How to nail your family portraits
Your wedding day is a jam-packed day, often with a tight, carefully planned schedule. It’s often one of the few times everyone is together, meaning it’s so crucial to get family portraits right. If the grandparents have been left out, your mum’s been put next to her ex-husband or your sister has a double chin, you are going to hear about it.
1. Make a checklist of what groups you want
Below is a list of some of the most common family groupings people have. The group variations we recommend here take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete (so not long). It’s best to limit these groups to a maximum of around 10 groups to comfortably fit the portrait session within the timeframe.
Bride’s parents
Groom’s parents
Bride & Groom’s parents
Bride’s close family (parents, siblings, grandparents)
Groom’s close family (parents, siblings, grandparents)
Bride’s extended family
Groom’s extended family
Bride & Groom’s bridal party & friend’s (who aren’t in the bridal party)
2. Plan the portrait session straight after the ceremony
We recommend that your family portraits are taken directly after the ceremony. It is at this time that everyone is already together at the one location. This means that no one is running late or showing up early and left twiddling their thumbs. We also recommend everyone hold their congratulations until after the completion of the family portraits, before the family members you need to snap get distracted by the fresh shucked oysters and the waiter approaching with a full tray of champagne.
3. Assign your most organised family member the role of ‘Family Coordinator’
To gather your immediate family, it's best to have a ‘Family Coordinator' designated to find and call the family over. We’ve all got one, that family member who you rely on to organise Sunday family roast or Christmas lunch; this is their time to really shine! Usually, this is a sister or brother, but anyone who knows all your immediate family is usually the perfect candidate. It's also a good idea to send your family portrait list to a few people (including your photographer) in case the only copy gets lost.
4. Notify your photographer of any family politics
Anyone divorced or not talking? It’s important to mention these relationships to your photographer. We hear "Mum and Dad" and put them next to each other for family photos, not knowing Mum threw all of Dad’s things out the window and set fire to them. We can ensure these people are kept separate and make sure everyone is happy throughout this process.
5. Stick your forehead forward like a chicken
This sounds ridiculous and will feel weird but it will give you a great jawline. If you think about how you get a double chin by tucking your chin in, this will help you avoid a double chin, exaggerating your neck by throwing your chin forward and exposing your neck.
6. Look at the camera
You’d think this one was really easy but you’d be amazed at how many people look around to make sure everyone else is looking at the camera. Don’t worry about other people, that’s our job.
7. Keep your arms away from your body
Create a small separation between your body and your arms. This trick not only makes your arms look smaller but also makes your torso appear slimmer by defining your waistline.
8. Relax your weight onto your back foot
A lot of people think the best way to look good in photos is to stand up straight but this will only make you look stiff and awkward. A great way to appear more relaxed is to bring one foot back behind the other and rest your weight on the back. It will also give you more shape through your legs and torso.