Group photos don’t have to be a headache.

With a little planning (and a couple of helpful wranglers), this part of the day can actually be relaxed, meaningful, and even fun. Here are four things I want every couple to know before the big day to keep things smooth, stress-free, and moving right along.

⸻

1. Put Together a Short Family & Wedding Party Photo List

One of the best things you can do ahead of time is put together a short, intentional list of family and wedding party groupings. It helps us move efficiently and ensures we don’t miss anyone important.

Each grouping takes about 3–5 minutes, so 15 combinations could take up to 45 minutes. And let’s be honest—you didn’t plan this day just to stand in one place smiling at a camera until your cheeks hurt. My goal is to get every meaningful shot without overwhelming the day or your feet.

Before you even start building a list, think about how long groupings take, and consider what matters most. I’ve put together a sample photo list to help you visualize what this can actually look like.

⸻

Sample Photo Shot List – Emily & Jake’s Wedding

Pre-First Look (~10–15 minutes)

These happen just before the first look with the couple and often start with a sweet moment between the bride and her dad, or groom and his mom.

If you want to add any other individual portraits before the couple sees each other, we can do that too—just include them on the list and plan for a few extra minutes.

Emily (Bride):

• Emily with both parents (Sarah + David)

• Emily with her mom (Sarah)

• Emily with her dad (David)

Jake (Groom):

• Jake with both parents (Laura + Michael)

• Jake with his mom (Laura)

• Jake with his dad (Michael)

⸻

Post–First Look (Pre-Ceremony Family Photos) (~25–30 minutes)

Once the couple has seen each other, we’ll photograph all the family groupings with the bride and groom together. We start with the largest group and work our way down so people can be dismissed as we go.

Bride’s Side (Emily):

• Emily + Jake with Emily’s immediate family and siblings’ spouses/kids

(Sarah, David, Noah, Lily, Ava)

• Emily + Jake with Emily’s immediate family (Sarah, David, Noah)

• Emily + Jake with Emily’s parents (Sarah + David)

• Emily + Jake with Emily’s grandparents (Grandma Jean + Grandpa Tom)

Groom’s Side (Jake):

• Jake + Emily with Jake’s immediate family and siblings’ spouses/kids

(Laura, Michael, Megan, Tyler, Jack, Liam)

• Jake + Emily with Jake’s immediate family (Laura, Michael, Megan)

• Jake + Emily with Jake’s parents (Laura + Michael)

• Jake + Emily with Jake’s grandparents (Grandma Judy + Grandpa Ed)

⸻

Wedding Party Portraits (~15–20 minutes)

Right after family portraits is a great time to capture wedding party photos while everyone’s together and dressed. These typically include:

• Bride with bridesmaids

• Groom with groomsmen

• Full wedding party (everyone together)

• Any fun or creative group poses you’d like

This part is always joyful and relaxed—and you’ll end up with a mix of formal portraits and candid in-between moments you’ll love looking back on.

⸻

Post-Ceremony (Extended Family Photos) (~20–30 minutes)

This is when we’ll photograph larger extended family groupings. Each one typically takes 5–10 minutes depending on size. These include immediate family (with spouses/kids) and extended family (with spouses/kids), grouped by each parent’s side.

Emily’s Mom’s Side:

• Emily + Jake with Sarah’s side of the family

(Sarah, David, Noah, Lily, Ava, Aunt Lisa, Uncle Mark, Cousins Hannah, Josh, and Zoe — plus spouses and kids)

Emily’s Dad’s Side:

• Emily + Jake with David’s side of the family

(David, Sarah, Noah, Lily, Ava, Aunt Carol, Uncle Jeff, Cousins Emily and Ryan — plus spouses and kids)

Jake’s Mom’s Side:

• Jake + Emily with Laura’s side of the family

(Laura, Michael, Megan, Tyler, Jack, Liam, Aunt Karen, Uncle Steve, Cousins Tyler and Brooke — plus spouses and kids)

Jake’s Dad’s Side:

• Jake + Emily with Michael’s side of the family

(Michael, Laura, Megan, Tyler, Jack, Liam, Aunt Brenda, Uncle Joe, Cousins Nate and Becca — plus spouses and kids)

💡 Thinking about a big photo with everyone?

If a giant group photo with all your extended family or guests is important to you, we can absolutely make it happen! Just let me know ahead of time so I can bring the drone and plan it into your timeline. We’ll want to capture it first, before guests head to cocktail hour, while everyone is still nearby.

⸻

2. Enlist a “Wrangler” (One for Each Side)

Choose one trusted person from each side—one for the bride’s family and one for the groom’s—to help keep portraits moving. Their job is to call out names, cue up the next group, and cross off each photo as it’s done so I can stay behind the camera, pose people, and not lose time looking at a list or trying to gather people in between portraits.

The best wranglers are organized, confident, and familiar with the family—think a maid of honor who’s also a sister, a helpful cousin, the groom’s mom, or an aunt. (Honestly, women tend to crush this role—so don’t be afraid to assign it to someone who’ll take charge!)

Make sure to ask them before the wedding, send them the family photo list in advance, and remind them to bring it with them. And make sure you as the couple also bring a copy, just in case your wrangler forgets theirs.

⸻

3. Make It a Triple Announcement

Getting everyone to stick around for family photos after the ceremony is so much easier when it’s communicated clearly ahead of time. I recommend a three-part approach:

• Include a note in the wedding invitation (or send a group email/text) to each family member you want in photos, asking them to stick around immediately after the ceremony.

• Have your officiant make a quick announcement before guests are dismissed.

• And finally, have your DJ announce it one more time at the start of cocktail hour as a friendly reminder.

It only takes a few extra steps, but it makes a huge difference in keeping portraits efficient and avoiding the dreaded “Where’s Uncle Steve?” moment.

⸻

4. Don’t Stress the Details

If we fall a few minutes behind or someone disappears for a bathroom break, don’t worry. I’ll take care of keeping us on track and adapting as needed. The most important thing is that you enjoy your wedding day—because if you’re relaxed and happy, your photos will reflect that.

⸻

Ready to start planning your portraits?

If you’re not sure how much time you’ll need or who to include, don’t worry—that’s exactly what I’m here for. Every couple I work with gets help building their timeline and organizing family photo lists that make sense for them.

When we plan your timeline together, we’ll talk through all of this.

If you haven’t booked yet, you can inquire here, or if you’re already on the books—just keep this bookmarked! We’ll go over it all during your planning call.