Family portraits can be one of the most stressful parts of your wedding day. We have taken several, several family portraits for weddings and we are excited to share our 6 easy tips and tricks for smooth family portraits on your wedding day with minimal stress!

  1. Make a list! With a list, your photographers can help run the show. We can call out the names of who you need for each family group. We recommend using their names rather than how they are related to you for simplicity.
  2. Keep the list short! One of the ways we see stress build quickly in our couples is when they have long lists for family portraits. It is a lot of standing around and waiting with a long list. So, just make it short and save yourself some time and stress! It is 100% okay to only do immediate family portraits.
  3. We can always do more later… If you have a large family, or one of your grandparents is desperate for that large photo of ALL the grandkids, we can take some of those during the reception! Please let us know in advance if this is what you are hoping to do so we make sure it happens.
  4. Inform your family. Make sure those who are in the photos know when and where they need to be.
  5. Consider the timing of family portraits. When planning your timeline, family portraits can be tricky to place. If you have a smaller family or your siblings are all in the wedding party, do family portraits before the ceremony so you can have more time to enjoy after!
  6. Casual or Formal. We most often see formal family portraits included at wedding days, but feel free to build in a little extra time in your family portraits for some relaxed, casual photos, too!