How to make family portraits quick, painless, and actually enjoyable!

Everyone at a wedding reaches the same point at the same time – hungry, thirsty, and ready to celebrate. Family portraits happen right in the middle of that. Here’s how we keep things moving so your guests spend more time at cocktail hour and less time standing in a parking lot waiting to be called.

Build a master list in advance. About eight weeks before your wedding, I’ll ask you to put together a complete list of every grouping you want for formal portraits. On the day, I print two copies and move through them efficiently and in order. No guessing, no forgetting, no scrambling. You don’t have to think on the spot, nothing gets missed, and your family gets released to the bar as quickly as possible.

Keep everyone in the loop. The biggest time drain during portraits isn’t the photos, it’s tracking people down. Let everyone on the list know in advance that they should report directly to a designated spot immediately following the ceremony. One quick heads up beforehand saves five minutes of searching per person.

Ask guests to hold the drinks and lose the sunglasses. Portraits are a natural moment to grab a cocktail and step outside, but asking someone to put down their glass and take off their shades every time they’re called adds up quickly. Ask your family and wedding party to save the drinks for after – it keeps things moving and keeps everyone looking their best.