Keep Group Photos Simple

Family and group photographs are an important part of your wedding gallery. They document the people who came to celebrate with you and give you photographs you’ll be glad to have in the years ahead.

That said, group photos can quickly become one of the longest parts of the day. Gathering everyone, finding missing family members and arranging large groups can take up valuable time. After a long group photo session, many couples are tired of standing in one place and smiling, and may even end up sacrificing some of their own couple’s portrait time just to finish a lengthy list. Understandably, they’re often ready to get back to enjoying their wedding.

We recommend keeping your group photo list small and intentional.

Focus on the photographs that matter most

Rather than photographing every possible combination, think about the groupings you’ll genuinely want to look back on. Immediate family, grandparents, siblings and the wedding party are usually the most important.

A simple list might include:

• The couple with both sets of parents
  The couple with each set of parents
  The couple with siblings
  The couple with grandparents
  The full wedding party
  The couple with any other especially important family members

You may also want one larger photograph with everyone, especially if you’re having a smaller wedding. Beyond that, many combinations can begin to feel repetitive.

Keep the list organized

The best way to make family photographs run smoothly is to prepare the list in advance. We’ll use it as a guide and work through each grouping efficiently.

It helps to:

• Use full names rather than just “Mom” or “Uncle”
  Organize the list from largest group to smallest
  Let family members know when and where photos will take place
  Ask someone who knows both families to help gather people
  Mention any family situations or sensitivities ahead of time

Having someone designated to help locate people can save a surprising amount of time. We can focus on photographing while they help make sure the next group is ready.

Plan for the right amount of time

For a small, organized list, family photographs usually take around 15–20 minutes. As a general guide, we suggest allowing approximately two minutes for each grouping, with extra time for larger groups that need to be gathered, arranged or located. Larger lists can easily take 30 minutes or more.

We’ll help you build group photographs into your timeline so they don’t take over the day. Whenever possible, we suggest scheduling them immediately after the ceremony, while everyone is already gathered in one place.

Let the rest happen naturally

Not every important photograph needs to be formally arranged. Throughout the day, we’ll photograph hugs, conversations, laughter and the smaller interactions between family and friends.
These natural photographs often feel more personal than a long list of posed combinations. They show how the people closest to you spent the day together, without asking everyone to stop what they’re doing and line up.
Group photographs are worth making time for, but they don’t need to be an exhausting process. Keeping the list focused means you’ll have the photographs that matter most while getting back to your celebration sooner.