Do I really need family photos on my wedding day?
Family portraits can be sometimes chaotic and messy, and they can easily take longer than expected on a wedding day if they haven’t been planned ahead of time. Now the question should be: to have or not to have your family portraits?
Why should I have family portraits done on my wedding day?
If you cringe just at the thought of formal family wedding portraits then hear me out: this one is not about you but about your nana and your mum. On the build-up to your wedding day, everyone will put a lot of effort to look their best on this day. This is a great occasion to capture all those who attended your wedding day, especially your grandparents and all of those members that might not be around for too many years to come. Most people will travel from interstate and overseas for a wedding so the chances of having everyone at the same place are very slim. As a photographer, I have been told many times that the extended family members of a previous couple treasure these portraits as they are the “last good picture” they have of nana or pop. This is the one time of the day when you can guarantee that everyone will be together at the same time in the same spot, with some people choosing to attend only the ceremony sometimes. With a bit of luck and organisation, we can make these portraits happen in a timely manner and get you to your celebrations as quick as we can. Come and have a look to see what it takes to make this happen.
Who should be on my family wedding photos?
One of the items I will request from you once your day is a timeline and also a list of the groups and family members you would like to include on your wedding day. Families can come in different sizes, shapes and forms so this is the best time for you to tell me if there is any drama or any tricky relationships that I should be aware of so that I can make sure that family members are not on the same frame or are included in a different combination.
What family members group will I need for my wedding family portraits?
The sky is the limit! But remember that the bigger the list and the more time we will spend on this part of your day and we might have to sacrifice time from your couple shoot or your wedding party shoot. Try to keep it balanced and take into account the combinations of family members and friends you will have for your partner, I suggest that in most cases the combinations you choose for you will be replicated for your partner.
Some of the basic combinations are:
Couple + one set of parents
Couple + the other set of parents
Couple + both parents
Couple + both parents + siblings & partners + kids
Couple + bridal party (bridesmaids, flower girls, best man, ushers, page boys)
Couple + grandparents
If you have guests coming to your wedding from Interstate or Overseas, then this is a great time to show them how much you appreciate them coming from far away, and you could consider to add them to your list.
When and where are the best times for family portraits on my wedding day?
In most cases, the family portraits will be taken right after the ceremony. However, another great option, depending on the format of your day and the locations you have chosen would be to have some images taken before the ceremony if you choose to do a first look. The location and the set up will depend on the light that day. Ideally, if you have an outdoor ceremony around lunchtime or early afternoon, then the family portraits should take place on a shaded spot to be able to have even light across all of your family members faces and avoid squinting. If you are planning a sunset ceremony then I would strongly advise to have your family portraits before the ceremony to make sure that most of the light and outdoor options can be used before all the light disappears.
Whatever format you choose for your wedding day, it’s always very helpful if you let your closest family members know about your plans so they can assist with making sure that everyone is available at the critical time when it comes to getting everyone together for their portraits.
In regards to location keep in mind those guests that will have a hard time moving around, and always remember if there is a disability option to access your chosen location to be able to cater to your guests. Ideally, the location for your family portraits will be closer to the ceremony location. Another factor to keep in mind is the heels of guests that could dig in sand or dirt.
I really hope that these handy tips will help you to organise your wedding day. If you need more tips and tricks for wedding timelines, then come and visit these blog posts.
Looking for a great location for your engagement or wedding ceremony? Wilson Botanic Park is a great location in Berwick. Come and have a look!