Family / Group Photos
How to create the most seamless list, creating less stress and more harmony
Why the Wedding Group Photo List Matters
In the world of documentary and editorial wedding photography, we speak a lot about emotion, movement, atmosphere. And yes, that’s where I live creatively.
But family photographs? They are legacy.
Long after the florals have wilted and the champagne has been poured, these are the images that end up framed in parents’ homes, sent to grandparents overseas, and revisited during quiet anniversaries.
A thoughtful group photo list protects that.
It ensures:
No one important is accidentally missed
Family dynamics are respected
Time is used intentionally
The flow of the day remains calm
When I work with my couples, I always recommend keeping the list refined and intentional; usually 8–12 core groupings. Anything beyond that can start to eat into celebration time.
But first, your guest portraits! That’s right, after the Ceremony detail portraits, when your guests arrive all fresh and ready for the most romantic wedding of the year I like to get their portraits. This is either done by having my amazing associate shooters, or if timelines allow for it, I get there when guests arrive.
Why this is important?
Your guests spend money to look the way they do for your day, they pay for hair and makeup, their beautiful gowns and suits. This is a beautiful takeaway from the investment in your Luxury Wedding Photography that is a timeless image used by everyone and creating the experience for your guests that little more elevated.
A Simple, Elegant Group Photo Framework
From experience, this structure works beautifully:
Large Group Photo
Extended Family
Couple + grandparents
Couple + siblings (and partners)
Immediate Family
Couple + both sets of parents
Couple + bride’s immediate family
Couple + groom’s immediate family
Chosen Family
Couple + bridal party
Couple + close friends
I also suggest assigning one organized family member who knows everyone; someone who can gently gather people while I focus on creating images that feel natural and elevated, not stiff or rushed.
The Moment No One Talks About
There is always a moment during group photos that stays with me.
It’s usually when the grandparents step in.
At a recent wedding, the bride’s grandmother held her hands and simply said, “I never thought I’d see this day.” It was quiet. Unscripted. The wind caught her veil. The entire energy shifted.
For a second, the “formal photo” dissolved — and what remained was history, love, time.
That is why I never rush group photographs.
Even within structured family portraits, I’m watching for:
The squeeze of a hand
A father straightening his son’s jacket
A mother brushing hair from her daughter’s face
The shared laugh after I tell everyone to “pull in closer than feels natural”
Those in-between seconds are often more powerful than the perfectly posed frame.
Balancing Structure and Story
My approach is always this:
We honour the list.
And then we let the moments breathe.
Group photos don’t have to feel transactional. When guided with calm authority and warmth, they can become one of the most emotionally rich parts of the day; a rare moment when everyone important is physically together in one frame.
And in a world where families are often scattered across cities and countries, that is no small thing.
If there’s one piece of advice I give every couple, it’s this:
Be intentional about who stands beside you in those photographs.
Because one day, that image won’t just be a “group shot.”
It will be a memory of who showed up for your love; all at once, in one beautiful, fleeting moment.
