Hi guys,
Welcome to the second installment of my “Top tips for Pinterest worthy photos” series. Each blog post I’ll be giving you my top tips to have seamless and beautiful images whether they are wedding party or family photos. This week we are going to be talking about family photos which so often can feel like the most stressful part of your wedding day. These tips will help make it feel like a breeze!
1. Prep before your wedding day
A well thought out and prepared list is going to be your best friend for these photos. I will send you a questionnaire to gather all the important people in your life. Once I have that back, I’ll create a family photo list for you to review. This is one way that I help take the stress off my couples. I’ll then break it down between your family and your spouse’s family. Here’s a great example if you need some ideas:
- With spouse
- Mom+Dad+Sister+Brother in Law+Niece+Grandma+Grandpa
- Mom+Dad
- Grandma+Grandpa
- Solo
- Mom+Dad
- Sister
Breaking it down this way will make it so that on the wedding day it won’t be as chaotic and you won’t be worried that you’re forgetting an important photo. Seeing it typed out before your wedding day will also help you realize if you are forgetting a photo that you need to add!
2. Keep it simple
Now when you go to make this family photo list, my next tip is to keep it simple. Try to think about the photos that you’ll actually want framed and are important to you. My suggestion is to keep it to just immediate family and grandparents. Of course there are always exceptions to this but family photos can quickly become overwhelming on the day of your wedding and it’s much more manageable with just the people that are important to you. You’ll feel much more relaxed and that’ll show in your photos. Save those photos with your dad’s second cousin for a quick snap at the reception if you feel like it!
3. Outfit guidance
Now to take these family photos to that Pinterest worthy level, I suggest giving some outfit guidance to the immediate family members that will be in photos. Typically your parents will be in an outfit that matches your wedding colors but I think it’s ok to talk to the rest of your family members about the colors they choose! Especially since you’re taking time to have these family photos done on your wedding day. Let your brother, sister in law, grandma, sister, etc know that you’re looking forward to the photos of you all and would love to have their outfits somewhat coordinated if possible. Most family members will be understanding and willing to coordinate!
These are my top 3 tips for you! Be prepared, keep it simple, and plan with your family. This will help you feel so much more relaxed on your wedding day and give you the real smiles you want in your family photos!
-Liz
