080319-0449 Wedding day portraits are more than gorgeous images of the bride and groom or fun shots with the bridal party.  Family is a huge part of each wedding day.  Planning and coordinating family portraits can be overwhelming.  Here are some tips and tricks to help your family portraits run smoothly. 082419-247 First of all, communicate, communicate, communicate!  It is so important to make sure everyone who is involved knows they are going to be in portraits, as well as when and where to be for them.  Have that family member who is always late?  I do!  Don't be afraid to tell them to arrive a little earlier.  Your photographer cannot photograph people who aren't present, and it's far less stress for everyone if everyone is present and ready for portraits.

I highly recommend doing portraits right before the ceremony (allowing a 30-45 minute buffer between the end of family portraits and the ceremony start time) or right after the ceremony.  This way, family members have less time waiting around for the ceremony. 083019-346 If they need flowers for portraits, be sure to have an attendant on hand to pin boutonnieres and hand out corsages. Don't be afraid to delegate. 070718-0219 Make a list of everyone you want to be in portraits, but keep in mind each group will take about 2-5 minutes to pose and photograph depending on the size (and if everyone is present!).  Here's is a good basic list to help you out:

Bride's Side
Bride + Dad
Bride + Mom
Bride & Groom + Parents
Bride & Groom + Parents & Siblings
Bride & Groom + Parents, Siblings, Spouses, Children, & Grandparents
Bride & Groom + Grandparents (each side individually)
Bride & Groom + Siblings

Groom's Side
Groom + Dad
Groom + Mom
Bride & Groom + Parents
Bride & Groom + Parents & Siblings
Bride & Groom + Parents, Siblings, Spouses, Children, & Grandparents
Bride & Groom + Grandparents (each side individually)
Bride & Groom + Siblings

Of course, this list should be adjust to fit your individual needs, but it is a good starting point.  If everyone is ready, I can usually get through this list in about a half hour to 45 minutes.
051918-0303 You know that awesome family list you just created? Be sure to share it with your photographer!  It's so much easier for your photographer to be able to plan and get familiar with your family list before the wedding day.  Also, you remember the attendant who helped with flowers?  It would be an awesome idea to share this list with them and have them assist in calling family members up for portraits.  It helps keep things going smoothly and allows your photographer to focus on posing, lighting, and capturing the portraits.

I hope this has helped you be better prepared for family portraits on your wedding day!

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