How To Plan Your Wedding Group Shots
Planning a well-organised wedding group shots list is essential for ensuring that your wedding photos are beautiful, stress-free, and everyone is included. Group shots are important but I strive to make sure that they are well organised and completed quickly do that you can get back to having a lovely time. Here’s a guide on how to create a well-thought-out list that ensures you get the best shots, without interrupting the flow of your wedding day.
1. Start with Your Must-Have Group Shots
The first step is to sit down and think about which key group shots you absolutely want to have. These will usually include immediate family members, the bridal party, and possibly close friends or extended family.
2. Consider Your Venue and Time of Day
Think about where and when these group shots will happen. Ideally, you want to schedule group photos directly after the ceremony when everyone is still together and available. There are some things to talk to your photographer about:
Do You Have An Indoor Venue? Plan group shots in well-lit areas, or near windows with natural light if possible.
Do You Have An Outdoor Venue? Consider the time of day and the available light. Golden hour (the hour before sunset) is ideal for portraits, so try to plan around it.
Be mindful of the weather and have contingency plans if you're planning outdoor group shots.
3. Categorise the Groupings for Efficiency
Break your group shots down into categories to keep things moving smoothly. For example:
Immediate Family: Bride & groom with parents, siblings, and immediate family members.
Extended Family: All aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc.
Bridal Party: Bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, ring bearers.
Close Friends: Groupings with friends or anyone special who’s not in the bridal party but you'd like to include in photos.
This will help to minimise confusion, allowing your photographer to work quickly through each category. Be sure to discuss these categories with your photographer in advance.
4. Assign a Group Shot Coordinator
One of the best ways to keep group shots efficient is to have someone designated to help organise the people for each photo. This person can be a bridesmaid, groomsman, or family member who knows the group and can help get everyone into place quickly.
When working with my couples, I always provide a printed list of the shots requested so that I can keep on top of what is needed. It really helps to speed things up.
5. Create a Shot List and Prioritise
Most of the couples that I work with prefer to keep the group shot list to a minimum and will prioritise the most important people on the guest list. This really helps to save time and allows me to get back to taking natural photos and allows the couple to spend more time with their guests.
6. Communicate the List to Your Photographer
Once you’ve finalised your group shots list, share it with your photographer in advance. I always take this during the final meeting with my couples and will reorder to make it make the most sense in terms of the order. Include the names of the key people in each shot, especially if you're working with a photographer who may not know all of your family members.
7. Build in Buffer Time
Group shots can take longer than expected due to various factors such as people being hard to locate, changing outfits, or delays with guests. Be sure to build in buffer time into your wedding day schedule so that you don’t feel rushed. Allow 5 minutes per group shot, depending on the size of the group. If you have large groups (e.g., extended family), plan extra time for that grouping.
By organising your wedding group shots in advance and being clear about your priorities, you can ensure a smooth and stress-free process.