Let’s chat family formals

While most don’t love formal posed family photos at the wedding it is one of the only times that all parts of a family come together and it’s a great chance for family photos.

 

But how do you make the most of the opportunity but also not be stuck in the endless loop of photos?

Streamline the time?!?

After over a decade being of working in Wedding Photography in Durham NC , here are a few amazing tips:

1. Be very clear to family members where they should go after the ceremony. Communicate it to all of them and more than once, the last time being after rehearsal if all are present. But still just know that some of your family will still not follow this request.

2. Ask a few of your bridal party or family members you can count on to help. They are likely to know the faces to names of the people you need and can save you time, energy and frustration. Ask those select few to gather the family members who inevitably “don’t recall” where they need to be or who get caught up with chatting.

 

3. In advance, get the list of photos you want, to your photographer, to be sure that you get all you desire to get but without having to think of them on the spot or waste a bunch of time day off your wedding. I generally offer up my default list for my couples to customize for your particular wedding to help save you time!

4. Expectations!! Having realistic expectations is key to alleviating stress. There will be a family member who makes this slower, or a child who doesn’t cooperate, or a photo you forgot. Don’t let that overtake your joy and know that the reception is another opportunity for grabbing a quick photo that might have been forgotten.

 

While getting all these family photos is amazing and important don’t confuse important to directive: your directive is to have an amazing wedding day celebrating THE AMAZING LOVE that brought you here in the first place.

If this was helpful you might also find How to make the most of your timeline helpful.

If you are looking for a Durham Wedding Photographer, I’d love if you jumped over to my homepage!