Your Family photo planning guide

But first, what exactly is a Family shot list?

Simply put, it is a wedding-planning tool used to outline all the family group photos you want us to capture on your wedding day. This may include a pup or two.

Why is it important? 

A family shot list helps to ensure that important relatives are included, keeps the photo session organized, and prevents missed combinations. Helps this part of the day go smooth and the best part is you don’t need to keep track or do it on the spot.

How to make one

Create a list of family groupings that are most important to you. Include the names of everyone who should be included. We recommend focusing on immediate family and any special family combinations that are meaningful to you. For example:

Couple + Bride’s parents (John & Mary Smith)

Couple + Bride’s parents + Siblings ( John, Mary, Sarah, and Michael)

Couple + both sets of grandparents (David and Lisa, Charles & Anne)

How We capture them.

Our approach combines organization with flexibility. We'll capture the essential requested groupings while also looking for genuine interactions between family members. The result is a collection of timeless family portraits that feel both polished and authentic.

  1. Start with immediate family: Begin with the essential groupings and build from there.

  2. Work from largest groups to smaller: This prevents people from being dismissed and then called back

    Example flow:

    A. Entire family

    B. parents

    C. Siblings

    D. individual

  3. Limit Extended family combinations if possible: Consider one large photo with all aunties and uncles and cousins. This can result in more meaningful coverage in less time.

  4. Let us know if there are any family dynamics that you would like us to be aware of: This way we can help support everyone feeling comfortable and not create any awkward moments.

  5. Inform family in advance: Those that you would like to be apart of the formal family photos tell the time and place in advance, rather than announce after ceremony. Somehow everyone thinks they are your family, lol. While you love everyone celebrating with you, formal photos are more fore close fam, and then cocktail and reception is for the more casual, candid groupings of friends and extended family.

  6. Assign a family wrangler: Choose a close friend or family that knows everyone on your list, have them work with us in making sure we have everyone we need and to gather the strays when needed. The goal is for you to relax, kiss and hug grandma while we do all the work.

  7. Send the list to us the week of or a week before your wedding: This way if we have any questions we can reach out in enough time. You can even give it to us sooner, if that feels easier for you and your schedule. You can write it down and take a picture, and email or text it to us. You can create a note in your phone and then send it to us that way. You can even create a document and send it. It is really up to you and, how your brain functions best, lol. And what is easiest for you.

A few tips when making your list

We hope this guide has been helpful in organizing and understanding your family shot list. Remember this time will be some of the first shared with your family after getting married, even though these are formal photos, we refuse to direct it in a way that takes away from the feelings, the love and the joy. Allow yourself to be in the moments. We will take care of the rest.