Wedding photoshoots will prioritize shots of the wedding couple. However, most couples want to ensure they also get photos with specific family members. To ensure that you don’t forget to get the shots you want, it is smart to plan ahead of time. After all, in the days leading up to the wedding, and on the day itself, you’ll be experiencing a ton of emotions that can make you forgetful. To prevent added stress on your wedding day and regret after the celebration, take some time to create a shot list, which will include members of your family. Here is a guide for capturing all the family shots you want to be included in your wedding photos.
Family Photos You’ll Want at Your Wedding
No two couples are the same, but wedding photos of family members tend to be similar. Some of the most requested shots include:
- Bride with bridesmaids
- Bride with maid/matron of honor
- Bride with siblings
- Couple with both parents
- Couple with each partner’s parents
- Couple with extended family (aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins)
- Groom with best man
- Groom with groomsmen
- Groom with siblings
- Multi-generational shots (bride, mother, grandmother)
Wedding Photos that Capture Other Family Members
You may also want shots with those who aren’t technically family members, but who you consider family. Ideas for these shots include:
- Couple with the ring bearer and flower carrier
- Photos with godparents
- Photos with family pets
- Photos with godchildren
- Photos with stepchildren
- Photos with best friends/college friends
Candid Family Photo Ideas for Weddings
Wedding photos before the ceremony and during the reception can also make wonderful keepsakes. Request that your wedding photographer take photos in dressing rooms while you’re getting ready that include parents, grandparents, and members of your wedding party. Shots of the wedding couple and family members arriving at the venue where the ceremony will be held are also popular candid shots.
Likewise, if you have specific dances planned, make sure to tell your photographer which couples you want to be captured while dancing. Certainly, if you have any other planned surprises or events during your ceremony or reception, be sure to tip off your photographer so they are prepared to capture the moment.
It will help your wedding photographer to plan if they have a list of shots that you’ve requested ahead of time. This will allow them time to set up in your dressing room, in your venue, and at the selected locations for posed family shots.
Designate a Member of Your Wedding Party to Bring People for Photos
You should designate a member of your wedding party to assist the photographers by notifying various family members when they are needed for photos. Select someone who will know most of the people at your wedding so that they can identify and guide those you’d like photos with to the location to be included in your photos.
Top Reviewed Wedding Photographers in Lane County
LifeSlice Photography has photographed hundreds of weddings in Lane County and beyond for more than a decade. With numerous awards, certifications, and favorable reviews of their work online, Mike and Elsie Nordtvedt have become synonymous with gorgeous wedding photography. To book services for your wedding, engagement party, wedding shower, or other life celebration, call 541-914-7977 or send a message online.