There are some photos every couple looks forward to on their wedding day. Bridal portraits, bridal party portraits, and getting-ready photos always land near the top of the list. And, of course, those traditional ceremony and reception images are the heart of your gallery. But wedding day family portraits are rarely ever mentioned. In fact, they almost always land somewhere near the very bottom of the list! Whether because of the stress of organizing milling family members or the fear of missing a critical shot, family portraits can be a massive cause for anxiety on a wedding day. But they don’t have to be!
In fact, through these four tips, you can make your wedding day family portraits into some of your favorite wedding photos! Check out my four favorite tips for couples who dread their wedding day family portraits to find out how.
CREATE A PHOTO LIST
Whether you slot your family portraits in right after your first look or just after your ceremony, your head will be spinning a bit on your wedding day. The last thing you’ll want to do is try to remember every possible combination of family members you want to ensure you have in a photo. Avoid missed images, upset family members, and endless reshuffling of who’s in which photo by creating a comprehensive Photo list weeks before your wedding day!
Simply list out every combination of family members you want to have in your portraits, then double-check that list with your fiancé and immediate family members. After you’ve created your full list, your photographer can put them in an order for you that will help speed the process along. Then, on the wedding day, your photographer will be the keeper of the list to make sure every photo gets taken. To make image list building as easy as possible for my couples, I provide a sample shot list they can build from and add to. I also keep a physical copy of their finalized list with me on the day of the wedding, crossing off each one as we take it to ensure I don’t miss a single one!
INFORM EVERY FAMILY MEMBER
After you finalize your list, get in touch with every single family member on the list to let them know when and where the family portraits will be. You can easily do this through a group email sent to everyone on your list. It also wouldn’t hurt to let them know that you’ve made a portrait list so they can ask you well in advance to add a particular combination that is meaningful to them. This way, no one will miss the photos, and you won’t have any family members attempting to make last-minute additions, slowing down the process.
I also recommend reminding every family member at the rehearsal dinner when and where the portraits will be taken. Especially when older family members are involved, it’s always helpful to give extra reminders.
DESIGNATE A HELPER
Ask the wedding party member who is most familiar with your family but isn’t a family member themselves to serve as your family portrait helper. They can assist Great Grandma up the stairs, herd Uncle Bob into his photos, and catch Cousin Leah before she heads off to the bathroom, missing her photos.
A designated helper is just one more barrier you can place between yourself and stress on your wedding day. This way, photos will run smoothly, and all you’ll have to do is scoot in close, smile and enjoy the moment!
ENJOY THE MOMENT
Especially if your family is spread out across the country — or even across the world — you rarely get to see all these smiling faces gathered together in one place. So, let’s make sure you can enjoy every second of it! By adding the three additional planning steps listed above, you will virtually eliminate any unpleasantness from your wedding day family portraits. Let those family inside-jokes fly, and savor every single hug from your overjoyed loved ones! Once the stress is stripped away, family photos can become one of your favorite parts of the entire day. So, just enter into the moment, and make memories you’ll treasure for decades to come.
