5 Ways to Streamline Family Photos

Getting the family and group photos is potentially the most unnecessarily time consuming and frustrating part of a wedding day, so let’s talk about how to make them as smooth and efficient as possible, so everyone can get back to hugs and drinks on the lawn ;)

1. Have a list

Write. A. List. Genius we know haha. Sit down with your partner and write out all of the family or group photos that are important to you.

2. Keep it to a minimum

Now that you’re sitting down together, have a good look at your list. Is every combination on that list necessary? 

Keep in mind that each photo could take a couple of minutes depending on how cooperative and organised everyone is and how many people are involved. As a measure, we like to allow at least 20 minutes for 10 family photos. 

20 minutes sounds like a lot of time for 10 photos, but when your Dad conveniently disappears to chat to someone because he didn’t realise he was needed for family photos *face palm* and your grandparents need some time to move over to the photo location and when you finally get everyone together, your Aunt who is 5 foot is trying to hide in the back row, so then there’s a few moments of reshuffling so that we can see everyone, it really does take more time than you would expect.

The question then becomes are you prepared to spend 20-30 minutes of your wedding day standing in a row smiling, while inwardly fuming?

Our recommendation is to work with a basic list for the formal family photos and then get plenty of informal group photos at other times throughout the day.

Our Basic Family Photo List:

• Couple + one set of parents

• Couple + one set of parents + any siblings (immediate family)

• Couple + other set of parents

• Couple + other set of parents + any siblings (immediate family)

• Couple + both sets of parents

• Couple + any grandparents

Obviously this is a very basic list and we know all families look different, this is just a baseline. Feel free to add any combinations that are important to you and subtract any that don’t apply.

3. Put someone in charge

You have your list, now delegate. Print that list out and give it to someone who you can put in charge of rounding up the right people for each photo, a runner if you will. Bonus points if you appoint 2 people, one for each family. Extra points if those people are loud and bossy or are just great at getting people organised. 

4. Spread them out

We alluded to this earlier, but it really helps streamline your day and maintains sanity if you can squeeze in a few other group photos at other times throughout your day. 

The preparation time, once you are dressed and ready is a perfect time to grab a few family photos before you head to the ceremony. For example you can get a photo with just your Mum and/or just your Dad or a sibling photo and if Grandma is there too, get a special photo with just the two of you. It really is worth making sure there is some extra time for these photos before you need to leave.

The canapé or mingling time is another great chance for some informal group photos. If you’re chatting to your friends and suddenly decide you would love a friend photo, why not find your photographer and ask them to take a quick informal group photo - easy and painless.

Same applies to any down time during your reception or when you’re on the dance floor - want a photo with your work pal, grab your photographer and get a quick photo together.

5. Eliminate the everyone photo

Do you really need that whole group, every single guest photo? Will you hang it up in your house?

Let’s look at the pros and cons.

Pros - You have a photo of everyone who attended your wedding *tick*

Cons - Wrangling every single person present, asking them to stare upwards, most likely squinting, for a photo that will be flattering for very few and difficult to see everyone unless you’re conveniently getting married in a stadium with tiered seating.

A good “everybody photo” firstly relies on everyone being present and organised, secondly a large enough area for you all to squeeze into, thirdly enough space for us to stand at a distance to fit you all in the frame and ideally a way for us to be physically elevated to help with seeing everyone’s face and fourthly a location with good even light and a nice background, where everyone is ideally not staring into the sun.

If a whole group photo is important to you, it is definitely still possible, but please take some time to think practically and consider if your venue has a suitable area for a whole group photo.

We wrote this blog post not to have a rant, but because family photos are important. When you think about it, the photos that will be most important to you in years to come are the photos of loved ones, especially if you don’t get to see them very often or they’ve passed away. It is our hope to make family photos another special part of a wedding day, rather than that frustrating half an hour you wish you could have skipped.