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As a wedding photographer, the whole day is spent making sure the timeline goes smoothly, your bride is enjoying each moment and that you are gathering all the people needed for each section of the day. So when the family portraits come along, I know that all photographers take a deep breath and hope it doesn’t take ten times longer than expected!

At the beginning of my photography career, I was given some invaluable advice! (And hint: And I’m about to pass it along to you! So stick with me…)

Before the wedding day even rolls around, I send out an extensive questionnaire to my brides to gather all the information needed to prepare for their wedding days. A section of this is devoted to family portraits. Here I have my couples list out everyone that they are going to want in family pictures by name and their relation to the bride and groom. It may seem like a funny, tedious thing to do, but I promise the preparation beforehand will help big time come the wedding day!

After I have a list of everyone my couple wants included in the family portraits, I narrow it down to just the brides side and then bullet point each shot. Here’s the key. I start with the largest group shot and slowly narrow down to immediate family. That way lots of people aren’t standing around waiting to be told what to do (and most importantly aren’t asking you what they should be doing!) After all the extended family, then I’d recommend taking pictures of the bride and groom with the immediate family (mom, dad, brothers and sisters) as well as grandparents. So at this point you are basically just keeping the core people in the same spot and stripping away the extended family members. Less work rearranging and less headache calling out names. Then I would take out the immediate family (but tell them to stay close) and take individual shots with just the grandparents. I do this because normally they can’t stand as long and then they can go sit down or head over to the reception. After that, have the immediate family hop back in (so same shot as two steps back only without the grandparents) and then a shot with each section of the family. Then do it all again on the grooms side!

WEF!! Okay. Lots of information! Don’t give up on me. Let me give you an example. I promise it will help!!!

Your couple fills out the questionnaire and says they want these people included on the brides side family portraits.
The bride and groom (Jon and Anne), the brides parents (Bill and Susan), the brides brother (Hector), aunt and uncle (Shelly and Pete) and grandma Jane. This is how I would break down the family portraits:

-B&G (bride and groom), aunt and uncle (Shelly and Pete), grandma (Jane), parents (Bill and Susan) and brother (Hector).
-B&G, grandma (Jane), parents (Bill and Susan) and brother (Hector)
-B&G and just grandma (Jane)
-B&G and immediate family; parents (Bill and Susan) and brother (Hector)
-B&G just brother (Hector)
-B&G just parents (Bill and Susan)
-B&G just mom (Susan)
-B&G just dad (Bill)

There!!! Did that help?? Here are a couple more tips when thinking through family portraits!
Tip #1: Be sure to get everyone’s name! It helps SOOO much (and is a whole lot more personable) when you say, “Alright! Now let’s have Grandma Jane, Bill and Susan and Hector get into this shot! There! Wonderful!!!” See what I mean? Plus then that eliminates any confusion about who needs to get in rather than saying, “Hey you!”

Tip #2: If your couple wants a huge extended family picture, I would recommend asking them to rally help from a third party who knows all the family members but will not be in the shot to call out names and get the attention of who need to be involved. If you do this, be sure to give them you exact breakdown so that they can follow along with your shots.

Tip #3: No matter what….stay positive!!! If it’s taking longer for everyone to get to where they should be, keep smiling and pre organize and get people lined up for the shots! Think ahead and don’t worry!!!! Because when you seem stressed everyone involved will feel it! Take command of the situation and lead!

Hopefully this is helpful!! For more small business tips and tricks, click HERE!