Wedding Group Photos

I’m really looking forward to your wedding! It would be great if you could help me to plan your group photos by reading the following information and filling out the form below.

Please note that 48 hours before the wedding is the deadline for finalising the list of group shots.

A word on timings

I recommend we do your group photos straight after the ceremony, if possible. From experience, if the guests disperse to the bar and start tucking into canapés, then gathering them together again will be slow and stressful! Let’s make good use of time and get the group photos out of the way, then you can have a well-deserved break from the camera!

Which photos really matter to YOU?

I once did a wedding where the couple gave me a list of over 20 group photos, with over 10 different people in each photo. It took forever and the couple were totally cheesed off by the end of it. Think about how long you want to spend on this and which photos are truly important to you. I recommend you prioritise your closest family members and the wedding party, and try to capture everyone else in the ‘whole group photo’, if you’re having a picture with all your day guests.

Let’s aim for 10 (but no worries if you need more)

I recommend we do around 10 group shots, so that it doesn’t take up too much of your time. However, I appreciate that some families, especially step-families, might need more than this. I’ve provided space for 10 group photos in the form below (and extra space in case it’s needed). If the list starts to get long (e.g. with extended families etc.), then we’ll need to factor this into your timings.

Give me the lowdown

It really helps if I can get a handle on people’s names and their relationships to you, so I know how to direct them when setting up the group photos. It would also be helpful to get a heads up on anything I need to be sensitive about, e.g. key family members who are sadly no longer with us, divorced parents, etc., and anyone with mobility issues.

Let’s give some thought to the order!

Let’s plan to do your photos in the most efficient order, so that people aren’t repeatedly stepping in and out of the photos. Here are a few tips for planning the order:

• Start with anyone with mobility issues, who can’t stand for long periods of time.
• Do photos with young kids early on, while their attention spans (hopefully) hold out.
• Aim to have the bride stepping in and out of photos as few times as possible (it can take a while to re-set the dress).
• Do all the family photos from one side (e.g. the bride’s side), then do all the family photos from the other side (e.g. the groom’s side).

Who can help gather people together?

I want to focus on the photography, and not be the one running around looking for stray wedding guests! So, it would be great if you could nominate two people who you trust to round up guests without getting distracted. They’ll need to know who your family members are. Please let them know in advance, so that they can be on hand when needed.

Suggested list of wedding group photos

Here’s a list of suggestions to help point you in the right direction:

1. Bride and groom with wedding party
2. Bride and groom with bride’s parents
3. Bride with bride’s parents and siblings
4. Bride with bride’s parents
5. Bride with bride’s siblings
6. Bride and groom with both sets of parents
7. Bride and groom with groom’s parents
8. Groom with groom’s parents and siblings
9. Groom with groom’s parents
10. Groom with groom’s siblings

Examples of extra photos that might be needed:

1. Bride with bride’s grandparents
2. Groom with groom’s grandparents
3. Bride and groom with bride’s step-parents
4. Bride and groom with groom’s step-parents
5. Bride and bridesmaids
6. Groom and best man and ushers

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