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Okay guys, let's be really honest here - nobody wants to spend hours taking photographs on their wedding day. You might want the memories and the gorgeous pictures, but you also want to actually participate in your day, chat to your guests and relax. We get it. It's one of the reasons we've gravitated towards candid, more documentary-style photography. Nobody wants to be told to smile at the camera on repeat.
But, chances are, you'd still like a selection of more traditional group photos with your close family members; The ones that make great Christmas gifts and inevitably spend their lives cluttering up your Mum's mantlepiece. Sometimes couples double check with us if we are happy to take those kind of group shots because they're so different from our usual vibe and the answer is, of course we are! It's your day, and we're there to capture it for you. If you want to spend your entire afternoon taking photos with your third cousin twice-removed, we'll absolutely be there clicking away and beaming, no problem.
Most of the time though, we find a solution that's a little more balanced! We have plenty of tips and tricks for making sure your formal photos go off without a hitch & keeping things as streamlined as possible so they don't take over your whole wedding. We thought it best to share them with any couple in the throes of wedding organisation, to make your plans (and day) as stress-free as can be. Let's go...
Most of the time though, we find a solution that's a little more balanced! We have plenty of tips and tricks for making sure your formal photos go off without a hitch & keeping things as streamlined as possible so they don't take over your whole wedding. We thought it best to share them with any couple in the throes of wedding organisation, to make your plans (and day) as stress-free as can be. Let's go...
1. MAKE A LIST
This seems like a given, but sometimes photographers will go with more of a 'wing it' approach and follow their own formula for which photos they think you'll want (e.g. they'll shout for you and your siblings, parents, etc.) but this doesn't always take into account your own family dynamics. Not to mention, there might be someone super important to you who's not one of your more obvious family members.
To make sure you're going to get exactly the group shots you're looking for, and to avoid any unnecessary family drama on the day, make a list of your requested formal photos beforehand and make sure your photographer has a copy.
2. KEEP IT SIMPLE
No matter what methods we use, the more photos you request, the more time they're going to take. To be safe, it's best to estimate around 4 minutes per photo, which adds up quickly. In all honesty, they do tend to take us less than that (particularly if it's a quick swap of one guest for another) but it gives a bit of wiggle room and we'd always rather those group shots take less time than expected than more. Plus, every photographer works differently so that time frame might vary - it's best to check with whoever is capturing your day what they would recommend.
For us, we think a maximum of 12 photos works best (including your bridal party shots). However, if you decide you'd like more than this, we'll absolutely go for it! We just want to make sure you're aware that it might mean losing more time with your guests from your drinks reception.
3. NOMINATE A "RUNNER"
This makes such a huge difference when it comes to finding the various members of your family for their photos. We won't necessarily know who Aunt Sheila is, but some of your own friends will. We always recommend nominating somebody, usually a member of the bridal party, who's familiar with both of your families, to help us round up those elusive guests. You can pick more than one person if needed - a bridesmaid & groomsman, for example - and let us know in advance who they are. The main requirements are simply being able to identify everyone on your formal photos list, but your designated 'runner' will ideally be fairly confident (teachers work great for this role) and won't have disappeared to the bar by the time the group shots roll around.
It's a good idea to speak to whoever you choose beforehand and check they're okay with helping your photographer in finding everyone, and giving them a copy of your shot list to familiarise themselves with beforehand is also a game-changer.
This way, your photographer can be liaising with your runner(s) and making sure we're not wasting time waiting for Uncle Bob to come back from the bathroom. And on that note...
4. TELL THEM IN ADVANCE
Keeping those photos running on time is all about communication. One of the easiest ways you can speed things up is to let any of your guests, who you'd like formal photos with, know in advance that they'll need to stick around for the group shots after your ceremony. It also avoids the awkwardness of slightly more distant family members, who aren't sure if they're going to be needed or not, waiting around to see if they made the cut. Your photographer can then ask everyone who's already been told they're needed for the photos to stay, letting the rest of your guests head on to enjoy the drinks reception.
5. DON'T MOVE AROUND
This one is a bit more flexible, but for the most part it's much quicker to keep those group shots to one or two locations around your venue. For your couple portraits, there will be lots of pretty backdrops to wander to for photos, but for the formals, sticking close by is a good idea. This means that anyone with mobility issues is taken into consideration, your runner knows where to send people, and your guests don't have to walk too far in 4-inch heels.
We usually recommend one location for your family photos and another for your bridal party shots, which tend to be a little bit more creative.
6. HAVE A RAINY DAY PLAN
This applies to basically everything on a wedding day, but try and make sure there's some kind of indoor space available for you to have your group shots if the weather isn't on your side. If your bridal party are happy to grab some umbrellas and head out in the rain, that sounds fantastic to us, but usually your grandparents aren't quite so adventurous!
7. ENJOY IT!
It's not always as easy as it sounds, we totally get it, but we always aim to have a bit of fun with your photos - even those Mum's mantlepiece shots! It's okay to chat to your guests while they're happening, ask for your drink to be topped up, have a little boogie and hug the people around you. If you'd like some more editorial-style shots, let us know and we can set something up! These do take a bit longer, but the process can be absolutely hilarious (even if you decide to go with stoic faces for the actual shot!)
Basically, photos don't have to be awkward and rigid. Have a laugh together and it'll make for some belting memories!
Oh, and if you're stuck for where to even begin with your shot list, just fill in the form below and we'll email over our free 'formal shots' template to start you off!
Happy planning!
Amy & Ben xxx
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REQUEST OUR FREE FORMALS LIST TEMPLATE
Just pop your details below and we'll send across a copy of our formals template to get you started within 48 hours. Remember to check your junk folder in case it gets snapped up!
Thank you!
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