How to Organize Wedding Day Family Portraits + Free Checklist!

Family portraits are often one of the most stressful parts of a wedding day for photographers, but they don’t have to be! Preparing yourself and your clients ahead of time is KEY for making this process smooth and efficient for both you and your clients. Today, I’m excited to share with you some of my top tips on how to organize wedding day family portraits. AND as a thank you for being here, I’ve created a free checklist just for you! 🙂 Let’s dive in!

 

*Disclaimer: Some of the links shared in this blog post are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them, but at no extra cost to you!

 

 

How to Organize Wedding Day Family Portraits

Make a Plan

 

Help your clients manage their wedding day timeline, and build family portraits into that timeline.

Where and when will family portraits happen?

I usually recommend doing them before the ceremony if possible! After the ceremony, emotions are running high. Hugs, kisses, and congratulations are being exchanged, and guests rushing to cocktail hour. It’s easy for people to forget about the scheduled family portraits. However, scheduling family portraits before a ceremony is not always an option! In that case, make a solid plan with your clients to keep things organized (so guests are notified of where they need to be and at what time).

Some ways to do this are:

 

• Have your clients personally tell family members ahead of time, where and when portraits will be.
• Have the officiant make an announcement right after the ceremony while guests are still present.

 

Make sure family members know exactly where to go so portraits can start quickly!

 

How to Organize Wedding Day Family Portraits

Prep Your Clients Ahead of Time

Send out a Wedding Day Questionnaire before their big day. This should include a section/question asking about any special circumstances you should be aware of – separated parents, step-parents, disabilities, etc. Making a plan for these details ahead of time will make you feel much more confident and ensure the family portraits run much smoother.

If parents are separated, don’t assume they want photos together. Ask first! I always tell my couples that if they WANT that photo but don’t want to be the one to insist on it, I”m happy to be the “bad guy” and do it anyway. 😂 After all, it’s their wedding photos!

Also, build in an extra 15-20 minute buffer for family portraits. If you finish early, awesome! Grab some water, take a bathroom break, or take some time for those other random groupings that guests might want. You’d rather have extra time than be rushing.

 

How to Organize Wedding Day Family Portraits

Find the Best Light

Lighting can really make or break your family portraits, and sometimes the perfect light can be hard to find. Here’s what I look for, and in what order:

• Open shade = your best friend for family portraits! If you can find a large area with open shade and an attractive background, woo! It’s also convenient to have the family photo location relatively close to the ceremony spot. Sometimes you can even use the ceremony spot for the family portraits!

• Spotted shade = next best bet! Position your subjects so the sun is behind them and place yourself in a spot where the sun doesn’t hit your camera lens. If it hits your lens, you’re gonna get some haze and/or sun flares that, while sometimes beautiful, are not ideal for family portraits.

• Full sun = no one’s favorite, but you can always make it work if needed! Position the sun off to one side rather than directly in front or behind them. You want it behind them but off to the side. Again, you don’t want the sure hitting your lens directly. If needed, use your hand to block the sun flares from your lens.

• Overcast on your wedding day? Awesome! Overcast days are super flattering for portraits. If possible, place your subjects so that they are facing the sun. If you don’t know where it is, use the hand trick.

How to Organize Wedding Day Family Portraits

How to Pose Large Groups

• Always place the couple in the center in a standard V-shape.

• If holding a bouquet, they can hold it together, or the partner(s) in pants can place their outer hand in their pocket. That always looks sharp. 🙂

• Have everyone else line up on their family side like little lemon wedges, angled slightly toward the couple, belly button to the back of the person in front of them. You want them at a nice 45 degree angle.

• Make sure everyone’s in a nice straight line and not bowing towards you at the edges. A straight line will ensure everyone remains in focus.

• Kiddos can stand in front!

I should also mention that it’s a good idea to check in with your couple ahead of time about grandparent mobility. You might need to have chairs stationed nearby for guests who need to be seated while they wait, and it’s possible you may need to add a chair or two in the portraits. (Pro tip: you can buy a small portable chair or collapsable stool to have on hand if needed on wedding days!)

 

 

How to Organize Wedding Day Family Portraits

Day of Tips

• Scout your location ahead of time so you’re not scrambling at the last minute.

• If you’re managing a large family and you don’t know who’s who, use a point person! Ask a bridesmaid, groomsmen, or sibling to help you.

• Always start with the nuclear family! (See free checklist below.)

• Guests will probably ask you for additional groupings. Politely let them know that you’ll grab those extra photos right after the planned list is completed. They are usually more than happy to wait. (If you’re at a large wedding and have a second photographer handy, you can have them grab those groupings for you!)

• It’s OK to raise your voice. 🙂 I’m not saying straight up yell (though I’ve definitely done that before 😂), but don’t be afraid to take control. YOU are the photographer. YOU are the chosen one. Family will understand.

• Use a checklist! While I personally don’t use one anymore for elopements and micro-weddings, it’s a MUST-HAVE for me during those larger weddings with extensive family portraits. It will ensure you don’t miss a shot!

 

My Gift To You!

 

 

I have a special gift just for you! It’s the Ultimate Family Photo Checklist for Wedding Photographers. This checklist includes all your must-have family combinations listed in the best order to keep things running smoothly. Wanna know the best part? It’s printable!

 

Download your FREE checklist here! >> FREE CHECKLIST

How to Organize Wedding Day Family Portraits

Bonus Combinations

Because I can’t resist, here are a few more combinations you can keep in your back pocket to really go above and beyond for your wedding clients. While these aren’t always possible and time is always of the essence, I find my clients really appreciate it when I suggest these combinations at the end of our family portrait time.

• JUST the parents together. (Because, when was the last time they had a personal photo of just the two of them?)
• Grandparents with grandkids. 🙂 So sweet!
• Generation photos (Grandma, Mom, Bride, Daughter and/or Grandpa, Dad, Groom, Son.)

I hope you found this article helpful! Have any questions for me? Drop them below and I’ll be happy to answer! 🙂

 

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