Tips for Easy Family Wedding Photos

Taking the time on your wedding day to pause for family group photos, is likely something you’ve been considering! Your family is important to you! Having photos of them on your wedding day is part of the story. We know that you want your formal portraits to go smoothly and quickly, so you can get back to spending quality time with the people you love. You know… actually enjoying your cocktail hour and getting all the big hugs from your favourite people! So here’s a few tips for easy family wedding photos & a stress-free, epic wedding day!

Get Organized with A ‘Must-Have’ Photo List

During your wedding planning process, take time to craft out a list of all the different groupings of family photos you want. Start with the largest grouping of a family cluster. For example, the parents and siblings. If you want smaller clusters of the same people, do those photos right after. For example, the couple with the parents, and then the couple with the siblings. 

By starting with your largest group and working down to smaller clusters of people, you’ll have everyone ready to go. This means we can make a quick transition between the different photos. You want this to be efficient right!? After you have all the photos done with that group of people, they can be crossed off your list. They know they don’t need to be on call for more photos and can go relax and enjoy the rest of the festivities!

No More Than 10-ish Groupings…

We recommend no more than about 10-ish (give or take) different variations of formal groupings. Why? While family and group photos are usually a must have for most of us… more than 20-30 minutes of these ‘classic portraits’ can be overwhelming and tiring – for you! Each different group set up will often take a couple of minutes to get everyone organized and looking at the camera. We recommend choosing the most important groups for these types of photos (often immediate family, and/or one or two larger extended family photos) – and then we can always make time for more candid shots throughout the day with other groups and family members during the cocktail hour or reception part of your day. The candid style group photos are more relaxed and can capture the spirit of your day.

Have A Helper for Your Family Photos…

Secondly, ask someone in your wedding party or a family member to help organize the different groupings of photos. The person you choose should know everyone and be able to call them out by name. Choosing someone who is comfortable calling out everyone loudly and clearly is ideal… you know, maybe the cousin who doesn’t need a microphone!

You’ll provide your helper with the list before your wedding day. This way, you can relax and let them wrangle everybody up so you don’t need to worry about it. You have enough on our plate today! Asking someone else to do this part allows you to let go of any stress of organizing and keeping people in check. It also lets your family and friends play a part in your day which can make them feel good too! 

Choosing the Best Time for Family Photos

In general, it is often the easiest to schedule your family photos immediately following the ceremony. Having photos right after means that everyone is right in front of you looking their best. You can ask your officiant or a wedding party member to announce that family photos will be taking place. This way, your guests will know there will be a short break before the next part of your wedding day. 

Location Tips for Family Wedding Photos

Additionally, if you’re planning to do your family photos right after the ceremony, that means you know your ceremony area will be the place for photos. Chat with your photographer so they can take a look around before your wedding day. They’ll be able to suggest the exact best location for your photos.

The area that is chosen should be big enough to accomodate your largest grouping of people. Additionally, it is best if the area is in shade, or the sun is positioned behind everyone. The location of the sun is important to make sure we don’t have everyone squinting in your photos.

Another thing to keep in mind for outdoor photos is uneven ground. The photo location shouldn’t have any dramatic slopes or ramps. But hey, it’s prairie Manitoba so you’re probably fine! 

Photos & Galleries Are Easy To Share

In case you didn’t know, all wedding galleries with New Copper Photography are shareable so you can easily send family members links to the gallery. You can also create specific sections to be shareable if you don’t want everyone to have access to the full collection.

Galleries are connected to an online print shop so you can easily order high quality prints through your gallery. This way, you’ll be guaranteed your orders will come out looking amazing! Skip the drama of Walmart or Costco and use a professional photo lab for your favourite photos.

The online shop includes a great collection of print products including all sizes of prints, calendars, canvases, greeting cards, and even holiday ornaments. When you share your gallery with friends and family, they can also order through the built-in store if they choose. The gallery and online shop is easy to use even for those who aren’t super tech savvy.

Easy Family Wedding Photos

While the only true constant thing in life is change… we know our moments are fleeting. Take time to appreciate the pieces of your story – from the grand moments, to the quiet details, to your family photos. You memories deserve to be brought to life and enjoyed again and again. One of the best ways to do this is through physical prints. Enjoy your photos every day of the year by printing them and putting them up in your home.  

If you’re looking for something a little extra special for your family photos, a wedding album is another great option to bring your photos to life! Check out our fully customizable album options HERE on the website.

Keep It Simple…

While you may want to include all of your family members and friends in the photos, it’s important to keep it simple. Too many people in the photos can be overwhelming and take away from the focus on you, the couple. Stick to a list of must-have photos and consider including extended family and friends in candid shots throughout the day.

And hey, if a giant family photo of everyone is important to you – we will of course make it happen! Check out this one, Aaron and Mark celebrated with extended family the day after their wedding for a family BBQ. It’s not everyday you have all your people together at the same time right!?

If this is something you’re interested in doing too, make sure to tell your photographer. You’ll need a ladder and a much larger area to accomplish a 50+ person family photo!

Planning your family formal photos ahead of time can help to make the process go smoothly. It will also ensure that you have beautiful memories to cherish for all the years to come! By creating a list of must-have photos, discussing timing, choosing a location, communicating with family members, and keeping it simple, you can make your family formal photos a stress-free and enjoyable part of your wedding day.

Need Some Planning Help?

Be sure to check out our FREE Wedding Timeline Planner Guide to help you map out the different parts of your wedding day! Download it here…