February, 2024
Family Formal Photos
Wedding Things
Gathering around a photo of all your loved ones. Telling stories about each one. Who is funny, who is serious and who is most likely to cause a scene at the next wedding? This is one of the reasons family formal photos are so important!
My husband Will and I recently lost 3 family members within a few months of each other. It has been one of the hardest seasons of life, and we have flipped through our wedding album more than once to find photos of these loved ones who are no longer on earth.
That is why family formal photos are so important on your wedding day!
I want them to be something the couple AND photographers look forward to. It doesn’t have to be complicated. In this post, I want to address what family formal photos are and how to make them as fun and smooth as possible.
Who?
The biggest question I get from couples about family formals is “Who?” Who are in these formal photos?
The quick answer is immediate family and grand parents. Time is limited, and we want the couple to make it to the reception on time! Family formal photos are for immediate family members and grand parents.
Who is an immediate family member? In photography land, it is anyone who grew up in the same house as you with their spouses and offspring (their kids :) ).
For example: The bride’s brother is immediate family. The bride’s brother’s spouse is immediate family. The bride’s brother’s children are immediate family.
The following is an example list of immediate family photographs! With this list, your photographer can keep the photos around 20 minutes long, and still have time for wedding party and romantic photos!
Couple with bride’s parents
Couple with bride’s grand parents
Couple with groom’s parents
Couple with groom’s grandparents
Couple with both sets of parents
Couple with bride’s siblings (and siblings families)
Couple with groom’s siblings (and siblings families)
Couple with both immediate families (bride’s parents and siblings and groom’s parents and siblings)
Extended family such as cousins, aunts and uncles can of course be photographed! However, I highly recommend setting a time during the reception for extended family photos.
We will work together on a list of family members a few weeks before your wedding. That way everyone is prepared to be in the right place at the right time!
When?
So, when is the best time for these photos to take place? When everyone is all dressed up and in the same place at the same time. Immediately after the ceremony is a great time for family formal photos! Once these photos are done, family members not in the wedding party can join cocktail hour. We will photograph young children and grandparents first so they can make their way to the reception and refreshments.
Where?
We LOVE doing family formal photos outside if possible. However, if there are loved ones in your family with mobility restrictions we will take these photos as near to the ceremony site as possible to limit the amount they have to move. The best space is somewhere everyone can access comfortably.
Important Tips
These are a few tips to help family formal photos go as smoothly as possible!
Let the immediate family members know to stay!
Let them know before the wedding that you would love for them to be a part of your family formal photos. All they need to do is stick around the ceremony site a few minutes before going to the refreshments. Then remind them as many times as you want! One couple had the ushers give reminder invitations as the immediate family members were seated at the ceremony. It was such a cool physical reminder that they were supposed to be a part of the family photos!
Have a family gatherer.
This person (or people) know your family well! They will be able to help your photographer find certain members of the family and know the faces that go with the names of the people on your family formal photo list.
Kids and grand parents first.
This will ensure the least amount of tears shed. We will photograph the kiddos and grand parents first so they can make their way to refreshments as soon as possible!
Extended family at the reception.
Extended family photos are great! To get the couple to the reception on time, I highly recommend doing any extended family photos during the reception. The easiest way is to have the DJ make an announcement. “Would all the smith family, cousins, aunts, etc. make their way to the patio for a photo” will ensure the extended family gets to the correct place and ends up in the photograph.
Make a list.
A lot of couples try to remember their family formal photos without a list. Some of them can do it, however most of the time it causes unnecessary stress. Creating a list to give to your photographer and your family gatherers is a great way to delegate this responsibility. Let us take care of getting the family to the photos. Your only job is to enjoy the first few minutes of being married! We will work together a few weeks before (once all the RSVPs are in) to create a family photo list. I will have it ready to give the family gatherer on the day of the wedding!
Family can be complicated, but family formal photos don’t have to be!
Family Formal Photos by Emily Stuckey February, 2024
