Who is Usually in Family Photos at Weddings?

Family photos are a crucial part of any wedding day and are used to look back on for years after your big day! From your online photo gallery, the images you or family members will hang on your walls in your homes, or in your personalized wedding album. They are the memories that you will cherish for a lifetime, and they serve as a reminder of the love and support of your family and friends on your special day. However, getting family photos taken on a wedding day can be a bit tricky. In this blog, I will discuss the importance of family photos and what I want all of my couples (and any other couple) to think about in regards to timing and various combinations of portraits you may want.

The Importance of Family Photos

Family photos are a timeless tradition that has been around for centuries. They serve as a reminder of the love and support of your family and friends on your special day. Each and every family dynamic is completely different. For example, not everyone is close with their parents which is totally ok! These portraits are meant to capture the emotions of the day, the joy and happiness, the tears and the laughter.

In whatever way you would like to look back on your wedding day with happiness, I want to be here to capture it all. What I’ll be discussing today is the formal portraits that you will see sprinkled throughout this blog. Candid moments throughout the day like your mom helping you get dressed or your brother teasing you or your grandma getting down on the dance floor at your reception are not included as those moments happen organically.

Timing

Timing is everything when it comes to family photos on a wedding day. You want to make sure you have enough time to take all the photos you want, but you also want to make sure you’re not keeping your guests waiting for too long. A good rule of thumb is to allocate about 30 minutes for family photos.

Typically I suggest doing family portraits immediately following the ceremony right where the two of you just were standing. This way, no one has gotten away to socialize, get a drink, or gone to the bathroom. They are there and we can fly through them.

It’s important to communicate with your photographer about the timing of family photos. They will be able to advise you on the best time to take them based on the lighting and schedule of the day. They will also be able to help you create a timeline that ensures you have enough time to take all the photos you want without feeling rushed.

Combinations of Portraits

There are many different combinations of family portraits you can take on your wedding day. Begin writing down everyone for your family and your partner’s family. Please remember, your wedding day is NOT a family reunion. If your family is not already getting together with their own families to get nice photos taken, that does not mean that you should be taking up that burden. If they wanted to get nice photos taken, they would have.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Couple with Immediate Family: This is a classic portrait that includes you two with your parents and siblings.
2. Couple with Grandparents: Including grandparents in your family photos is a beautiful way to honor their memory and keep them close on your special day.
3. *** Couple with Extended Family: If you have a large family, you may want to take a portrait with all your aunts, uncles, and cousins. I ONLY recommend doing these as big group portraits, if at all. I know you love them but I would like for you to remember that your wedding day is not a family reunion. I’ll share a few ideas as we continue through this blog!
4. Couple with Close Friends: Your closest friends are like family, and taking a portrait with them is a great way to remember the special bond you share.

Tips for Successful Family Photos

Create a Shot List: Work with your photographer to create a shot list that includes all the combinations of family portraits you want. This will ensure that no one is left out, and you get all the photos you want.

Assign a Family Member: Assign a family member to help wrangle family members for the photo session. This should NOT be one of your parents because in all my years of experience, no matter how amazing your parents are, they get into hosting mode and will chitchat with everyone. They may not return for a long time! Whoever you choose, this person can help gather family members, keep everyone organized, and ensure that the photo session stays on schedule.

Communicate with Family Members: Make sure all family members know when and where the photo session will take place. This will help ensure that everyone is on time and ready to go.

Write down First Names: Your photographer, planner, coordinator, etc. will not know who these people are but things run SO much smoother when you write down first names. I actually model this off of my own mother who notoriously will NEVER answer to “Mom” no matter how much she should recognize her own child’s voice as we try to get her attention. Yet, the moment this woman hears “LESLIE!” she immediately responds. Yes, I blame her lol

Here is an exact Family Photo Combination List

that you can copy for yourself!

(Heterosexual Version, LGBTQ+ Couples keep scrolling for yours!)

• PARENTS
  • Bride + Groom + Both Sets of Parents
  • Bride + Bride’s Mom
  • Bride + Bride’s Dad
  • Bride + Bride’s Parents
  • Bride + Groom + Bride’s Parents
  • Bride + Groom + Groom’s Parents
  • Groom + Groom’s Parents
  • Groom + Groom’s Mom
  • Groom + Groom’s Dad

• SIBLINGS
  • Bride + Groom + Bride’s Family (Parents + Siblings)
  • Bride + Groom + Groom’s Family (Parents + Siblings)
  • Bride + Groom + Bride’s Family (Parents + Siblings) + Groom’s Family (Parents + Siblings)

• GRANDPARENTS
  • Bride + Groom + Bride’s Grandparents
  • Bride + Groom + Groom’s Grandparents
  • Bride + Groom + Bride’s Family (Grandparents, Parents, Siblings) + Groom’s Family (Grandparents, Parents, Siblings)

• ANY OTHER REQUESTS *** this is where you might want to input a friend group OR any extended family like Aunts, Uncles, & Cousins. Here are a few examples***
  • Bride + Groom + Smith Family
  • Bride + Groom + Groom’s Dad’s Side (Thomas Family)
  • Bride + Groom + College friends – these should be done sometime during your reception!

 Here is the version for any of my LGBTQ+ Couples!

• PARENTS
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + Both Sets of Parents
  • Partner #1 + Their Mom
  • Partner #1 + Their Dad
  • Partner #1 + Both of Their Parents
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + Both of Partner #1’s Parents
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + Both of Partner #2’s Parents
  • Partner #2 + Both of Their Parents
  • Partner #2 + Their Mom
  • Partner #2 + Their Dad

• SIBLINGS
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + Partner #1’s Family (Parents + Siblings)
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + Partner #2’s Family (Parents + Siblings)
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + Partner #1’s Family (Parents + Siblings) + Partner #2’s Family (Parents + Siblings)

• GRANDPARENTS
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + Partner #1’s Grandparents
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + Partner #2’s Grandparents
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + Partner #1’s Family (Grandparents, Parents, Siblings) + Partner #2’s Family (Grandparents, Parents, Siblings)

• ANY OTHER REQUESTS *** this is where you might want to input a friend group OR any extended family like Aunts, Uncles, & Cousins. Here are a few examples***
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + Smith Family
  • Partner #1 + Partner #2 + College friends – these should be done sometime during your reception!

Conclusion

Hopefully this helps you go through all of the combinations you may want for yourself! Again, chat with your wedding photographer about what they recommend. If you would like to see examples of some family portraits, I do include a few each wedding day which you can find on other blogs of mine! Family photos are a crucial part of any wedding day. They serve as a reminder of the love and support of your family and friends on your special day. When planning your family photo session, remember to think about timing and various combinations of portraits you may want. Assign a family member who is not one of your parents to help wrangle family members for the photo list. With a little planning, you can ensure that your family photo session goes smoothly, and you get all the photos you want!