What are family formals on your wedding day? These are the posed photos in which everyone looks at the camera and smiles! Some other names are formal group portraits, posed groupings, or group photos or portraits. I tend to call them ‘formal groupings’, since the groupings that matter depend on your relationships and may not include any family at all.
Group shots become heirlooms and memories. They’re a really important part of your final gallery. These are the photos you’ll come back to again and again over the years.
However, we want the experience of taking these photos to be efficient and effortless. Minimal chaos, maximum preparation! Less being pulled out of the moment but more intentional and even fun!
That’s what this guide’s about – how to plan for and actually get the photos you want without compromising your wedding day experience, or having the process devolve into a chaotic mess. Because, yes, these images require more coordination than most couples expect.
This guide is everything I wish couples knew about planning a successful group formal session on their wedding day. It is for non-City Hall weddings – if you’re getting married at SF City Hall, be sure to review the detailed article linked below that speaks to the unique challenges and logisitics of the process there:
Table of Contents
How groupings are planned and scheduled
The planning part of this process is easy – that’s what this guide is here to equip you to do. At a high level, here’s how things work:
- Read through this guide! It contains so many helpful tips that people aren’t aware of until it’s too late.
- Check out my sample groupings list, which may be a useful starting point.
- Create your own unique groupings list and add it to Section 8 of your Photography Planning Document
- I’ll review your list ahead of the wedding, give you my feedback and we’ll ensure we’re aligned.
- Wedding day!!
Who writes the list of groupings?
The list of desired groupings should be provided by the couple. Both partners should collaborate to ensure that nothing is missed. Requests for extra photos can usually be accommodated on the day, but that isn’t ideal and can sometimes compromise the must-get photos or cause confusion about your priorities.
The list relies on information only you have. Every family is different, sometimes with complex family dynamics at play. Only you know:
- Which combinations are important
- Which relationships are particularly close
- Which two people should never be placed in the same photo
- Who needs to leave early to start putting centerpieces out
- Who can’t stand for long
- Who might be unintentionally left out unless it’s clearly listed
- Who you don’t want to be in your photos (brother’s girlfriend, mother’s new partner, etc).
All that context is super useful to me.
I then review your list to ensure it’s both doable in the timeslot you have allocated and reordered in the way that makes the most sense.
Sample family photo groupings list (~25-30 mins)
This is a starting point for most weddings. From here, you can adjust or add based on what matters to you.
- Bride* and groom with both sets of parents, plus any siblings with their partners and children
- Bride and groom with bride’s parents
- Bride with her parents
- Bride and groom with groom’s parents
- Groom with his parents
- Bride with her siblings
- Groom with his siblings
- A grouping that’s important to you (e.g. grandparents)
*I use “bride and groom” here for clarity and consistency. Please read this as applying to any couple.
Sample wedding party list (10-15 minutes)
I encourage keeping things very simple with wedding party groupings. The reason this slot is 10-15 minutes is that these shots typically show more personality and fun than the smiling-at-the-camera ones.
For these types of photos only, we’ll be doing more fun ones like looking at each other and chatting, the couple kisses and the party cheers, strike a different pose every few seconds, walking toward the camera, flying V, and more, depending on time and the personalities of those involved.
I recommend doing:
- Bride* and groom with entire wedding party
- Bride with her wedding party
- Groom with his wedding party
Some couples ask for individual photos with each wedding party member. It’s definitely possible but will require a longer session than standard.
• Submit your complete groupings list at least two weeks before the wedding. This gives us both time to review the list, clarify any questions, discuss priorities, estimate the time required, and make adjustments if needed.
• Finalizing a groupings plan is a collaborative process. There may be some back-and-forth before everyone is clear on what is being photographed, how long it will take, and whether additional time or a reset location is needed.
• Changes submitted within two weeks of the wedding may not be reviewed or accommodated.
• Please submit one complete or near-complete list rather than multiple revisions. Repeated changes make it difficult to accurately plan timing and logistics.
• If your list exceeds the recommended number of groupings, additional photography coverage may be required.
• If someone is needed for photos, make sure they know this in advance. Guests often assume they are free to leave once the ceremony ends or after a particular grouping has been photographed. Anyone needed for additional photos should remain nearby until they have been photographed and released by the photography team.
