Wedding Portraits – Scripting & Organizing Group Family Photos

Posed family group shots are timeless moments included in most wedding albums. While memorable, shooting these scenes can be time consuming and stressful to both the photographer and the families if not well planned out in advance. We at Steve Smith Weddings have compiled our tricks of the trade and would like to pass them along to you. Whether you’re a wedding planner, meticulous bride/groom, or a photographer, we feel that these tips will help make executing your family wedding photos much smoother, faster, and more enjoyable for all.

Basic Scripting

1. Obtain a list of all the family member’s names and their relationship to the bride or groom well before the wedding.
2. With the bride and groom’s help, prepare a list of all the family combinations they would like to have captured, i.e., bride with mother and father, bride and groom with mother and father, etc.
3. Prepare a script noting who will be coming into and exiting each group shot.
4. Keep in mind that children and elderly people tend to have limited patience. We recommend that you script photos with these particular family members early in the session so that they can be excused as quickly as possible.
5. Order your shots so that moving the subject’s in/out can be accomplished smoothly and efficiently. The fewer people to move between shots, the easier the shoot will flow.

Sample Script:

Family Members

• Bride: Julia
• Groom: Cliff
• Bride’s Mother: Carolyn
• Bride’s Father: Charles
• Bride’s Sister: Joanne
• Brides Brother: John

In/Out Staging

• Bride with her Mother: Julia and Carolyn In
• Bride with her Mother & Father: Charles In
• Bride & Groom with Bride’s Mother & Father: Cliff In
• Bride & Groom with Bride’s Mother, Father & Siblings: Joanne and John In
• Bride & Groom with Bride’s Siblings: Carolyn and Charles Out
• Bride with her Siblings: Cliff Out

Additional Tips

• Use an assistant–either one you bring, or a volunteer wedding attendee who knows the family. Have the assistant use the script to gather and stage the people needed to come in and out of the shots. The assistant should also track which shots have been done. This enables the photographer to focus on the technical and creative side of things while pleasantly and efficiently moving the subjects in and out. The majority of them would much rather be at the reception festivities than taking pictures.
• Do your best to stick to your script. There is a strong tendency to skip over people that may be absent for one reason or another. Not waiting can throw off the subsequent scripting and leave you and your assistant to adjust on the fly. In the end, the judgment call is yours. If you think that your wedding party can be patient enough for uncle Charlie to come back from the restroom then by all means wait for him.
• Kind gestures tend to go a long way. Say please and thank you. Smile. Offer your arm to anyone who may need and/or appreciate assistance in getting to/from where the photo is being taken. Thank everyone for their patience and cooperation. You’re more likely to get friendly smiles from your subjects if project positive energy towards them.

Summary

Family group scenes are almost always a necessary part of “telling the story of the wedding day” and an important facet of the collection of photos. Your organization and timely execution will be much appreciated. Not to mention, a bit of weight will be lifted from your shoulders.

Kristin Hall & Scott Sword Wedding Engagement Shoot – Downtown Boise

This past Sunday evening I, Ray J. Gadd of Steve Smith Weddings set out with Kristin and Scott to capture some fun, loving, scenic and urban photographs. Seventy degree temperatures, clear blue skies, and great company made the engagement session quite delightful

Our night started out in the east Boise foothills where vibrant wildflowers provided great contrasting colors to the still green wild land grasses. Scott had a great location picked out just right behind the military reserve.

Downtown Boise offers up some great scenic and urban opportunities in a nice safe condensed area. It provided us with great venues to mix up the shots. Our first stop landed us at C.W. Moore Park. The late afternoon sun provided us with nice lighting on a cozy park bench.

We meandered throughout downtown Boise looking for a-typical elevated angles and scenic alley ways to provide an unconventional look.

Scott came up with a great idea of sharing a nice big ice cream cone from Coldstone. Marriage is all about sharing and what better place to start than a tasty waffle cone.

All in all, the shoot was super stress free. Kristin and Scott were a great couple to work with. Thanks for your laid back attitudes and creative input. I really enjoyed it last night. I’m looking forward to the September wedding!

March 8 Mazak wedding in Washington, D.C.

Last week Steve Smith Weddings principal photographers winged to Washington, D.C. to photograph Mark and Mahnaz Mazak’s wedding. We arrived Thursday night in time to share a late dinner with our friend and ultimate coordinator, Lynn McGowan, at the Peacock Cafe‘s new second location in Georgetown.

Balmy breezes graced our Friday morning location scouting at the Washington National Cathedral. It was a refreshing change from Boise to find both grand and intimate textural settings in which to photograph our wedding couple the next day.

Mark and Mahnaz’s gracious 4-story townhome was the site for the rehearsal dinner/party Friday evening. Persian food and amiability suffused the event with a rich warmth as we photographed every possible combination of family while indulging in the exotic foods.

Wedding Saturday didn’t dawn quietly; buckets of rain instead. Back at the Mazak home at noon we photographed Mahnaz getting made up, Mark dressing, and beauty shots of the rings, dresses, and shoes.

Under sunny skies we piloted the lucky couple to the Cathedral to capture only one scene before weather descended again with rain, hail, and 60 mph winds.

The ceremony and reception at the original Peacock Cafe in Georgetown was everything that could be hoped for. Toasts brought tears, champagne flowed, exquisite food prepared everyone for dancing, and the wedding couple were blissfully happy.

Congratulations, Mark and Mahnaz!!

All images copyright Steve Smith Weddings.