Stress Free Wedding Group Photos
As your wedding photographer I want you to have the greatest day possible. Before the wedding, many couples feel that wedding group photos can be one of the most stressful parts of the day. Everyone has heard the nightmare stories. We have all been at weddings where the couple and their families have been whisked away for far longer than necessary to capture their wedding group photos.
I believe that the group photos on your wedding day are a really important. It’s probably not that often you get all your family and friends together in the one place looking their best. These are the photos that your Mum will frame and put on the mantle piece to cherish. When done properly they can be fun, finished in 15-20 minutes and you will have amazing photos and memories to look back on.
Below I have outlined useful tips to help you avoid some of the the mistakes that can cause stress on your wedding day.
MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT
During your pre wedding consultation you can ask me questions about who you want in the wedding group photos. A great idea is to prepare a list of groups you want in the photos. Don’t worry, I can help and advise you when making this list. Give me this list before the wedding to make a plan of action. I always recommend to keep the amount of family photos to a minimum if possible. Your family will thank you for this as nobody wants to be standing around for too long missing the reception. Be selective with who you choose. My advice would be both immediate families, plus your siblings extended families (partners and kids). It’s important to stick to the list and remember the more group shots you add to your list the less time you have at your reception to party with your friends.
WHEN AND WHERE IS BEST?
When and where to take your family group photos can depend on a number of factors. I would recommend you let me choose the best location for this. I understand what works best in certain situations and you can trust me to find the best backdrop and light for your photos.
Here are some options:
(A) Ceremony at the venue.
If you have decided to have a civil ceremony at the your venue I would recommend having your family group photos straight after the ceremony. When your ceremony is over you can arrange that both your families can go to the nearby location that I have chosen for the photos. Twenty minutes later when the group photos are finished both your families can head for the reception and enjoy the day.
(B) Church ceremony.
You have some options if you have decided to have your ceremony in a church. Again, straight after the ceremony is a great option, but only if the church has nice grounds or gardens. When the ceremony has ended and you have finished greeting all your guests, both families are outside the church and all be in one place. This makes it easy to round everyone up for photos. If the church you have chosen does not have a garden or nice grounds I would recommend waiting until we go back to the venue.
DESIGNATE
Before your wedding try to designate a groomsman or a family member that is familiar with both your families to help me gather everyone together. This can save precious time and that means more time at the reception for everyone.
INFORM EVERYONE
To save any stress on the day and to avoid your Dad or brother going on the missing list just before it’s time for the family photos, try to inform both families when and where the group photos are taking place. Family photos can not take place if you’re missing your Dad or brother. Not being able to find family members can really prolong the process.
HOW LoNG SHOULD IT TAKE?
When planned properly before your wedding, the family group shots can be done properly and only take between twenty and thirty minutes. Enjoy the moment and have some fun with it. I promise it’s not as bad as you think.
WHAT ABOUT PHOTOS WITH MY friends?
Some group photos with your best mates are a must. I would however recommend having these taken back at the reception when everyone has had a few drinks and is more relaxed and chilled out. During the reception just tap me on the shoulder when you have a group of your closest friends together and I can get some amazing photos of you all together. Don’t worry if you forget as I will be there to remind you. This can also be a great time to take some photos with any aunts and uncles that weren’t involved in the family photos.
FINAL TIP
One final tip and probably the best tip is to have your bridal party group shots taken at the same time as the wedding group photos. As soon as the family photos are finished let both families to go back to the drinks reception and arrange for all your bridal party to stay behind. This is a great way to save some valuable time and have all the the group shots taken together.
TO FINISH
Always remember that in the end it’s your wedding and it’s totally up to you when and where the family photos are taken and who’s in them. I will be there to guide you along the way and advise you in the best way possible.
I hope these tips and guidelines will help take the stress out of planning your family photos. Below, I outlined a standard list of group shots. This will give you an idea of what’s involved and help you get started. You can modify this list to suit your needs.
Standard list for family group shots :
- Bride and groom + both bride & groom’s parents.
- Bride and groom + bride’s parents.
- Bride and groom + bride’s immediate family (parents & siblings).
- Bride and groom + bride’s extended family (parents, siblings, siblings partners and children).
- Bride and groom + groom’s parents.
- Bride and groom + groom’s immediate family (parents & siblings).
- Bride and groom + groom’s extended family (parents, siblings, siblings partners and children).
I hope you found this helpful. The important thing to remember is not to stress about this on the day. We will have done the planning together and I have the experience to make sure it all runs smoothly.
For more tips and inspiration go to my Wedding Guide.
You may enjoy reading ‘5 Reasons to consider having a ‘First Look’ on Your Wedding Day’