Wedding Planning | How to Make Family Photos Go Quick + Painless

Hey all you wedding planning babes!

Today I’m sharing with ya’ll how I make the family photo process go quick + painless, as I like to call it, on a wedding day. I have a sample shot list that all of my couples see, from me, twice before their wedding day to help them create their own shot list. I prefer to start with the largest groups + work down to the smaller groups.

That lists looks something like this:

• B&G (bride + groom) - bride’s extended family- this is the largest group. Grandparents, aunts + uncles, etc

• Bride (and B&G) with bride’s grandparents

• B&G - bride’s immediate family- parents, siblings, spouses + children

• Bride(and B&G) + siblings (together + individually)

• B&G with bride’s parents

• Bride with bride’s parents

• Bride with each parent

• B&G with all parents

• B&G with groom’s extended family- this is the largest group. Grandparents, aunts + uncles, etc

• Bride (and B&G) with groom’s grandparents

• B&G - groom’s immediate family- parents, siblings, spouses + children

• Groom(and B&G) + siblings (together + individually)

• B&G with grooms’s parents

• Groom with groom’s parents

• Groom with each parent

• One large group family shot- if time allows!

When my couple send me their shot list I ask that they change each combination to have the actual family member’s name so we can use that on that on the wedding day. Easy peezy!

I usually knock out all family photos in about 20 minutes- as long is everyone is one time + where they’re supposed to be. I have a copy of the list sent to me from my couples on my phone as well as printed out with me. I find a bridesmaid or aunt/cousin that knows most people to help call out names.

My advice to my couples is to let their family members know what time we plan to take photos, whether it be before or after the ceremony, so the family knows when to be where + is prepared do this process!

Simple as that!

- BC