One of the many aspects that I help our couples with on their wedding day is creating their list for family formals. This typically isn’t anyone’s favorite part of the day (because you know everyone just wants to get to cocktail hour!) but for me, these images are so incredibly important. Having lost my mom when I was 25, family photos are something that I cherish greatly. One of our most important jobs on a wedding day is to make sure that we make enough time for them so that family formals are never left out. Keep reading for a little insight into how we typically tackle family formals on a wedding day.

In the weeks leading up to their wedding day, I send our couples our typical shot list for family formals. We like to limit family formals to immediate family so that this portion of the day is limited to 20-25 minutes. This is what our typical shot list looks like for family formals:

• Bride and mom
• Bride and dad
• Bride and Bride’s parents
• Bride, Groom, and Bride’s parents
• Bride, Groom, Bride’s parents and siblings
• Bride, Groom, Bride’s parents, siblings, and grandparents
• Bride, Groom, both Bride and Groom’s parents and all siblings
• Bride, Groom, Groom’s parents, siblings, and grandparents
• Bride, Groom, Groom’s parents and siblings
• Bride, Groom, and Groom’s parents
• Groom and Groom’s parents
• Groom and mom
• Groom and dad
• Bride and siblings
• Groom and siblings
• Bride and Groom and all siblings

We find that a good time to do family formals is immediately after the ceremony. However, if there is a first look, before the ceremony is even better, so that family can enjoy their entire cocktail hour. Here are my five top tips for family formals:

• Communicate with your family so that they know where and when to arrive for family formals.
• Let us know of any special circumstances we should be aware of and keep us updated on any changes that might impact family formals.
• Designate a family representative on each side to assist us if needed.
• Pick a location with nice light and that won’t be highly trafficked.
• Don’t be afraid to do your family formals outside!

The most important thing to remember regarding family formals is that communication is key! Family members should be made aware of expectations and your photographers should be kept in the loop about any changes. This will minimize chaos on the wedding day. Family formals don’t have to take a long time and they can go very smoothly as long as we all work together! Below are a few examples of family formals:

And there you have it! We hope this post has been helpful to you. Please leave us a comment below if you have any questions. And for more Tips for Brides click here. Happy Wedding Planning!!