• If certain guests need to leave early or have responsibilities later in the day, let the photographer know in advance so their photos can be prioritized.
• Groupings are photographed in the order that makes the most logistical sense on the day. The submitted order may be adjusted based on timing, location, light, guest availability, mobility needs, and efficiency.
How long does each grouping take?
As a baseline, we need to allow three minutes per grouping. To break it down further, because people sometimes don’t believe me when a photo takes a fraction of a second— here’s where the time goes:
- Wrangling people, ensuring people are not just present but photo-ready.
- Getting the group into a space that can accommodate the size
- Aligning each group correctly with the background
- Assembling chairs for large groupings
- Removing visibly bulging items from pockets
- Putting down bags, phones, coats, drinks etc
- Adjusting hair and clothing (especially in windy conditions)
- Positioning everyone to turn in toward the couple and ensure everyone’s face is visible
- Adjusting hand/ arm positioning
- Getting everyone’s attention (takes longer for children and the elderly)
- Taking upwards of 12 photos per camera to ensure one frame with eyes open/ looking straight at camera/ flattering facial expressions
- Repeating the process for different lenses and orientations, ensuring folks stay in position (full body horizontal, upper body horizontal, and vertical where possible)
- Allow time for more fun/in-between moments to capture more natural shots where time allows / if the couple has requested
In short, it’s small, minute details as well as bigger-picture matters like spacing, posture, connection, hand placement, overall positioning, angles, and whether the group’s overall shape works.
On top of that, I’m managing everyone’s attention. Are people looking at my camera or at a guest holding up a phone, a child off to the side, or at something happening behind me? The larger and more chaotic the group and— crucially—the bystanders waiting for their photos, the more likely it becomes that multiple people are trying to get everyone’s attention at once.
How many groupings to plan for
The number of groupings you choose has the biggest impact on how this part of the day feels. People often get this wrong because they’ve never done this before. They don’t know when expectations often not aligned with what’s realistic or comfortable.
Too many groupings can negatively affect your experience of this part of the day. Instead of feeling fun and interesting, smiles can fade and guests’ patience can fray. I advise keeping lists light and minimal, ensuring that your key loved ones are captured.
Optimal range: 6 – 8 groupings
Weddings work best with up to 6-8 groupings in total. Capped at 8, maybe 9, the process is contained and manageable. Beyond that, it becomes a long, repetitive process that most couples find exhausting. This session with the recommended number of groupings takes around 25 minutes. Beyond that, it’s possible but it takes more time out of your day and requires a lot more patience.
Higher range: 10 – 14 groupings
In some cases, lists reach 10–14 groupings, but this requires more time and a realistic sense of how long you’ll be standing there. With an estimate of up to 3 minutes per grouping, that could add up to over 40 minutes of standing there with a forced smile on your face.
Not recommended: More than 14 groupings
With a larger number of groupings (more than around 12 or 14), chaos usually ensues and smiles fade fast. Herding cats is the metaphor that comes to mind.
What could have been a quick, focused session becomes repetitive and exhausting. As the couple, you are the only people in every photo, holding a consistent smile which it just isn’t physically possible to do for long periods.
If you request a larger number of groupings as that’s your priority, then that time has to come from somewhere. It might mean starting earlier, extending coverage, or pushing back the next part of the timeline. It may mean building in a longer cocktail hour and using it exclusively for posed groupings.
At that point, however, it’s not just about time. It’s how long you can realistically stand there and stay ‘on’ for every photo.
How to write your groupings list
Write one grouping per line
Each line in your list should represent one exact grouping.
If you’re thinking in terms like “with and without kids,” “with and without partners,” those are separate entries.
For example:
- Dylan, Sofia, Carlos, Eric (no kids)
- Dylan, Sofia, Carlos, Eric, Avery, Braden (with kids)
Each time people enter or leave a photo, that’s a complete reset, with its own setup and time requirement.
Use names instead of titles (or ideally, both)
Please use names wherever possible. There is a much better response when I can call out:
“Maria, Thomas, Jennifer, and Daniel”
Rather than:
“Bride’s aunt, uncle, and cousins”
People don’t always register those descriptions in the moment, especially in a busy environment.
