Family photos…hands down the most chaotic, stressful, slightly terrifying part of your wedding day. Kids that don’t love to stand and smile, Aunt Joan wandering off to the bar, Uncle Bob refusing to put his camera down so he can smile for mine… It’s a lot of people, a lot of personalities, and, honestly, a little like herding cats.

Luckily, I can read a room faster than your guests can locate the open bar, so I’ve got the system to keep this part of your day smooth — and I’m sharing it with you now, too.

Keep it Conveinent
Family photos are often best done directly following the ceremony on your wedding day. Generally, the couple will do their recessional, and once the entire wedding party and immediate family has done their part in the recessional, your officiant or I will announce to the guests that we will now be doing family photos, so unless you are apart of the immediate family, they are free to head to cocktail hour.
If you decide to change venues for your family photos, you risk people being late (and therefore extending your timeline) or people not showing up (so you lose photos off your list).

Short and Sweet
I generally tell my brides to budget 20-30 minutes for family photos, depending on the length of your list. 1-2 minutes per grouping, depending on the size of the group, is sufficient.

Make a List
Making a list (that includes first names) is a huge time saver and gets rid of a lot of confusion on wedding days. I send my clients a sample family photo list from a past bride from several years ago. The list that this bride made has been an absolute lifesaver for the majority of my clients, as it’s laid out incredibly well. If you’re a Nicole Delaine client, you’ll receive this list about 6 months out from your wedding day. If you’re not, here’s a general layout you can follow…

Bride and Groom (Lucy and Brad)
Bride, Groom, Brides Mom (Lucy, Brad, Angie)
Bride, Groom, Brides Parents (Lucy, Brad, Angie, Will)
Bride, Groom, Brides Dad (Lucy, Brad, Will)

Trust me on this. A premade list is miles less stressful than improvising on your day.

Let Your Photographer Lead
You’ve hired a professional wedding photographer for a reason. Allowing them to lead this chaotic part of the day will have you finding yourself more calm, which will make this more enjoyable and smooth experience.

The bottom line is that you don’t need to overcomplicate family photos. 20 minutes, at the ceremony site, with a list. You’ll be sipping a margarita before you know it.