This part of the day is renowned for being a little stressful, but iIve put together these 5 tips to really help things to run smoothly on the day. With a little pre-wedding planning we can get this part of the day done as quickly as possible so the guests and yourselves have more time to enjoy themselves and mingle.
Plan in advance. I would aways suggest to agree with your photographer before your wedding day a list of the group shoots you want (I believe a maximum 10 group setup shots work best due to time constraints). I've suggested the group set ups below as an example and then I’ve left a couple at the end for any others you may like.
Bride & Groom and Bride parents, siblings and grandparents
Bride & Groom and Bride parents and siblings
Bride & Groom and Bride parents
Bride & Groom and Groom parents, siblings and grandparents
Bride & Groom and Groom parents and siblings
Bride & Groom and Groom parents.
Bride & Groom and both Bride & Groom parents
Any additional group photos you may want.
Any additional group photos you may want.
Any additional group photos you may want.
Additionally, there will be the whole group photo which we generally get done first of all, followed by the agreed group shoots above. After these we will photograph the bride & bridesmaids portraits / groom & groomsmen portraits. Whether we do your couple portraits before or after the group photos will depend on the time of year and the time of your ceremony. I'll advise you what I think is best when I know the details.
Later in the day around early evening, again if time allows, after dinner and speeches it’s one of my favourite times of day with the beautiful golden hour light and dusky light to capture some more beautiful portraits of the bride & groom.
2. Keep in mind how long it can take! The group shots I have listed above can last around 30 minutes and then we will need another 15 minutes for bridesmaids and ushers. It’s is important to plan for this in your schedule. I’ve noticed Groomsmen in particular have a habit of running off to the bar just when they are needed for the photos! Each additional group photo can take at 5 mins (by the time you round up each relevant group of people) and that can soon add up.
Then we will of course need time to photograph the two of you together as husband and wife. I promise I understand that you want to go and see your guests and have a drink, of course you do! I will try and get this done as quickly as possible but honestly you will end up regretting it if you don’t schedule at least 30 mins to get some gorgeous photos of the two of you together.
3. Delegate! Organise to have an usher from the grooms side & a bridesmaid from the brides side of the family to be responsible together for organising the group shots. Ideally two people who are happy to run around finding the correct people at the right time as your photographer won't know who know who great aunt Mabel is. This can massively eliminate any stresses from yourselves and the groups can run much more smoothly.
4. Manage guest expectations. Your aunt Winnie may have a different idea about who should be in group shots & may intervene and ask or possibly demand certain shots. If you anticipate this sort of scenario try to let them know in advance who are in the group shot and why. Explain to them due to the finite amount of time you have that you need to stick to the planned schedule. It is also wise to send an email/call to people who will be in a group shot, so they know in advance.
5. My last piece of advice is relax and enjoy it. The groups can get a little stressful, especially if not everyone is where they should be. But, with smart planning and delegation, things will run more smoothly. If you get to the point of really running over on time, just ask the photographer to shoot 3 main groups, the full wedding party of bridesmaids and Ushers, then the 2 parents shots. Then that will allow some good time for getting those very important key shots of just yourselves.
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