If your family is anything like mine, they can be a wild bunch. Trying to organize a group of my nearest and dearest is a little bit like herding kittens… you too? If your answer is yes, the idea of organizing not one but TWO families together for wedding day family portraits that are beautiful enough to last a lifetime WITHOUT any yelling or eye rolling might seem like an impossibility! BUT I’m here to tell you- I’ve got you, girl! Below I’m spilling my three BEST tips on streamlining family photos so that you can get frame worthy portraits in an efficient and stress free way. Before you know it, you’ll be at cocktail hour with a mojito in hand and preparing to dance the night away!
1) Keep your post ceremony groupings to immediate family
Ever seen a grandma who has to go to the bathroom and is itching for a white wine spritzer have a total meltdown? Well, let’s just say I hope you never have to. ;) One sure fire away to avoid disasters like this is to keep the number of “post-ceremony picture” family members to a minimum. Something many of our clients don’t realize is how hectic the family photos can get when the number of people waiting around for their turn starts to creep up! Post ceremony you and your new spouse will be there, of course, plus your officiant, plus your bridal party. Usually that puts the number of people in the room somewhere between 11 and 20 before the family even comes into play! Add in just immediate family (parents, siblings and their spouses, and grandparents), and now the number has jumped to a group of 20-40! Whew!
The minutes post-ceremony are incredibly exciting, and everyone is waiting their turn to give you two a big hug, catch up with one another, and talk about their favorite moments from the ceremony. Those things can and SHOULD happen! We encourage it! But can you imagine how wild it gets as the number of people in the room slowly starts to grow larger? When you add in aunts, uncles, cousins, and close family friends, the room can turn from exciting to pretty chaotic! Bonus: The fewer formal family groupings post ceremony, the more quickly you can get over to your reception area and mingle with a cocktail in hand.
If you have some larger or more extensive combinations, we think that’s great! We’ll highly suggest setting some time aside during your reception to capture as many different groupings as you may want, without any rush.
2) Keep everyone informed of the plan
As my mama always said, failure to plan is planning to fail! Ok, that’s a little dramatic when we’re talking about family pictures… but I think the sentiment still holds true ;) If we ever see family photos shift from relaxed to stressful- it’s usually because people aren’t aware of the plan! This is a simple fix that will create a much more laid back atmosphere during family pictures.
After your family photo list has been created and confirmed (we help each of our clients with this a few weeks prior to the wedding!), be sure to talk to each person on the list and remind them of when and where you’ll be taking pictures. If you are taking your family photos before your ceremony, I highly suggest telling them to be in the location ten minutes before we plan to begin! If you’re doing them after the ceremony, give your loved ones a gentle reminder that sticking around, rather than wandering off to the bathroom or to grab a “quick cocktail” will ensure a much smoother and faster photo time so you can all get to mingling with your guests at cocktail hour!
Pro-tip: Make an announcement at your rehearsal dinner that only immediate family photos will be taking place post-ceremony, and extended family during the reception. This way, aunts and cousins don’t automatically stay after your I do’s and create a crowd in the room that isn’t on the list.
3) Double check the list with both sets of parents
Nothing is more awkward than successfully breezing through your entire family shot list, only to find that your mom has told people to stay behind who weren’t on the list.As the person who usually wrangles family together for the pictures- if I don’t have the names on my list, I’m not able to call out combinations and get those extra people organized! This tip is short and sweet: Be sure both sets of parents are aware of your shot list and enlist them to help spread the word to all the family members as to when they’ll be grabbing a picture with you: pre-ceremony, post-ceremony or during reception!
Bonus: It’ll make mom and dad happy to know you’re keeping the pictures they want in mind too :)
There you have it! My three BEST tips on streamlining family photos so that you can get frame worthy portraits in an efficient and stress free way. By keeping post-ceremony groupings to a minimum, creating a plan, and looping in your families to the plan- you’ll be celebrating your newlywed status at cocktail hour before you know it!
So: Start prepping your family NOW for the wedding day and create a plan of action! And to our clients, just remember: we’re ALWAYS here to lend a helping hand. Can’t wait!
Ashley
PS- If you need more wedding planning tips, why not check out 5 tips to make mis-matched bridesmaids dresses work?
