Family formals are a very small part of your wedding day timeline, but they are absolutely one of the most important parts — these are the people who have raised you from children and supported your love the most, so they deserve their moment with you as they will cherish this day forever! Weddings may seem long, but with event after event happening every minute, there is never as much time as you’d like to spend on each different part of the day. So in order to be efficient and maximize your family formal time, we must be prepared! 

Before your wedding day, it’s imperative that you prepare a list of who you’d like to have in your family photographs — it’s important to include both name and “title” so your photographer can quickly identify each person (eg: Sharon – mom). My brides handle all this on their pre-wedding questionnaire and I take the time to read through and organize the list before the big day. I was taught to organize family portraits like a football, starting small with the bride’s side and adding people in until everyone from both sides is in an image; then slowly removing people until we are just left with the groom’s parents. It’s an easy way to make sure everyone is involved but also not constantly having to walk in and out. 

While I’m certainly not a wedding planner, I’ve been to my fair share of weddings and have helped every bride create her timeline. I’ve learned that limiting yourself to ten different family combinations post-ceremony is the best way to maximize your time; it will sufficiently cover your immediate family, including grandparents, without taking away too much time from the remaining wedding party and couples portraits or, if you did a first look, your cocktail hour! Any additional group portraits or large family photos that you’d like to have can be taken those during the reception on the dance floor with the help of your DJ calling out names. 

One last tip — and I cannot stress this one enough — that will make your family formals even more beautiful is to shoot them outside! For some brides, the church where they are being married has special significance and they want their family formals shot there — that’s absolutely okay! But if this doesn’t apply, I truly cannot tell you how much natural light, if available, will enhance your photos. We will seek soft light near the venue so your family is out of the sun; avoiding those bright rays shining down on faces and creating unflattering shadows. City weddings, such as those in Washington, DC, can sometimes be more of a challenge to find good light, but I promise the result will be worth it. In general, shooting outside creates a more relaxed, personal environment where family can feel like themselves! 

With a bit of preparation, we will ensure your moms have some gorgeous family photos to hang on their walls after your wedding day!