Family Wedding Photos
Family Wedding Photo Tips
Read time 8 Minutes
No matter how modern or traditional your wedding day is, the family wedding photos are some of the most important photos of your day, weather you like them or not, they are one of those rare opportunities the whole family gets together, all in one place, looking their absolute best. They are the photos that get printed and framed most often. The ones your mum or grandparent’s will hang in their home, it’s the pictures you will choose for the album. They may not be your favourites ones now - trust me, in weeks, months, years down the line, you will be so grateful you took the time to have these special family wedding photos taken, so you can relive the day and remember family members for years to come.
The great news is that family photos do not need to take up much time at all!! As a documentary photographer, I want to spend as much time as possible documenting your wedding day capturing all the candid natural moments and the little nuances of the day, my job is to make it go as smoothly as possible so you get to enjoy more time with your guests. So here are some valuable tips on how to maximise time and get stress free family wedding group shots.
Best Time To Take Family Wedding Photos
Generally the best time to take the family group shots is shortly after the ceremony, as with anything timing is key, I want you and your guests to have the maximum amount of time to enjoy themselves, chatting and mingling together, this gives me the time to get natural candid shots of your guests, so it is in my best interests to get them done as efficiently as possible.
My ideal timeline to organise and shoot the family photos is 20-30 minutes, this can be achieved by sticking to the pre planned shot list that we work on together before the wedding, more on this later!
The other alternative is to do the family wedding photos just before the wedding breakfast, this is not ideal’ but may be because of a few factors. There may not be any space outdoors or it could be raining and the reception hall is the only location suitable, so it would make sense to use this space when empty when everyone is starting to find their seats.
Family Wedding Photos At The Church or Inside Venue
Sometimes my couples want the family wedding photos taken at the church, I will always’ in most cases recommend they are taken at the venue. One of the main reasons is, the gardens have picturesque backdrops with larger spaces to accommodate everyone. Churches can be a little tight for space with unflattering lighting, usually high in the ceilings. I only recommend having the family wedding photos at the church, if it is winter and daylight hours are short, or the weather is bad, if it is raining then you will not be doing them outside the venue either so it makes sense to get them done in the church before everyone leaves for the venue. It is all subjective to change on the day and I always bring lighting to cover these types of scenarios.
Best Locations For Family Wedding Photos
The best locations I find for the family wedding photos is at the venue. The gardens are generally picturesque, have plenty of space with sometimes multiple options, so we can find the best lighting. What I am looking for is even light with no harsh shadows and be able to position everyone so their faces are all clearly seen.
The ideal location will be outside in the shade if it is sunny or facing the sun on overcast days. Neutral backgrounds work well or any type of leading line compliments the shots well. There are days when the venue does not have any suitable outside space, either the sun will be too harsh with no shade or there just isn’t anywhere suitable. In this situation I will be looking to use one of the rooms inside, utilising lighting techniques to evenly light the groups.
How To Take Family Wedding Photos Quickly
One of the main concerns my couples have is they recall being at weddings when the family group photos have gone on for what feels like an age, missing out on chatting and mingling time with friends and family. I don’t want this to be the case for my couples, so how do we go about getting these done in 20-30 mins as efficiently as possible, let me explain….
Before the wedding we will work closely on the family wedding photo shot list, more on that in a bit. I would recommend no more than 10-15 sets of the core family, you will also have a runner from both sides of the family who can help gather the family members needed for the shots, they should have a copy of the shot list and have been briefed on the goal of the session. The hardest part of the family wedding photos is not the gathering of the people, it’s stopping people from wandering off! There will be multiple combinations of shots, where people are asked to step to one side, as they will be needed in a few shots time, only to be found at the bar or in the loo, this is what impacts the time massively and is the most common reasons why they take so long. This is when having a runner from each side of the family plays a major role in how long the process takes. So with a solid plan and great communication in place the family wedding group photos can be done in around 25 minutes.
The Family Wedding Photo Shot List
Group photos don’t need to be complicated. Sticking to the core people in this period is the key to getting the family wedding photos done quickly, any deviation will result in less natural and candid shots your photographer is able to capture. Couples worry at this point and think they will not get photos with certain groups, friends or family, there is plenty of time for those later on in the interval after the wedding breakfast.
Here is the list I send out to all my couples prior to the wedding day, which can have names added or modified to suit. Just bear in mind that any additional shots added will add more time on to the session!
Bride & Groom + Grandparents + Individually And Together
Bride And Groom + Bride’s Parents
Bride’s Parents + Together And Individually
Bride And Groom + Bride’s Parents And Siblings + Partners + Children + Grandparents
Bride And Groom + Groom’s Parents
Groom’s Parents + Together And Individually
Bride And Groom + Groom’s Parents And Siblings + Partners + Children + Grandparents
Bride And Groom + Parents Together
Bride And Groom + Bride & Groom Parents & Siblings Together
Bride And Groom + Bridesmaids And Groomsmen
Bride + Bridesmaids
Groom + Groomsmen
Group Photos With Friends
Having group shots with your friends is a must. The best time for these shots is later in the day between the wedding breakfast and the first dance. This is the perfect opportunity to get all the combinations of shots, that would of otherwise taken up too much time during the family wedding photos. Quite often this is the time when guests and their partners can approach the photographer and get some nice portraits too.
Creative Group Photos
This is the fun part, creative group shots are some of my favourite to do, it feeds my creative needs and you get something totally awesome and unique from your wedding day. Smoke bombs are a popular choice and just look epic. I would recommend checking with your venue if you want this type of shot. You will need to purchase them yourself and accept responsibility, also make provisions to take away the discarded devices at the end of the shoot.
The best brand of smoke grenade I have used are Enola Gaye. I have used many over the years and these are consistent and predictable, UK based too. LINK HERE
Timing of these creative shots can vary depending on time etc. They can be done at the end of the family wedding photos, after the wedding breakfast or later in the evening. They are really fun to do and bring another dynamic to the wedding photos that you recieve.
5 Tips For Stress Free Family Wedding Photos
So here are my five best tips on how to take stress free family wedding photos
Preparation is key, work with your photographer and get the shot list dialled in and communicate with everyone involved, stick to the plan.
If possible do a site visit and note areas you like, also where the sun may be at the time you are doing the group shots.
Ask your photographer for advice on the subject, where do they think will be best.
Ask two friends or family members, one from each side to be runners. It’s very important they can identify everyone involved. They will play a key role in how efficiently the family wedding photos go.
Dont stress! If you have followed the advice in this post then trust the process, it is your day and the family wedding photos will last a lifetime.