Family formals are an essential part on a wedding day. These are the pictures that will be displayed on a frame at many of your relatives places, or even at yours!
Tips on How to Get the Most of your Family Formals Time
There are some times that the bride and groom are not so concerned about dedicating the proper time to this portraits. But don’t worry! I got you covered. Your photographer should be there to open this and other conversations and guide through the best wedding experience you ever imagined.
Here are some tips for wedding family formals.
I.- Inform all the family members in advance
It is absolutely imperative that you inform all of the family members to be on time to the designated meeting place for photos. I can’t even count how many times I’ve had family members not only be late, but also skip the entire designated family portraits time. Even if just one person is late, they can cause serious delays for the portraits. If you have family members who are chronically late, perhaps tell them to arrive even earlier than necessary to avoid delays.
II.- Save enough time for Family Formals
It is important that you manage expectations based on the amount of time you are about to provide your photographer to take family photos. Nobody can photograph fifty groupings in thirty minutes. It’s simply not possible! A good time estimate for family formals is two to three minutes per grouping. This might seem like a long time to take one photo, but there’s more to it than simply taking a photo.
III.- Limit your Groups List
Another important factor about How to Get the Most of your Family Formals is trying to limit your family portrait list to the groupings that matter most to you. I recommend no more than ten to twelve groups. Think about which ones will actually be printed and framed or used in an album design. Additionally, I recommend that couples condense groupings as much as possible, as you don’t need a hundred combinations of the same people.
Personally, I’d actually love to have more candid laughing or smiling images of my family than camera-aware shots. By limiting your formal family portrait list to the essential groupings, you allow me more time to capture natural, genuine images of your loved ones.
Know that large extended family group photos can also be taken during the reception or cocktail hour.
IV.- Be Aware of Uncomfortable or Special Family Dynamics
Before the wedding, I always ask my couples to inform me of any family situations that might affect family portraits. For example. if the bride’s or groom’s parents are divorced, I definitely don’t want to ask them to hold hands in a photo or say anything that might make them upset or uneasy.
I hope this tips on How to Get the Most of your Family Formals help you to have the best family portraits on your wedding day. A very important ones in terms of legacy and what it will be passing through generations.
For more Tips and Inspiration for your Wedding Day don’t miss my Bridal Guide.
