The Art of Family Portraits at a Wedding

A family portrait is a posed photo of the bride and groom with family members on their wedding day. These are also known as a family formal among wedding photographers.

This is a fundamental tradition at weddings. These photos capture combinations of the family. Usually, they will include mom, dad, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and sometimes, the family pet!

Wedding photographers have their special methods of capturing family formals. Recognizing the art behind family formals helps brides and grooms understand how to achieve a high-quality portrait.

Ultimately, it is a studio’s goal to capture the best wedding photography while also recognizing your loved ones.

Many brides and grooms will request to skip family formals because they only want candid photos on their wedding day.

Oftentimes, this is a response to the awkwardness that stems from posing in front of a camera. While this is understandable, a professional wedding photographer knows how to pose subjects—especially couples who are not professional models.

As a wedding studio, we highly recommend capturing family formals for numerous reasons:

· Commemorate the moment – A wedding is one of the few moments when an entire family is together. In addition to this, they are wearing their best suits and dresses. Years from now, the family will cherish a wedding portrait where everyone was together.

· Family members want them – Family members look forward to appearing in wedding photos. Especially the formal portraits that captures their side, including aunts, uncles, grandparents, children. Capturing family formals is a respectful gesture.

· Gifts for the holidays or birthdays – Many brides and grooms struggle to find a meaningful gift for family members. A 5x7 or 8x10 print of a family photo from the wedding day is a thoughtful idea. An aunt, uncle, or grandparent can frame the photo to display it on the coffee table or in their office.

· Album appearance – When wedding photographers design an album, they’ll devote spreads to the family formals. A wedding album is a recollection of the entire day. Viewing a family portrait in the album is a different feeling than seeing it in a social media feed.

Family formal wedding photography requires an eccentric personality to lighten the mood. These photos are easy when wedding photographers work efficiently with wholesome humor.

A wedding is a celebration of life and love, so allocate time to capture family formals with relatives.

There are many factors to consider before setting a time for family portraits. Depending on the wedding day, family formals will typically occur before or after the ceremony.

Brides and grooms that choose to do a First Look can capture family formals shortly afterward. This approach leaves ample time for the couple, family members, and friends to finish photos before the wedding ceremony. Instead of missing cocktail hour for family formals, this method allows everyone to enjoy the event.

If the bride and groom pass on capturing a First Look, then family formals can occur after the wedding ceremony. Remind family members where to go for photos. On average, it takes about 10-20 minutes for all guests to exit a ceremony room. We love family formals in the ceremony room because wedding photographers have a beautifully decorated space as their background.

Sometimes brides and grooms will opt for photos with extended family members during the reception.

However, there are some pitfalls with family photos during the reception:

At wedding receptions, families are in party mode. Heels are replaced for flats, jackets are off, and liquor kicks in. This makes coordinating and posing subjects more difficult for wedding photographers. Also, it is a less formal option for family formals.

Wedding photographers primarily capture family formals before the sun begins to set. We would prefer to reserve golden hour wedding photos for the couple.

As wedding photographers, we love photo locations that have dimension, texture, and gorgeous lighting. Choosing a prime location for family formals will ensure a smooth operation.

In terms of aesthetics, find an interior location that offers stunning architecture. At the Union League of Philadelphia, most photographers prefer to capture family formals in the library. This private room is elegant, spacious, and classic.

Interior photo locations are ideal for family formals for numerous reasons. Consider the accessibility, weather, and lighting. Interior locations provide elevators, ramps, and staircases for easy access. Weather is an afterthought when indoors, and wedding photographers have more control of the lighting.

While we love to photograph family formals inside of a church, sometimes the space is off limits. Other venues flip the ceremony room into a reception ballroom during cocktail hour. This means wedding photographers need to find another location for family photos.

Weddings on beautiful days have the option for outdoor family formals. Find an outdoor location at your wedding venue, so you can spend less time traveling.

During the planning consultation, a wedding photographer will help you design your timeline for the big day. Simultaneously, this is the best time to arrange a shot list for family formal photos.

Wedding photographers will start with either the bride or groom and ask the following questions:

· Are mom and dad married or divorced?

· Do you have any siblings?

· How old are your siblings?

· Are your siblings married?

· Does either sibling have children?

· Are any family members in the wedding party?

· How many aunts and uncles?

· How many aunts and uncles are married?

· Do your aunts and uncles have any children?

· How many grandparents?

From these personal questions, wedding photographers will learn more about the family size and create combinations.

More importantly, they’ll have names on a call sheet to reference at the wedding. After each shot, the wedding photographer can strike off names until every combination is complete.

