Some celebrations are best cherished with friends and family. A wedding happens to be one of them! This is the day your couple has been planning and looking forward to for so long. So, taking some amazing wedding day family photos naturally becomes a part of that excitement, and they have chosen you for the job (no pressure, but they are counting on you to deliver the best). These photographs are a memory of their special day with some of their closest people. So, while your focus may be on getting every picture-perfect moment with the couple, paying attention to their families at the wedding is equally essential.
5 Wedding Day Family Photos to Include in Your Shot List
Below is a list of family photo ideas that you could add to your shot list at your next wedding. From classic wedding photos with parents and grandparents to fun family wedding photos with the siblings and nieces and nephews, we have tried to ensure that we include everyone in the list.
1. Bring in the Parents
Photos of the bride and groom with their parents will always remain a classic. You could pose them with their parents and also take some photographs of the couple with each other’s parents. Another way to get this set of family photos would be to have both sets of parents in the same picture with the bride and groom. In case either set of the parents are separated or divorced, you might want to discuss bringing them together with the couple in advance. They would be able to better advise you on how to approach the situation.
Related Read: Posing For Family Formals
2. A Moment with the Grandparents
If your couple shares a special bond with their grandparents, you could try to go beyond the classic photographs and try to do something fun, as long as they are comfortable. Whether you decide to keep it formal or get creative, these are bound to be sweet memories for the couple. You could even take some photographs of the couple with the grandparents during the wedding or on the dance floor while having fun. If the grandparents are a part of the bridal party, try to get some pictures as they perform their duties.
In case you are photographing a COVID wedding, there might be chances that the grandparents appear as virtual guests. So even though they might not be present at the physical wedding, try to find a way to photograph them as they join via Zoom or Skype. If they do happen to be at the wedding, keep COVID etiquettes in mind and try to maintain a safe distance as you guide them through poses.
3. Getting Goofy with the Siblings
Photos with siblings can be one of the most fun sets of the wedding day family photos. If your couple has some iconic pictures with their siblings, try and recreate those on the wedding day. If they don’t, you could get them just to be themselves and show off their sibling bond. Just for some goofy family photos, you could also get either one of them to tease each other (slight cheek pulling is also acceptable). If they are competitive, why not photograph them during a round of tug of war? Besides these fun photographs, you could also go for some classic sibling poses. You might be able to take some lovely pictures as you get them to pose and behave.
If both your bride and groom have siblings, maybe try a sibling swap too! You could also get siblings from both sides for a bigger group. You can brainstorm for some crazy sibling photo ideas or ask your couples to give their inputs too.
4. Photos with the Extended Family
It’s time to get everyone together! If the extended family – aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and cousins – is also present at the wedding, don’t forget to photograph them. Your bride or groom may be particularly close to one aunty while not so much with the other, so try to discuss these family bonds with your couple in advance. This will be helpful if you are running low on time. If the little ones in the family are acting as the ring bearer and flower girl, they deserve their own set of family photos with the couple. So, try to keep aside some time for photographing the young ones.
5. Don’t Forget the Rest of the Family
There may be some distant or second cousins present at the wedding, so try to keep some time for them too. Your couple may not be super close to them, but they are still guests and part of their family, so they will feel good about being included in the family photos. As we said above, it would be a good idea to discuss the wedding day family photos shot list in advance. It would help you prepare and plan better.
Some family bonds can get quite complicated. Since you don’t always get to know your couples’ families well, we suggest collaborating with your couples while finalizing your wedding day family photos shot list. While there might be time constraints, try to include everyone in the family photos, even those who are not very close to your couple. Prioritizing your subjects will also help you manage your time better without rushing through the photographs. These people are important to your couple, so try to give them as much patience and importance as you’d give to your couple. To get amazing family photographs, just engage with your subjects, help them feel confident and comfortable in front of the camera, and put on your creative cap by going beyond the formal photos!
Further Read: Photography Lighting Setups During the Wedding Family Formals
At ShootDotEdit, we aim to help you hone your skills and be prepared for anything at weddings, and to give you that time to focus on your skills, we take care of your editing work. To learn more about our services and how we can help your wedding photography business, check out our pricing plans.
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