand Parents
  • Bride & Groom + Parents, Grand Parents, add Brothers and Sisters
  • Bride & Groom + Parents, Grand Parents, Brothers and Sisters add kids and Partners
  • Groom + Immediate Family (Parents, Grand Parents, Siblings)
  • Groom + Grand Parents
  • Groom + Mom & Dad (Separately too)
  • Groom + Siblings

Any other special people That you want, Just add them to the list you email to me! We can add a LOT of different configurations, but this List covers all essential Family photos.

Keep in mind, the more we add to the group Shots, the less time we will have for sunset photos and/or a chance for you to catch cocktail hour with guests.

The Wedding Party

I generally get all the wedding party photos after the family shots. There are times I get the groom and his groomsmen before the ceremony and if there's time the bride and her bridesmaids. If we end up doing all of these after the ceremony, I start with the ladies and move to the guys and then the large group photos. Once these photos are taken care of, I will be open for individual photos with the bride and/or groom.

FINALLY, just a few photos of the Newlyweds!

Depending on what time the sun sets, Newlywed photos could be a separate session from sunset photos. If that is the case, then I'll knock out a couple of shots and you can enjoy cocktail hour. Then when it's time for sunset --- I will remind you, setup, and then bring you both out for a few sunset shots! I try to make it nice and quick while getting some unforgettable shots!

Pro Tip: I always remind groups the more they pay attention, the quicker this process will be. So prepping your people and letting them know they NEED to listen is always a plus!



Keep things Simple and be prepared

Family photos can be a challenge no matter what we do. But a couple of Pro Tips just might make it a simple process!

  • Schedule Family Photos for after the Ceremony
  • Have officiant remind family to remain seated for photos
  • Notifying those in photos before the big day is a big help too
  • Making sure The Wedding Party is on point and knows their role when it comes to photos!

My goal is to knock these images out as fast as we can and move on to Newlywed shots --- so you can possibly enjoy a little bit of cocktail!