I was working on this delightful family formal photo from Anne & Andrew’s recent wedding and it got me thinking about writing this blog post. I love how you can get a sense of everyones individual personality and that it’s not an “everyone say cheese” kind of image.
Most of us just want to get through the dreaded wedding formals as fast as possible. Or better yet, skip them altogether. They certainly were not a priority at my own wedding. But I have to admit, after the fact, I am really glad that we took the time to take a few formal group photographs. Weddings are a rare occasion when both of your families are together along with your closest friends. It is well worth the time to take a few photos together where everyone looks lovely and happy together. Here are a few tips for less stress and more fun with your family formals…
1) Schedule Formals Before the Ceremony:
My number one tip is to make time for these before the wedding. I am a huge fan of “First Look” photos. More and more couples are opting to take photos before the ceremony so that they can enjoy going to their ceremony knowing that they have these important-but-not-always-the-most-fun-to-take-when-youre-missing-the-party photos. You are marrying the love of your life, your best friend. They are your rock, the personal who has your back and is with you every step of the way. What many couples find is that a few minutes together is just what they need to be able to relax, reconnect and feel excited and confident. Be sure to check out Why We Love “The First Look” – We loved taking formal photos before the ceremony and why you will too.
This is also a great time to have your bridesmaids, groomsmen and family all gather together for photos, without the distractions of cocktail hour, other guests or simply loosing track of them in the crowd.
2) Communicate Details with Family/Bridal Party Beforehand:
Be sure you share your schedule with anyone and everyone who will be in your formals. Make sure everyone knows where they are expected to be and when. It is also important to let them know at what point in the day they need to be dressed for photos, particularly if you are planning pre-cememony photos.
3) Designate a Bridal Party Wrangler
We always ask that our wedding clients assign someone with the task of making sure everyone is present and accounted for. We suggest someone who knows who all the various family members are by sight and can call out who is needed for desired family groupings. This sort of system allows your photographer to work more efficiently taking photos while your designated helper is working in the wings to make sure everyone is ready for the next grouping. We suggest that this be someone other than Bride & Groom so they can just relax and enjoy the process.
4) Do the Time Math and Choose Accordingly
When you average it out, it takes about 5 minutes per group shot. You need time to wrangle all the right people together, get everyone looking in the same direction, plus take a few extra photos in case someone blinks, etc. It is a good idea to think about the different photos you want to take and then add up the total to make sure you are allotting enough time. You may find that you need to add more time for photos than you originally thought or condense your must have list down enough to reasonable fit it into the time window your have available.
5) Consider Having Refreshments Available
Family formal photo time is often your bridal parties least favorite part of the day. Especially if they are missing a cocktail hour or other fun social events. But it doesn’t have to be. You could plan to have a few yummy snacks, cool drinks, and a comfortable place to sit. That can go a long way in keeping your loved ones happy while they wait for their turn.
6) Give Yourself Permission To Have Fun
Just because they are “Formal Photos” doesn’t mean you have to be serious. Not every photo needs to be a perfect pose with everyone smiling at the camera. In fact, my favorite photos are those in-between moments where there are genuine interactions going on. Or when everyone takes a few moments just to be silly together.