Wedding Day Family Photos | A Group Photo Checklist For Your Photographer
Stuck on where to begin when making your wedding group photo list? Does the idea of coming up with a list for family photos for your wedding fill you with dread?
Here’s the deal…
Every wedding will have a detailed wedding timeline that you planned. Included in this timeline is your wedding family photo. Your photographer will discuss with you exactly how to plan for this, including the wedding family photo & group photo list, the time required and location options.
This guide will provide you with the most common questions asked by couples in regards to making a wedding family and group checklist with example shot templates below.
How long should we plan for wedding family photos?
Every photographer is different. I recommend 30-45 minutes for bridal party photos (this will depend on how big your bridal party is) and about 30 minutes for family photos. I recommend about 3-4 minutes per grouping, so if only have 6 groupings this will be done in under 20 minutes. This time estimate includes buffering time if any family members are missing.
When are the wedding group photos taken?
This is normally discussed with couples during our meetings but is flexible to do within the timeline.
Can we have a group photo of family & friends at our wedding?
So our opinion might be a little controversial here, but basically it is up to you how you want to use your time. Remember that if you have a large wedding and you want 150 people in a photo, make sure you estimate that it will take a lot longer to get everyone together. You could have it on the invitations or on your greeting table that you would like everyone to stay for a group shot before heading to cocktail hour or the reception.
Pro Tip: have someone in your wedding party or a close family member assigned to help organize groupings for family formal portraits. This will ensure that no one gets left out, as your photographer will not know all of your family members by name. Your group shots will be much more efficient and painless if you have your groups are ready and waiting to be photographed.
Keep the wedding group list to a minimum if you would like a relaxed and stress-free wedding day.
Group photos don’t have to be ‘formal’ or stiff looking. Group photos are a lot better if everyone is relaxed and they are done easily and quickly. I like eliciting smiles and reactions during the group photos and work through a quick set of groupings to make sure that all photos are natural, relaxed and unique in their own way. This is where the list of groupings for your photographer will come in. I promise you having this list handy for your wedding photographer will be well received.
Will my family and friends be allowed to take photographs of the formal family wedding groups?
Yes, of course, I encourage the family to be included in taking photos. I simply ask that I am allowed to be quick and take all required photos first. This helps move the timeline along so we don’t get behind schedule.
How can I help my photographer with family wedding photos?
I try to be very organised for my weddings, just in case something happens. I like to be prepared! I normally request the family formal wedding list about 8 weeks before the wedding with the full names. Having this done will save time and stress on your wedding day. Another thing I like to ask couples is to assign a relative or wedding party member who knows most of the guests. This will save time if I need to send them to round up an uncle or cousin who is missing.
Family Photo Template For Your Wedding Photographer
WEDDING Family group PHOTO LIST
This list is not set in stone and lists many more pairings to give couples the options for their wedding day formal list. The key here is to have a conversation with your wedding photographer about both of your expectations in regards to timing. It would be physically impossible to do this entire list below in 10 minutes.
For family portraits, we’ll place you in the centre of a large group photo with all of your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings etc. And then we’ll remove the extended family so it’s just grandparents, parents and siblings.
We’ll keep removing family members and switch a few closer family members in and out so we get photos of you and your parents, you and your siblings, some with the groom and your family, etc. Then we’ll repeat the process with your spouse's family. The whole thing will go quicker and smoother if you let family know how the portrait process will work ahead of time.
You + parents (together)
You + parents (separately)
You + parents + siblings (together)
You + your siblings (together)
Your spouse + their parents (together)
Your spouse + their parents (separately)
Your spouse + their parents + their siblings (together)
Your spouse + their siblings (together)
You + your spouse + your parents + your siblings
You + your spouse + your parents
You + your spouse + their parents + their siblings
You + your spouse + their parents
You + your spouse + your grandparents (if attending)
You + your spouse + their grandparents (if attending)
If you have aunts, uncles, cousins or other people that you want to include in photos, we suggest opting for larger groups of people so you can get more groupings in during the time slot or using your cocktail hour for informal photos.
When we send out our pre-wedding questionnaire, we'll ask you for a list of specific groupings, special situations (such as divorces or handicapped family members & more), but if you want to start brainstorming photos in the meantime, you'll find our typical list below.
Please note that this list is just a starting point and that we're happy to take any requested family portraits as long as time allows!
Pro Tip: have someone in your wedding party or a close family member assigned to help organize groupings for family formal portraits. This will ensure that no one gets left out, as your photographer will not know all of your family members by name. Your group shots will be much more efficient and painless if you have your groups are ready and waiting to be photographed.
Using cocktail hour for informal extras. Many couples opt to take semi-formal photos with friends and extended family during cocktail hour. They aren’t super-posed, they’re more of the “throw your arms around each other and hug in tight!” types of photos. They are super easy to shoot and make for great memories.
