You may remember a few weeks ago I talked about family formals and how breaking a few rules and traditions can be okay!! Well today, I’m adding to that and sharing my top 3 tips for BETTER family photographs!! Because, let’s be honest, your wedding day family photograph is the one that will be going up on your momma’s wall to be cherished for years to come!
(Here’s a few of our family formals from our wedding 3 years ago!! And yes, they are framed and on both of our momma’s walls!)
1.) Make a list of the family groupings you definitely want to have formal photos of – and use NAMES! It’s so much more efficient for us to call people by their names, rather than “okay, I need the bride’s mom and the groom’s mom!” … people respond much faster (and more kindly) to being called by their names.

2.) Keep that list short-ish and sweet. Right after the wedding during the family photos is not the time to take individual photos with each guest (we can totally do that during the reception!), but it IS the best time to get photos with your grandma, and both sets of parents, and your siblings. Our #SarahE couples usually keep their lists less than 15 combinations, and that seems to work great (plan on 2-3 minutes per grouping).

3.) Schedule enough time for it in your timeline! There isn’t anything more stressful for us (and you!) than having 10 minutes to do 10 family combinations – people are laughing, people usually have drinks, they’re hot and they’re hungry … 10 minutes is not enough time. We ask for 30 minutes dedicated to family photos.

Bonus tip? Ask your parents if there are any photos they’d really love to have. It may be the only time the entire family is together this year, and they might like some photos together with their family. Even if we don’t do it during family formals, we can bring that list and take care of those shots during the reception! And you never know – mom might think of a shot you didn’t!

Do you have a question about wedding planning?
Send me an email at sarah@sarahe.com and you might just see your question featured on the blog!