Family Photos

Our photog has a system where he puts you in the middle and then in order of importance out from there on both sides. Starts taking pics and then whittling down the crowd from the outside in to get through them the fast and make the transitions smoother.

View quoted message Hmmm this is interesting I might consider this! We have approximately 300 guests and my fiancé has a huge family so it just worries me about how long it could take but big group shots is a good idea thanks!

We included all the family beforehand in the room for nice family shots ad group pictures after the wedding ceremony.

We're doing group photos with everyone that comes. After our ceremony, we will be dividing guests into groups and taking pictures with them. We will let people know beforehand so they are prepared. But, I wanted pictures with everyone that came.

Distant relatives will end up in the photos anyway. Maybe take one big group shot with all the guests, but beyond that, I would just do parents, grandparents ad siblings (and siblings spouses/partners).

We’ll be doing our immediate family (parents/siblings/niece/nephew and grandmothers). Hoping to get one big photo of us all together at the same time

Just do a giant photo of your side and one with his side. That is my plan!

In our pictures we had immediate family only for my husband's side (his parents, his sisters and their spouses and the nephews and niece) and on my side we had my extended family (my mum and her bf, uncle and his wife, my 2 cousins and my grandma). I think it depends on the family situation/dynamic. It seems like you all get along and stuff and are a large group so limiting photos to immediate family and grandparents may be a good idea.

We'll probably just include our immediate families.

View quoted message Lol right! I’m worried about that, it’s crazy how family members try to have so much say in your wedding sometimes haha but when I have kids I’ll probably understand

I think grandparents and parents are perfect. I’ve decided to do it this way. You get to include the ones closest to you, without hurting any feelings and it won’t take forever lol

Parents, siblings, grandparents and bridal party. If we start involving aunts and uncles that’s gonna be a nightmare. Like 90% of my half is all family. I’ll have our photographer get more shots of everyone when we’re in the reception

We are just having our parents, siblings and his grandparents for the family that are doing photos. And his grandparents will only be in a few, one with just him, him and his parents then all of us.. we don't want photos to take longer than they need to and we don't need to include everyone's cousins even though his mom might try to make us lol

View quoted message Lol love it, way to have your guys back! Sounds like a great photographer!

View quoted message Lol I’ve never been to one that’s done this! The perks of the community I’ve gotten so many great tips on here!

View quoted message Yes ours has two shooters as well I’m pretty relieved about that! It’s a good idea having the officiant announce!

View quoted message What I tell my family and future in laws is that this how much I’m paying for additional hours it is this much. If you want to contribute go ahead. But at the end of the day if you have an awesome photographer they will make sure you get the photos you want and will tell everyone that it’s not what you wanted. Our photographer is awesome he has pretty much said he doesn’t mind being mean on the wedding day to make sure we get the photos we want.

What can I say, I’m a smart cookie lol
All the family weddings we’ve ever been to always do one big photo with everyone. This way you hopefully don’t miss anyone 😊

I hadn't really thought ahead this far... which I probably should, as we are doing first look photos, and almost all family photos before the ceremony. I don't want everyone seeing me before the ceremony though... so perhaps we will do the immediate family photos and our bride/groom photos, then take just a 30 minute break before the reception for some extended family photos. I have 4 siblings (full sis, half sis, 2 step sis) and my fiance has one brother... plus my mom, dad, step dad, his dad, his mom... we have one grandparent left between us, and she probably won't be attending, and having Adults Only, so no kids... hopefully that minimizes some photos.

My photographer is going to be at the reception for about 4 hours or so, so I'm not too worried about getting pictures with other extended family members/guests during that time.

Our rough planning is this. After our ceremony us and the wedding party will walk down the aisle. have everyone turn around for a large group photo (have officiant announce). and then the officiant will ask family members we want in photos to stay around (just announce by last name). i'm getting larger group family photos. so say my FH's dad and his sisters/their kids etc.
but I plan on doing it with having a list written out with family names and having a friend corral/call people out. I did it last year at her wedding. and it worked really well and went by fairly quickly.
its important to me some of the family photos as a lot of our families we don't get to see often. I am also lucky that my photog comes with 2 shooters.

View quoted message Yeah I didn’t even think of this, so smart! We are having a big wedding min 300 people but I’m sure the photographer can do it!

Best bet is to do one big group photo of everyone. Family and friends included. This is what we do.

I think we'll have people stay in their seats or just stand there for a group picture taken from the altar, with us in the aisle or something. The church has an elevated stage, so it will be easier for the photographer to get everyone this way.

Other than that, I don't want to take big group shots.

Just our parents, siblings, nephews and niece means 20 people. If we were to include aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, his family has 45 peoples and mine has 44, and I don't feel like tracking everyone.

I do want pictures with my grandparents however, but they'll have to be taken at the ceremony or reception location, because they're not healthy enough to stand for a long time. Still, they are very dear to me and will have been married 69 years, so they're a great example for us.

View quoted message I love this I’ll have to mention it to our photographer thanks for sharing!

View quoted message I hope so! We do have a little photo area in our tent that I was hoping we could use for photo opportunities too just didn’t want to offend my grandma I’ll just talk to her before hand so we’re on the same page. Thanks!

View quoted message Exactly! You just turn around and stand with them so you're in the shot and surrounded by all your loved ones!

View quoted message

Exactly!! There will be tons of times for photos! Also since you're outdoors it'll be even easier to get a big group arranged for a few quick photos!

View quoted message Omg that’s an awesome idea! So while you’re still standing at the “alter” get a big group shot before you exit?

View quoted message So true! Our photographer will leave after supper and first dances are over though but someone else can take photos at the reception doesn’t have to be professional.

We're doing immediate family; however our officiant recommended something that I think we may do. Before you walk down the aisle after the ceremony, have your wedding guests shuffle over to fill in the aisle and space behind you - get one big group shot and then you don't need to worry about tracking people down for photos afterward.

I think for the formal professional shoots we will keep it to parents and grandparents!

Aunts and Uncles would be great but like you said... it would take so much longer... Unless we did like 2 or 3 BIG group shots I would be fine with that but my photo list that I want is fairly specific and doesn't have extended fam (unless they're in the bridal party)

There will be time for photos at the reception too!

View quoted message I’ll have to mention the part about paying the photographer to get a lot of photos of my fiancé and myself I like that and I’m sure everyone can understand this!