Your wedding is the only time that all the people you love are together in one place at the same time. We take family photos at every wedding because they’re so important. So make sure you set aside time to do this on the day, we’re so glad that our grandparents did. You want to include all the people who are important to both of you, but you also don’t want to feel like it goes on forever!
TIPS FOR MAKING FAMILY PHOTOS EFFICIENT
1. Write a list of the groups you’d like. A few weeks before your wedding we’ll ask you for a copy of that list.
2. The most efficient order for your list is usually working from bigger groups to small, and keeping similar groups together. For example your extended family, then your immediate family, then your parents.
3. Give someone the job of rounding up people for family photos. We’ll bring an extra copy of the list on the day to give them. That way we can be directing people in the photo while someone else is gathering people for the next group.
4. After the ceremony is usually the best time for family photos because all your guests are there.
5. Allow approximately 2 minutes per group.
As an example, here’s our family photo list for our own wedding:
- 1. Lyndon’s immediate family
- 2. Lyndon’s immediate + extended family
- 3. Lyndon’s parents
- 4. Both parents
- 5. Anthea’s parents
- 6. Anthea’s immediate family
- 7. Anthea’s immediate + extended family (mum’s side)
- 8. Anthea’s immediate + extended family (dad’s side)
The time you need to allow for family photos depends a lot on the size of the groups. We can spend as long as you like taking family photos, but it depends on your priorities and what’s most important to you.
We recommend only doing a big group photo of everyone at your wedding if it’s something that’s really important to you. Personally we didn’t have one at our wedding, and that’s because you can see everyone in the front row clearly and all the other guests are just a sea of heads. If you decide to have one, make sure that you ask the person who is marrying you to mention during the ceremony that guests need to stick around for it. This can help to avoid a big group photo becoming a real time suck.
