Hello, again, newlyweds-to-be! We’re back with another installment in our Planning series, “Stuff We’ve Learned.”
We’ve already talked about the importance of portraits on your wedding day. Now I want to spend a little more time talking about creating — and actually accomplishing! — your portrait list.
Why is this so important for us to talk about?
The only time a couple has expressed disappointment to us has been when a portrait they did not ask for or did not allow time for was not taken. Nothing upsets us more than knowing that someone did not get everything they wanted from their wedding photographs, but we need YOUR help if we are going to make all of your wedding photo dreams come true! (That’s sort of a joke.) ;)
We’ve put together a list of 5 (almost) foolproof tips for getting the portraits you want.
1.) Keep it simple! When making your list, it’s easy to get carried away with every possible variation of the same group. We’re a-ok with that if enough time is allowed, but most couples have a tight schedule when it comes to portraits. Multiple versions of the same group of people is REALLY time-consuming, so unless you’re prepared to dedicate a couple of hours (or more) to portraits, you’ll want to think of ways to combine these versions into only a couple of different shots.
Here’s an example:
-Bride with Dad
-Bride with Mom
-Bride with Mom and Dad
-Bride with Mom and Dad and Sister
-Bride with Mom and Dad and Brother
-Bride with Mom and Dad and Brother and Sister
-Bride with Sister
-Bride with Brother
-Bride with Brother and Sister
The above portrait list could be narrowed to:
-Bride with Mom, Dad, Brother, and Sister
And if you think you have a little more time, you could add:
-Bride with Mom and Dad
-Bride with Brother and Sister
And if thinking about portrait lists is enough to make your eyeballs pop, we recommend the following tried and true staples:
-The Couple with the Bride’s immediate family (parents and siblings with partners/children)
-Add the Bride’s grandparents to the above shot
-The Couple with the Groom’s immediate family (parents and siblings with partners/children)
-Add the Groom’s grandparents to the above shot
-The Couple with both sets of parents (Bride’s and Groom’s)
-The Couple with both sets of grandparents (Bride’s and Groom’s)
That little list should take only about 20 minutes from start to finish!
Allison and Jeff combined portrait groupings and narrowed their list to only 6 separate portraits, which took less than 15 minutes with no rushing or stress. Here they are with children, parents, siblings and their families, and grandparents.
2.) Think it through! (Pretty please!) If you or your partner gets tired of portrait-taking and asks us to skip a shot (or 2), we will! But before you ask to eliminate something from your portrait list, think about whether you will regret that decision later. We want to make everyone happy, but we can’t be responsible if you later regret the decision to skip a portrait. The same applies if you don’t allow the recommended amount of time for the number of portraits you’ve requested, or if all the portrait participants aren’t there on time.
Because they were having so much fun celebrating, Rashida and Robert nearly skipped this portrait in front of the fountain, though they specifically mentioned wanting it several times before the wedding. Before their reception ended, however, they took 5 minutes to walk out into the courtyard and make sure this portrait was made. We’re so glad!
3.) Stay smiley! We can handle a huge portrait list; we don’t mind a slightly cranky child or a slow-moving elderly person; we understand that people blink, and we always take multiple shots to try to accommodate. What makes our job really tough is a less-than-pleasant attitude toward the portrait portion of the day — especially if it comes from the bride or groom. You set the tone for your entire day, and if you show frustration or impatience toward the portrait process, it increases the chances that we may be unable to get all of the portraits you requested. It’s okay if you’re not a “portrait person.” Remember: you ASKED for these portraits! So go ahead and psych yourself up for the half-hour (or so) during which you will need to smile and be a good picture-taker. :)
Cicely knew she wanted portraits with just her immediate family, and we took time before the ceremony to make this happen. A quick 10 minutes in the courtyard at her hotel was all that was needed. Cicely and her family were great sports in the hot Savannah weather, and we love their interaction in this image!
4.) Don’t leave anything to chance! The worst kind of request is what we call the “if there’s time” request. For example, “If there’s time, at some point tonight, maybe we could get a shot of me with each of my aunts…?” Almost without fail, that translates into A) photos that never get taken because the day is chaotic and there is no extra time, or B) photos that look a bit, er… “rough” because you’ve had a few drinks by the time they’re taken! (Oops!) The moral? If a portrait is important, make it part of your primary portrait list — period.
Allison set aside time before the ceremony for a portrait with each of her bridesmaids. This meant a full half-hour was dedicated to the short trip to and from this location for the portraits. Without planning, these photographs might not have happened — or they might not have been so beautiful!
Now lets just say that the hypothetical “aunts” aren’t able to be there when the other family portraits are taken. That’s okay! We can still set aside specific time during your reception when these portraits should take place. Important portraits should NEVER be left to chance. You cannot do your wedding day over again, and organization is key to ensuring you get all of the portraits that are important to you.
5.) Don’t forget the obvious! All too often a couple creates a thorough list of family portraits, but forgets to set aside time specifically for portraits with their wedding party — or, worse yet, portraits of just the couple! If you’re not big into portraits, we’ll be happy to keep it brief. But if you want photographs beyond just family portraits, we want to know what’s important to you. If you’re not sure, here’s our recommendation:
-Bride alone
-Groom alone
-Bride and Groom together
-Bride with Bridesmaids
-Groom with Groomsmen
-Bride and Groom with Bridesmaids and Groomsmen
If you have flower girls or ring bearers, they can be part of the group photos, or in a photo of their own with just the couple. Younger children (under 6, usually) tend to have a harder time in big group photos that may take a few minutes to arrange, so it might be better to have a separate photograph with just them. Children who are a bit older have more patience and are usually fine when included in the group portraits.
Lauren’s little flower girls were a bit young to be in the bigger group photos — though we did try! Even though they were a bit shy in front of everyone, we managed to get some cute photos of them just being the adorable little kids they are!
In conclusion…
We want to provide you with the best possible images capturing your story and the people you love. Never hesitate to share your ideas, your vision, and your needs. We are HONORED to participate in such an important celebration, and we look forward to sharing this milestone in your life!
Now, we aren’t “panic pros”, but we DO have a small list of items that could be the difference between you looking nice and you looking AMAZING. 