Asking Personal Questions with a Purpose

Also, a wedding photographer might ask, “is there any personal family drama that our team should know about?” This is a serious question because a photographer could add fuel to the fire. According to any tense relationships, a wedding photographer may pose certain family members differently.

Once there is a shot list, there is a clear plan. Wedding photographers just need put it into action on the big day.

Finally, you know which family members to include in your formal photos. Now, can you keep them organized, on-time, and camera ready?

As experienced wedding photographers, we have advice for brides and grooms to organize their family. The most important factor is communication.

Before the big day, share your wedding timeline with family members. Show them where, and when they need to take formal photos. Have a professional wedding planner, maid of honor, or best man remind them at the wedding.

After you’ve reminded them, you should remind them again. And again.

Becoming a Wedding Day Director

During this phase of the day, it is time for wedding photographers to take command. Photographers need to relieve the pressure by working efficiently. They should make this process fun by putting on the charm. Enjoying the family formal process is your only responsibility as a wedding couple.

It is common for a wedding photographer to act as a fly on the wall. However, subjects in family portraits rely on photographers to position them in the frame. This is one of the few moments at a wedding where photographers take full control.

Communication allows wedding photographers to work quickly. The main objective is finish family formals as fast as possible, so everyone can go to cocktail hour.

It is easy to assume that family formal portraits are simple.

Wedding photographers just tell each family member to stand next to each other, and then snap the shutter, right? That is far from reality.

There’s a creative science behind family wedding portraits.

Evaluating Height, Body Shape, and Couples

First, pose the bride and groom in the center. Then, tell the family members to pair up with their spouses and children. Once the families are together, a wedding photographer can assess their height and body shapes.

There are many factors that contribute to how a wedding photographer will pose a family member, but here is a very general overview:

Solving the Puzzle

Fun fact: the family members do not want to capture formals. Professional wedding photographers are aware of your priorities: eat, drink, and party. That is why we work fast.

Posing family portraits is like trying to solve a puzzle. There is a lot of scrambling to make a family portrait look its absolute best.

As professional photographers, we pose group portraits by using the “triangle method.”

In other words, we avoid aligning heads on the same plane. A straight line of heads looks like a police lineup. Instead, we form tight triangles with head positions, which is more attractive to the viewers’ eye.

Using furniture is a game-changer for family formals. It allows wedding photographers to create better poses, move bodies, and create more space. Make sure to use the right chairs. Snag some Chiavari chairs from the ballroom. In most cases, avoid barstools, awkward seats, and small furniture.

In general, capturing a family portrait is a lengthy process for wedding photographers. Large or small family sizes dictate this timeframe. More family members means more photo combinations.

A family with one sibling is faster to capture than a family with several siblings who are all married and have children of their own.

On average, a wedding photographer needs 30 minutes for small families. Large families require at least 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Before setting a timeline, establish a shot list with the wedding photographer. Ask them: how much time do you need for family formals?

Wedding Photography Time Constraints

Also, remember this: Grandparents with limited mobility require more patience to move and pose. Small children grow restless and may require numerous photos to capture a decent expression. Both factors take time off the clock.

Allocate emergency time for unpredictable moments during family formals. If a rainstorm begins or a family member is late, wedding photographers want time to adapt. Work with the photographer to set a reasonable timeframe for family formals. This will avoid one accident from ruining the entire schedule.

Family formals take a lot of time to pose. Wedding photographers take pride in the challenge of capturing a beautiful family photo.

After every photo combination, the last photo that a wedding photographer needs to capture is a portrait of the grandparents. And just the grandparents.

Whenever anyone asks why, we like to say, “if it wasn’t for them, then none of us would be here.” This comment opens a new perspective. Wedding days heavily revolve around the bride and groom, so a stunning portrait of the grandparents is often an afterthought.

This photo is worth capturing. Even better: it only takes wedding photographers about a minute to do it. Years from the wedding day, a portrait of the grandparents is a precious keepsake.

If you’re looking for a top wedding photographer to capture the special day, then consider our studio in Philadelphia. For over 40 years, Phil Kramer has specialized in documenting weddings in Philly, New York, and Washington D.C.

View the wedding portfolio to find inspiration. This curated gallery features highlights of wholesome wedding moments, beautiful family photos, and stunning portraits of couples.

Phil Kramer has experience working at top wedding venues around Philadelphia. A few of these include The Logan Hotel, Ballroom at Ellis Preserve, Greystone Hall, and The W.

Contact Phil Kramer for more information about wedding photography in Philadelphia.