One of the most important but often overlooked parts of a wedding day timeline is the family photos. These portraits are cherished heirlooms that become the most printed photos from a gallery and are passed down for generations. So, they deserve intentional planning. At Amanda May Photos, I’ve created a process that makes your family photos on a wedding day smooth, efficient, and stress-free while ensuring every meaningful combination is captured beautifully.
Step One: Building Your Shot List
The very first step to organizing family formals is creating a detailed shot list. This list outlines every combination of family members you want photographed and places them in an order that flows naturally. If your photographer doesn’t provide one, ask if you can supply your own. When you hire Amanda May Photos, I automatically build this list for you while creating your custom wedding timeline.
Here’s how I recommend starting:
- List every family member by name and relationship.
- Think through immediate family combinations first (parents, siblings, grandparents).
- Work in an order that minimizes moving the bride. Since her dress and veil are often still perfectly in place, it’s more difficult for her to move than everyone else around her.
A typical starting sequence may include:
- Bride with MOB (Mother of Bride)
- Bride with FOB (Father of Bride)
- Bride & Groom with both sets of parents
- Bride & Groom with siblings + their families
- Bride & Groom with both immediate families together
- Bride & Groom with both sets of parents
- Repeat for Groom’s immediate family in reverse order
Within the immediate family section, we divide the groupings into three categories: Bride’s Side, Both Sides, and Groom’s Side for the smoothest flow.
Step Two: Deciding on Extended Family
Extended family can add lots of extra time to your family formals. My advice? Decide whether these groupings are truly necessary. Ask yourself:
- Are you very close with your extended family?
- Do you gather with them regularly?
- Is this the first time in years everyone will be in one place?
If yes, extended family photos are worth it. To keep things efficient, I recommend one large group photo for each side of the family rather than multiple small combinations. If you absolutely want individual households photographed, we can do it but plan for an extra 10 minutes or more. Sometimes, these smaller unit photos fit better as informal shots at the reception instead.
Step Three: Always Include Grandparents
Grandparents hold a special place on a wedding day. I always prioritize getting portraits with them. Both individual photos with the couple and group photos with their side of the family. These photos often become some of the most treasured heirlooms in the years to come.
Step Four: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
The most stressful part of family photos on a wedding day isn’t the photography. It’s tracking people down. Extended family members especially tend to disappear to cocktail hour after the ceremony. To avoid this, I recommend:
- Communicating clearly before the wedding who needs to stay.
- Texting your family the list ahead of time so they know they’re included.
- Giving a quick reminder at the rehearsal dinner so no one forgets.
This small step saves enormous amounts of time on the actual wedding day.
Key Takeaways for Stress-Free Family Photos
To keep your family photos on a wedding day quick, painless, and meaningful, remember:
- Build a shot list with thoughtful, pre-planned combinations.
- Communicate with your family members ahead of time.
- Prioritize immediate family and grandparents, and only include extended family if it truly matters to you.
With these steps in place, your family photos will be an enjoyable part of your wedding day instead of a stressful one, which leaves you more time to celebrate, laugh, and soak in the joy with your favorite people.
I’m a Knoxville Wedding Photographer that loves to travel. I shoot anywhere! Click here to contact me with any questions you have about pricing or booking! If you liked what you saw above, go ahead and follow me on Facebook or Instagram to see my daily updates of the latest sessions!
See more from Amanda May Photos’s Wedding Planning 101 Series:
The Guide
A lot of moving pieces go into planning a wedding day timeline, and we know it's easy to feel like a hot mess! Grab our free guide to plan the perfect timeline for your day.
