Family photos are important on a wedding day, I’m totally not denying that. But what I will say is that they are also usually one of the most stressful parts of the day, if you let them be. Here are my top tips to incorporate them in a way that doesn’t stress anyone out or interrupt the flow of the day.

No. 1 Make sure everyone needed for family photos knows to stick around

After the ceremony everyone usually heads outside and there’s always one or two family members that take off accidentally before family photos because they didn’t know they were needed. Avoid this by letting them know ahead of time.

No. 2 Makes sure you & your fiancé are on the same page

If one of you thinks that “family photos” means immediate family only & the other thinks that it means immediate + extended family, things may get confusing. I always ask my couples for a list of family formals that they want long before their actual wedding day to avoid this, but there could still be confusion if only you are filling out that list. Make sure you do it together.

No. 3 Keep it simple

If you’re dying to have a photo with every single one of your 2nd cousins, by all means, I’m here for it. But if it’s just not that important to you, don’t feel pressured to get a photo with every family member you can think of, or maybe consider just getting a more casual photo together at the reception when things aren’t so busy.

No. 4 Have a photo wrangler

I’ve mentioned this one in past blog posts but it’s definitely worth mentioning again. Having a designated person to call out names & get everyone needed on deck will make things go so much more smoothly. This will most likely be someone who isn’t in many family photos but knows your families pretty well.

I always get a little uncomfortable writing about family photos because the last thing I want is to offend anyone or make you think that I’m just trying to make my own job easier by shortening this part of the day. I’ve just seen way too many brides & family members get stressed out by family photos because of the amount of organization it can take. Keep these ideas in mind when planning your family photos & I promise it’ll be so much easier!

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Kalli June is a playful, laidback, adventurous wedding and senior portrait photographer based out of Southern Indiana. She loves incorporating a documentary style into her work with movement and flow. With every session, her goal is to capture those raw and genuine moments that come from just being yourself.

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