The ceremony is beautiful, the couple is happy, and everyone is ready to party. You mosey on over to the cocktail hour where you wait, and wait, and wait, seemingly F O R E V E R for the couple to arrive. We’ve all been there. Whether as a guest or maybe even a part of the wedding party and who usually gets the blame for taking so long? The photographer.
Well if there’s one thing I don’t ever want, is to keep the couple or their guests waiting. A wedding is a celebration and that’s just what everyone wants to do. The biggest key to being introduced on time is a solid timeline. One very important part of that wedding day timeline is the Family Formals.
What are the Family Formals? Well they’re the posed family photos of the bride and groom with their immediate and extended family. Now when it comes to the formal family photographs a good list is very important. Creating that list well before your wedding day helps ensure that we have plenty of time set aside for portraits. It’s a good rule of thumb to plan for about 3 minutes per grouping, but large groupings can take a bit longer since there are more people to organize.
Every photographer has their preference, but I recommend scheduling the family formals immediately following the ceremony either at the altar or somewhere in close proximity to the venue. Wherever you choose, it’s very important that everyone you would like included in the photos is aware of where they need to be. It’s also a good idea to have a bridesmaid or family member on hand who can help locate family in case someone roams away. With a solid list, my assistant and I can efficiently move through your groupings with the confidence that no one is being left out or forgotten.
Suggested Groupings:
If you are looking for ideas on who to include in your family photos, here are a few suggested groupings. Focus on immediate family and close relatives. We can always photograph you with extended family and friends during the reception.
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Bride + Groom with Officiant (name)
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Bride + Groom with Bride’s Parents (names separated by commas)
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Bride + Groom with Bride’s Parents and siblings (names separated by commas)
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Bride + Groom with Bride’s Grandparents (names separated by commas)
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Bride + Groom with Bride’s Parents, Grandparents, and Siblings (names separated by commas)
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Bride + Bride’s Grandparents (names separated by commas)
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Bride + Groom with Groom’s Parents (names separated by commas)
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Bride + Groom with Groom’s Parents and siblings (names separated by commas)
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Bride + Groom with Groom’s Grandparents (names separated by commas)
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Bride + Groom with Groom’s Parents, Grandparents, and Siblings (names separated by commas)
Be sure to let your photographer know if there are any special family situations, such as divorced or separated parents. Especially if they do not want to be photographed together. In such a case we would have additional photos of them with you separately.
The Family Formals aren’t something to just rush through or consider an afterthought. These family photos are precious memories of a happy day when you were all dressed up and celebrating together. They will be important heirlooms that you will cherish forever.