In your PPD, there is also space to include a key that outlines who each person is and how they’re related. For example, ‘Sofia’s parents: Vanessa & Juan. Sofia’s aunt & uncle: Maria & Thomas’. ‘Sofia’s brother & brother-in-law: Carlos & Eric).
Start with largest set first
Start with the biggest family grouping first, typically the one with both sides that includes all parents, siblings, and siblings’ partners. Then we pare down from there.
What affects your groupings list
Understand time allocations for all-guest / large group photos
Many couples ask me about doing a big group photo of all their guests. I’m always happy to do this (in fact, I love it!), but it requires a bit of coordination.
Firstly, for big group photos— whether ‘all guests’ or anything involving more than around 30 people—it needs a ~10 minute slot on the timeline, not just 3 minutes like regular groupings.
Secondly, the best time for this shot is immediately after the ceremony, when we have everyone’s attention. The officiant can add to their script that everyone should remain in place for a big group shot. Or if the photographer can get on the mic to arrange everyone.
This is best done in environments where either:
- The photographer can get a raised view of the guests (for example, by standing on a ladder or a raised area like a wall, slope, chair or an upstairs window
- A set of stairs or steps can be utilized
- A row of chairs can be set up to stagger the subjects – half the people will be positioned seated and half of them standing behind.
I’ve included a few example of posed big group photos above and how the space informed what was possible. I prefer this to be a more posed, coordinated shot in which I can position every person, as overly casual shots are unlikely to capture all faces clearly.
Understand space and location constraints
Groupings need more space than people realize. The larger the group, the bigger the area needed. Space requirements for large group photos is something couples commonly overlook.
Some spaces we’re working in – for example a large group photo of 35 people in a cramped cocktail hour – require creative solutions, or a much more casual feel. We may have to step outside and take photos on the street/ parking lot if the space is just too small, given there are tables, chairs, displays, staff serving and other guests mingling.
For groupings to work well, I need enough room to step back and photograph the group properly, plus space for the group itself to assemble.
Accommodate elderly guests and mobility needs early
We want to make this session comfortable, particularly for elderly family members and those with limited mobility. It would be helpful to know in advance whether any individuals in your groupings cannot stand for long.
Sometimes when I reorder lists to optimize for efficiency, I’m not aware of factors that dictate the timing of certain individuals. If I know ahead of time, we can ensure their groupings are done swiftly so they’re not waiting around.
When should these formal photos take place?
For most traditional (non-City Hall) weddings, the most efficient time to complete the core groupings is shortly before the ceremony. This is a great slot when only the people needed for photos are present and photo-ready. It also ensures that everyone’s hair & makeup look the freshest.
Additional groupings can be captured later in the day, typically for guests who were not present earlier.
In order to do your formal groupings pre-ceremony, you would need to agree to seeing each other before the ceremony. You can have a first look (a staged moment in which you see each other), or simply get ready together without the fanfare of a big ‘reveal’—either option works.
If you only want to see each other at the ceremony and not before, that’s totally fine, but we’ll require a suitable time slot to capture your groupings while the party is in full flow. You may also miss your own cocktail hour, so that’s just something to bear in mind.
What happens if we don’t get through all the groupings in the allotted time?
Sometimes, the time we have available for formal groupings comes and goes and even if we haven’t finished out list. We have a hard stop due to the fixed ceremony time slot. Perhaps people arrived late, weren’t photo-ready, or not enough time was allocated.
On those occasions, the best course of action is simply to pick up any remaining groupings post-ceremony. But when?
Before I dive in, I want to share a key factor at play: when groupings are missed during the dedicated photo time (early on in the day, before the ceremony), 9 times out of 10, they don’t end up happening later. The energy of the day changes, couples get caught up in the wedding whirlwind (and rightly so!), stiff, formal portraits don’t really fit with the feel of the day once we’re past the dedicated slot.
The reality of weddings is that we start very buttoned up, stiff, formal and not a hair out of place. The day grows increasingly chaotic and fun! The early part of the day is built around photography and posing. I’m usually running everything from the first look, to family formals to romantics.
Then the ceremony takes place, you’re bombarded by guests, you’re having fun and photos that you know you wanted to obtain no longer seem important. The photographer’s role shifts from director to candid observer.
I’ll continue to chase down the couple, list-in-hand, but by this point, they just want to have fun, not pose for photos. So, think about how you’ll feel if this happens on your wedding day.
