Wedding day family photos, something everyone wants but no one wants to coordinate. Obviously, I have been to and have helped plan quite a few weddings. I love it when family photos comes up in the timeline meeting months in advance! Solely because I love seeing the weight off a couple’s shoulders once we talk about how I do a family shot list! It’s something that I’ve also had couples book me for, the efficiency of family wedding photos. I figured that this wasn’t something to gatekeep because it seriously saves so much time and stress on your wedding day to have a family photos shot list!

One section of the questionnaire I send all of my couples months in advance to their wedding day is a family shot/combo list they’re wanting. Couples frequently ask me for samples of this list, too, so here’s a guide to my recommended pairings! This and wedding timelines aren’t something I HAVE to make but always find it so very helpful for everyone. Of course, you can add and take away from certain combos for your wedding family photos shot list.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR WEDDING FAMILY SHOT LIST

The first step is to decide who you want to be included in your family photos. Reminder, this is YOUR wedding, if you don’t want certain combos that is OK! Most of the time, immediate family is prioritized and maybe a couple of large group shots of each extended family, this is when a drone is helpful. So parents, siblings, siblings kids, and usually grandparents. Aunts, uncles, and cousins usually are all together for one big group shot if wanted. Just remember, prioritize what’s important for YOU to get for photos!

As a child from a divorced/mixed family, I totally understand that there can be lots of different family dynamics. So this recommended family shot list I’ll share is just one example! The bride and groom here both have parents who are married and still here. But this is why I chat with all of my couples about their timeline and help with that and shot lists because of different dynamics!

MY RECOMMENDED ORDERED SHOT LIST

B = Bride & G = Groom

BRIDE’S SIDE
B x G x B Immediate Family
B x G x B Grandparents
B x G x B Maternal Grandparents
B x G x B Parental Grandparents
B x G x B Parental Grandparents
B x G x B Parents
B x B Parents
B x B Mom
B x B Dad
B x G x B Parents x B Siblings
B x G x B Siblings
B x B Siblings
B x B Siblings Individually

JOINED SIDES
B x G x All Siblings
B x G x All Parents
B x G x All Grandparents x All Parents
B x G x All Grandparents
B x G x Both Immediate Families

GROOM’S SIDE
B x G x G Immediate Family
B x G x G Grandparents
B x G x G Maternal Grandparents
B x G x G Parental Grandparents
B x G x G Parental Grandparents
B x G x G Parents
G x G Parents
G x G Mom
G x G Dad
B x G x G Parents x G Siblings
B x G x G Siblings
G x G Siblings
G x G Siblings Individually

EXTENDED FAMILIES*
B x G x B Extended Family
B x G x Both Extended Families
B x G x G Extended Family

*Usually, if extended family photos are wanted I recommend adding on drone to your wedding package depending on the sizes of your families.

All in all, I recommend chatting with your wedding photographer about your wedding family photos shot list because every single family dynamic and size is different! And if you don’t already have one, I’d love to be your photographer and chit chat!

TIP: Add in names rather than just mom or dad, “yelling” people’s names to get them in position will be super helpful, haha.

INQUIRE HERE