On your wedding day, gathering everyone formal family portraits can be a little bit like herding cats. When you and your new spouse are anxious to get to your cocktail hour and enjoy your celebration, getting through photos quickly and efficiently is a top priority. To make the whole process run smoothly, here are a few of my favorite tips!

 

 

HAVE A GAME PLAN

Create a list of each group you would like to get a photo with and give it to your photographer. Be as specific as possible to make sure no one gets missed! I recommend using names and including their relation to you or your spouse. For couples who are working with me, this will be included in your pre-wedding questionnaire for you to fill out!

Example
Couple with Bob + Sue (groom’s parents)
Couple with Derek + Sara (groom’s siblings)
Couple with Bob, Sue, Derek + Sara (groom’s parents + siblings)
Couple with John + Janet (bride’s parents)
Couple with Wallace + Annette (bride’s grandparents)
Couple with John, Janet, Wallace + Annette (bride’s parents + grandparents)

 

 

DESIGNATE A HELPER

To make your (and your photographer’s) life easier, designate one person to be the official “people wrangler” during family portrait time. Ideally, this is someone who is familiar with both sides of the family and can help gather people to be on deck as you go down the photo list.

 

TELL EVERYONE BEFOREHAND

Make sure that everyone you are including in photos is aware that their presence is needed ahead of time! Giving everyone a heads up that they are included, as well as a general idea of the location of the photos, helps ensure that no one leaves and causes a delay.

 

 

IMMEDIATE FAMILY ONLY

For groups of friends and extended family, save these for the reception! It can be much easier to grab groups of people throughout the night, and more efficient than trying to corral everyone after the ceremony.

 

CONSIDER A FIRST LOOK

Doing a first look (instead of seeing your partner for the first time at the ceremony) can be a great option that lets you go straight to your cocktail hour after the wedding! This allows us to get the majority of your portraits done before the ceremony and gives you more time afterwards to enjoy the party.

 

I hope you found these tips and tricks helpful. If you’re on the search for your future wedding photographer, let’s chat!