Here are three options, each with their own tradeoffs.
Cocktail hour
Cocktail hour is your best bet for picking up any combinations we couldn’t get earlier.
It can work, but bear in mind you’ll likely already have a specific ‘cocktail hour groupings’ list, centered around guests who weren’t present earlier, which we’d be adding to.
Cocktail hour groupings are… tricky at the best of times. Rather than a controlled environment, it’s slower and more chaotic. Everyone’s spread out, eating, drinking, and socializing, trying to say hello to the newlyweds, which makes them harder to gather.
It also pulls time away from candid coverage. Cocktail hour is one of the only times during your day for candids. With a long list to get through, your photographer will be finding people and working through a list.
During table visits at dinner
Groupings during table visits can work but only if there is time built into the schedule.
In many timelines, there isn’t a natural gap for this. Proceedings go straight from speeches into dancing, with little to no time for the couple go visit each table and mingle. Either that or the couple is exhausted and wants a break from posed photos. You can also expect messy tables and missing folks at tables.
On the dance floor
This is usually a last resort, but can work surprisingly well. Dancefloor groupings are quick, informal, and often done on the fly. What’s great is that the photographer or DJ can get on the mic and ask for such-and-such extended family members, so-and-so’s college friends- a very quick way of wrangling even large groups!
The downsides are that some guests may have already left, may not be easy to gather at that point in the night, may of course be pretty sweaty and disheveled, or a little worse for wear.
How groupings run on the day
The couple stays put as the anchor point
Simply, the couple stays put. You are the calm at the eye of the storm. Everyone else – all the different clusters of loved ones – will move in and out of photos around you. All you have to do is remain in your base position or return to it if needed.
Appoint photo wranglers in advance
You’re not the ones to locate and grab folks for photos. The ‘photo wranglers’ are. A wrangler must:
- Know who’s who (on their side). They need to be able to recognize people immediately, know who belongs in each grouping, and go find them if they’re not there. That might mean stepping away to the bar, the restroom, or outside to bring someone back.
- Be proactive, confident and comfortable finding missing guests or calling them over . A more assertive personality definitely helps.
- Be figured out in advance for all weddings with ~20 or more guests present.
- Be informed of their role in advance and be comfortable helping in this way. Make sure they’re not needed for another task (like ceremony prep or table decorating) at this time.
- Be aware of the timeline
- Report to the photographer just before groupings begin, and introduce themselves. I won’t know who they are otherwise.
And to be clear, I’m looking for just one person per side. When multiple people are appointed, roles are muddied and the job is ‘left to someone else’, which means no one.
This is usually not a job for a vendor such as a planner, as they don’t have that level of intimacy with every family member.
How I position groupings
For photographers, lighting is the most important factor in creating the best photographs. When positioning folks, I’m looking for flattering, even light on faces. Nobody wants harsh shadows and loved ones squinting into the sun.
When outdoors, I position each group with the sun behind them or at a slight angle to their backs. Shade is also ideal, but not all venues allow for that option.
What non-photographers sometimes miss is that unflattering lighting, portraits of people won’t look good.
Some couples come in with an idea of a specific vision of having a landmark, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, in the background. In practice, that doesn’t always work, particularly as we’re often out shooting at high noon during the summer months.
In this example, the shot with the bay view in the background has harsh lighting and subjects can barely open their eyes. It’s unforgiving on skin with any texture and super unflattering. The image is very contrasty and the colors are strong. Once I move the subjects, as you can see, the light makes them glow. In short: even light on people’s faces is what we’re going for.
Where things tend to go wrong
Not all family members needed are present
The biggest derailment to the plan is always the same: people who are supposed to be in a certain place at a certain time or not there. Or they are there but they’re not photo-ready. It’s a simple point but worth remembering: everyone needed for a photo has to be present and ready at the same moment.
I always put on photo timelines the ‘time you need to tell them to be there’ which is around 15 minutes before we’ll actually need them.
But sometimes this isn’t enough. Consider the personalities involved and how to best accommodate them so you don’t miss out on these photos.
Not being flexible with children needed for photos
The second biggest reason why these photos take longer than they should revolves around children. Groupings involving kids don’t always follow a perfect plan.
