Wedding Family Formals: How I Make Them Quick, Painless and Actually FUN!
Ahh, the family formals. The bit of the day everyone secretly dreads… forty people to round up, someone’s wandered off to the bar, and Uncle Gary is nowhere to be seen!
But honestly? They really don’t have to be like that! Your family photos are the ones that end up framed on the wall for years, so they deserve a bit of love. Here’s exactly how I run mine, so you can relax, enjoy your drinks and leave the herding to me.
As a Hampshire wedding photographer I’ve rounded up families everywhere from castles to clifftop hotels, and trust me, the same rules apply wherever you are!
It all starts with a list
Around a month before your wedding I send you my questionnaire, and on there I ask for your family formals shot list. On the day I’ve got it right there with me and we just work through it. No standing around scratching our heads wondering who’s next!
My top tip? Keep it to under 12 groups. Any more than that and people get bored, they start wandering off… and I guarantee YOU will get bored too. You’ve got a party to get to!
Start big, then peel away
I always get my couples to start with the biggest groups first. Want one with all the aunties, uncles and cousins? Brilliant, we’ll do that one first, then peel people away bit by bit, right down to just you and your parents if that’s what you want.
That way nobody’s hanging about for ages waiting for their one photo, and the extended family can get back to the bar sharpish!
Find your loudest family member
Now, I am LOUD, don’t get me wrong… but I won’t know who Uncle Gary is. Sorry Gary!
So I always recommend picking someone who knows your family and isn’t afraid to shout across a garden. Your best man, a bossy auntie, the cousin with a voice like a foghorn, whoever! They round everyone up, I get everyone smiling.
Quick, painless and a little bit daft
Nobody wants to stand in a line saying cheese for 45 minutes. I keep things quick and painless, and I’ll do my best to get everyone laughing rather than doing the usual stand there and smile. A bit of banter goes a long way!
Kids? Get them in early!
If you’ve got little ones in your group shots, get them done ASAP before they wander off (and trust me, they will!).
And please don’t force them. Nobody wants a picture of their niece covered in snot because she’s been made to stand in a line up! I’ll do everything I can to make it fun and keep them entertained for as long as possible, but honestly, when it comes to kids, forcing it usually ends in tantrums and tears.
Trust me on the spot
I know, I know, you really want the venue in the background. And backdrops ARE important! But trust your photographer when they suggest a spot. You’re not going to want a photo of your whole family with tiny slits for eyes from squinting into the sun either!
Backdrops matter, but so does everyone looking their best.
That said, sometimes you’re getting married somewhere so iconic (hello, the rooftop of The Square Tower!) that you just HAVE to have it in the background. Totally get it! I will of course oblige, and I’ll do my very best to get everyone done with their eyes as open as they can possibly be!
Rain? Not a problem!
If the weather turns and the formals end up inside, honestly, don’t panic. I light my group shots with flash indoors AND outdoors wherever possible, so everyone looks bright, crisp and punchy, whatever the British weather throws at us.
So there you have it!
Family formals don’t have to be the boring bit. Get your list sorted, find your loud one, get the kids in early, trust me on the spot… and leave the rest to me!
Want to see more? Have a nosey at the Family Formals & Squad Shots on my portfolio, or if you’d like a chat about your own wedding, get in touch!
