Nailing your group shots – it’s time to gather up the squad and strike a pose! 

I’m not gonna lie, wrangling up the troops for group shots can be one helluva job, but I have some pro tips to make sure you get the most epic group shots with your family & friends! Not to mention all those candid moments in between!

Ready to hear ‘em? Let’s get started:

Consider how long you want to spend doing group shots

Each group can take 3-5 mins (this soon adds up when you have every aunt and uncle on your shot list), and that is without having to chase down family members who have strayed off to the bar. I suggest sticking to immediate family and your bridal party. Any other groups can be taken a bit more candidly throughout the day, or even on the dance floor! I will help you create a short and sweet list of your VIPs beforehand so we know the plan of action for the day. I always recommend between 5-10 groups, any more than that and you might find yourself getting a bit “photo-ed out”!

Find yourself a fetcher

It’s going to make everyone’s lives a hell of a lot easier if you dedicate someone that knows your friends and family well to help your photographer rally them up! Giving your fetcher a heads up, and even sending them your group shot list before the day will really help keep things on track!

Make sure there’s a baby whisperer

Have someone keep young kids close by so we can take those shots as soon as they’re ready for it – we want to catch them at optimal napped/fed and happy time. These shots can be some of the trickiest because let’s face it – the wee ones always call the shots!

Create a plan B for your group shots!

Speak to your venue about the most ideal area for indoor pics if it is raining – you want a roomy area with lots of natural light if possible. 

Keep it FUN

If you really want that smiley mantlepiece portrait for Grandma, you can bet your bottom dollar we are going to get it. But I also like to keep things fun, so we like to do a bit of the normal and a bit of the crazy here. Having a sing song, or your fav tunes playing in the background will deffo warm your mates up into the moment and having something fun to keep you all occupied also works really well. Think about keeping back some confetti, or cute sunglasses to bust out during these group pics! Or why not wait to do your bridal party photos after dinner, when you’re all feeling a bit more relaxed?

Let’s head out and do something DIFFERENT after your dinner. 

There’s usually a bit of a wait while your venue turn your room around – so let’s go have some more fun! Is it a sparkler shot you really want, or maybe you’ve a group of besties that you want to grab some shots with (photographs or tequila shots…you decide!). Check out these after dinner cigar pics for some inspo!

Ready to become BFFs and book me as your wedding photographer? 

Get in touch here.

Or for more wedding day tips check out my super awesome Free Resources page.