Sometimes they arrive later than planned, need to leave early or take a nap, or are simply not in the right mood at a specific moment. When that happens, we will adjust the order to capture those groupings when the opportunity is there. That may mean waiting for a different time of the day, waiting for them to open up (with plenty of encouragement, of course), or sadly, forgoing them entirely if the child(ren) will not play ball.
Not informing people in advance
If guests don’t know when they’re needed, where they’re needed or what’s expected of them, they can wander off. Even halfway through the day, when everyone’s supposed to be on site, there are no guarantees we’ll be able to find people when we need them. So give them a heads up or the link to your photo timeline, so they can plan accordingly.
I find that especially with non-family groupings where they ‘weren’t expecting to be needed for photos’, a little preparation can go a long way.
Doing multiple permutations of essentially the same group
A common mistake is creating separate versions of the same group “with and without” one of the newlyweds. (or ‘with and without’ some guests’ plus ones). This can add unnecessary volume to the list and slows everything down.
These are your wedding photos. In most cases, people want to be photographed with both of you together.
Keep single-person groupings for specific, meaningful moments, such as:
- Bride with mom
- Groom with dad, etc.
If a grouping involves just one marrier, note it. Otherwise, I’ll assume both partners are included in all groupings.
Not speaking up if something is missed
I cannot stress enough how important it is to say something in the moment if something is missed or you just want to double-check. It takes a few seconds to scroll back through the images to see if a certain grouping was taken, but hours of painstaking work afterward.
It’s happened. I’ve missed an important grouping, and my editor has strategized what to do and pulled in our retouching team to create composite images to recreate the missed shots. It worked, on that occasion. However, composites are limited. They depend entirely on what was captured in the moment, and may or may not yield usable results.
The goal is to avoid getting to that point. Working with a wedding photographer is a collaboration, and it’s really important you say something in the moment. This allows me to adjust while there is still an opportunity to fix it. We’re only human, and oversights happen.
Blended families and complex dynamics
If your family structure is more complex, or there are relationships that need to be handled carefully, this needs to be handled sensitively and decided in advance. Telling your photographer in advance is also a must to avoid embarrassment.
Blended families
I sometimes get questions about how to approach groupings with blended families on the wedding day. The truth is, it’s really up to you and it’s harder to make rules out of something so personal.
You might want:
- One larger grouping that includes everyone
- Separate groupings for each side
- A mix of both, depending on the relationships
- Just the kids from that ‘side’ for extended family photos
- Leaving the kids out of extended family / family of origin photos
Sensitive or difficult family situations
If there are people who should not be in the same photo or standing next to each other, that needs to be communicated in advance.
This includes:
- Estranged family members
- Divorces or new partners
- Recent deaths or losses that may make this time difficult
- Any subjects to avoid
- Any tension that affects how people should be grouped or positioned
- Anyone you specifically don’t want in your photos (especially if that person will try and insert themselves into it).
Sometimes groupings will inevitably end up being lopsided if each partner does not have 2 parents. For example, one partner has only one parent and the other partner has two divorced parents, and each divorced parent has their own ‘new’ spouse. It’s up to you what best fits. Usually, for anyone that has more than 2 parents or parent figures (a parent got remarried), you’ll know whether you’d like the step-parent to be in photos, and whether it’s appropriate to have each biological parent with their ‘new’ spouses in one photo, or if two separate photos would be better (for example: bride with bride’s mom and stepdad; then next photo: bride with bride’s dad and stepmom).
There is a section on your Photography Planning Document that asks about tricky family situations so I can guide the groupings tactfully. We ask that you fill that out before the wedding day. It’s my goal to be as discreet as possible always, but I can’t always do that without prior context.
Final thoughts
These are the photos that outlive us all. They’re the ones with your parents, your siblings, your children, your people, all in one place and properly captured.
Putting a bit of thought into the list and how it’s handled on the day is what makes sure those photos exist.
Once that’s in place, I’ll guide the process and keep things moving so you can step in, obtain the groupings that matter to you, and enjoy the party.
Zoe Larkin
I’m Zoe, a wedding photographer based in San Francisco! My style is candid, capturing authentic moments for my couples all over the Bay Area and Northern California. Creating content is my passion! Follow along on the blog, Instagram, TikTok & YouTube!
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