Family portraits at weddings- to me they are the second most important focal point of a wedding day. If you think about it, family members go years without seeing each other & a wedding is a good way to have a reunion. I hear it all the time – “get a photo of so & so, oh my gosh this never happens!” & that’s good! We want these family photos to treasure for years & years! So, to get the best family photos on your wedding day, I’ve compacted my top 3 wedding family portrait tips to help you out on your wedding day!

Create a List

We have to start somewhere! I highly suggest drafting two lists. One being for immediate family & the second being for extended family. You & your babe are going to grab some coffee (or wine depending on the time of day) & create lists of who you two want included in your family portraits. I highly suggest writing down every sequence that you would like to document & then giving your photographer a copy or if it’s a Google Doc, to send it.This way when it comes time to doing the family portraits your photographer has a list to follow & check off as portraits are taken. It’s also good to have when you’re wondering if a family portrait was taken, you can go back & see it was checked off.

Have a Designated Helper

Another great help to make sure family portraits on your wedding day run smoothly is to have a family member, friend, or wedding party member designated to helping gather others that are involved in the family portraits. It also comes in clutch if they have a loud voice that can reach! This helps with keeping the family portraits on track and getting them done in a timely manner.

Inform Your Wedding Photographer of Family Dynamics

Your wedding photographer will already have a relationship established with you and your babe, but we haven’t met your families yet and so it’s important to inform your wedding photographer if there are any dynamics we should be aware of! For example, divorce, declining health of loved ones, those needing wheelchairs or walkers, etc. This helps us navigate where to put certain family members & who needs to be priority on the list that has been made.