Family wedding photos are an important way to document the historical moment in time and an important part of every wedding. After all, how many times do you have all of these people in one place that spans family generations?
Thinking about family wedding photos can feel overwhelming and stressful. How will you possibly coordinate everyone where they need to be and on time? What is the way to capture them without distracting from all of the memorable moments of the day? How will you get good photos with the kiddos? What are the logistics of planning for family wedding photos? This guide is just for you!
Keep reading to learn more about how I help couples prepare for stress-free family wedding photos, so you can be more present on your wedding day!
How To Make Wedding Family Photos Painless: 5 Tips From A Wedding Photographer
Here are my pro tips on what works best to get incredible family photos on the day of your wedding (without the stress):
Tip #1: Create a detailed list of photos
The best advice I can give is to create a detailed list with your wedding photographer. By having this plan ahead of the wedding day, you will be able to fly through these photos in no time, getting your family and friends to the cocktail hour quickly.
A list alone will not be enough – oftentimes, lists of photos you want are created in a way that takes people more time to move in and out of the photos. It is also important to prioritize those with limited mobility or short attention spans (hello, 2-year-old nephew!).
To make this happen, I use my football method: where I start with one side of the family, with generally the least amount of people in the first few photos, and then I keep adding until you reach the middle, where both families are combined. After I’ve photographed one side of the family, I then work my way down the other side of the family. This method works like a charm and doesn’t leave your family members waiting around for long periods of time.
Tip #2: Take your family photos after the wedding ceremony, vs before
When mapping out your wedding timeline, I personally suggest planning family wedding photos after the ceremony, rather than before. You might think doing them ahead of time will get them done and out of the way, but I find that people often want to do extended family photos that require those same people to get together again after the ceremony (which means you’re adding onto the amount of time wedding family photos take to capture).
When family photos are done before the ceremony, there is a specified time all family members need to meet to do the photos. If you’ve ever tried to corral a group for a restaurant reservation, you’ll know that not everyone arrives at the exact same time. For family wedding photos, this means standing around while waiting for the arrivals and photos to start.
However, if you do them right after the ceremony, everyone is already there. They will all be at the ceremony at the same time, and you can go right into the family photos after the ceremony, once the guests who are not in the photos can make their way to cocktail hour. It allows all the wedding family photos to move quickly, as long as you have your plan from tip #1.
Finally, post-ceremony wedding family photos tend to move more quickly because people are motivated to move on to your cocktail hour.
Tip #3: Decide on a location beforehand
Work with your photographer to choose a location beforehand (if possible). You’ll want this location to be somewhere easy for guests to get to, especially those with limited mobility, and so that you don’t waste time traversing all over the venue property.
The location of your ceremony is a great option because you already have it set up for your ceremony, but if the lighting does not cooperate or you need other options, consider your porches, patios, and unique sides of buildings. With any location you choose, make sure you consider the time of day you will be taking the photos, as lighting can impact the outcome of the photo. Also, make sure your space is large enough to fit the largest group you have planned.
Tip #4: Tell your family beforehand the plan for family wedding photos
Usually, multiple reminders will help everyone to remember that they have to be somewhere for these photos. I suggest an email or text two days before your wedding, a reminder at the rehearsal dinner, and designating a photo person for the wedding day to make sure all the included family members are at the location spot, or stay seated at the conclusion of the ceremony.
We want to prevent meanders to the cocktail reception or bathroom. Everyone is excited to be a part of your wedding, and it might be easy to forget where and what they are supposed to be doing on the wedding day.
Tip #5: Still want to take family photos before the ceremony? Schedule them as close to your tuck-away time as possible.
When couples see each other before their wedding and take all of their photos ahead of time, it often means that the 30 minutes before the ceremony are reserved for the wedding couple (and party) to tuck away from guest arrivals.
Let those wedding family photos be the last thing you do before that time, so that family members’ arrival time is closer to the ceremony start time. For instance, if you are starting your ceremony at 5 PM, scheduling family photos at 4 PM will provide 30 minutes for those photos (usually all family photos can be done in this amount of time), and they won’t have to arrive earlier (which often results in more delays).
Bonus Pro Tip: If you want your family to arrive for 4 PM photos, tell them 3:45 PM. It’s okay if they are standing around for a bit while you finish up your couple and/or wedding party photos; the key is to have everyone there when YOU are ready to take your wedding family photos.
Ready To Book Your Wedding Photographer?
I hope you found this info on preparing for family wedding photos helpful and will give you more time to spend with your guests, instead of waiting around for those important, historical family photos. With a little bit of preparation ahead of time, you can make this part of your wedding a quick, stress-free experience!
And… if you’re still looking for a Washington DC/Virginia wedding photographer, I’d love to connect! My approach to wedding photography starts with understanding what—and who—matters the most to the two of you.
When you hire me to photograph your wedding, we’ll sit down to figure out what photos are must-haves and how you want your day to feel. Your images will capture your day in its entirety: the spontaneous joy, the precious family photos, the experience you created for your guests.
You can learn more about my wedding photography services here or get in touch with me here!
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