Preparing for Family Portraits || Midwest Wedding Photographer
Family portraits are normally the most stressful part of a wedding day, for everyone. There are just SO many people, and there is so much to do in a short time. I know part of it will always be a little chaotic, but I do believe a little bit of preparation can go a LONG way during family portraits. Here are just a handful of ways to make your family portrait time run like a well-oiled machine!
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List Family Combinations
In order to make the best use of your time, it is best to plan which family combinations you would like in pictures. You simply create a list of different combinations you’d like your photographer to capture in the half-hour planned for family photos. One tip is to list the family name and then each member {ex: bride and groom with the Fatheree family: Joe, Darlene, Taylor, Haley Nicole, & Hayden}. This helps the photographer know exactly who is suppose to be in each photograph. If you’re a #HNBride, don’t worry about this at all! This is already a part of your wedding questionnaire that you will receive a few months out from your date.
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Notify Your Family Before Wedding Day
In the weeks leading up to the wedding day, it is smart to send out a text message or give different families a call and let them know about the photos. This is especially important if you have family that lives far away that might need to leave immediately following the ceremony. It lets them properly plan to be a part of the photos.
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Ask a Friend for Assistance
Since your family will be a part of this portion of the day, it is important to ask a close friend {or your day-of coordinator} to help assist with family portraits. I, of course, am able to handle this portion of the day on my own. However, if your timeline is tight, this person will help us stay on time by finding people and grouping them together. It helps if the person you choose knows members of your family or isn’t afraid to ask around until they find someone.
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Notify Family on Wedding Day
You’ve notified your family beforehand, but they’ve likely forgotten at this point. No offense to you, but they would probably benefit from a polite reminder! It is best to have someone {other than the bride} send out a group reminder text the morning of your big day.
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Ask Officiant to Remind Family
So you told your family a few weeks before and the morning of, but it’s amazing how after the ceremony so many family members will forget!! It’s almost comical! It always frustrating when one person is missing from a family simply because they headed directly to cocktail hour. An easy trick to avoid this is to ask your officiant to make an announcement before everyone is dismissed. We did this at our wedding, and it was a HUGE help! The officiant can also give specific directions as where the family should meet for pictures.
Yes, family portraits can get a little crazy, but they are also really fun! It’s great to be squished between all of your loved ones. These pictures are some of the most printed images from my wedding day, and I know it will be the same for you too!