Pro-Tips: How to Plan Your Wedding Family Photos (Without Missing Your Party)

Bold, Colorful, Cinematic Wedding Photographers in Dallas-Fort Worth

You’ve just shared your first kiss as a married couple. The confetti is flying, your guests are cheering, and you’re both glowing with post-ceremony bliss. But before you can hit the dance floor or grab a cocktail, there’s one thing to knock out—your family formal photos. We’ve got all the wedding family photo pro tips you’ll need to do this with ease!

Hey hey—we’re Will & Christina, the husband-and-wife duo behind The MacMeekens, DFW wedding photographers who live for capturing real, candid moments (and making sure you actually enjoy your wedding day while we do it).

One of the most overlooked parts of wedding planning? The family formal list. It’s a small detail that makes a HUGE difference in keeping your day running smoothly and stress-free. So let’s talk about how to knock out these photos in a way that’s painless, quick, and still meaningful.

Why Family Formal Photos Matter

We get it—these aren’t always the shots people get excited about when they think “wedding photos.” But they matter. A lot. These are the ones your grandparents frame, your parents brag about, and you’ll flip back through years from now, remembering who stood by your side. For 20 minutes, we take off our “documentary, story-telling hat” and put on the one as “family historian.”

And the secret to making them stress-free? Keep it simple, organized, and fast.

Immediate Family Only (And Why We Recommend It)

Our top tip: Keep the formal photo list to immediate family only. Think parents, siblings (plus their partners and kids), and grandparents.

Extended family—like cousins, aunts, uncles—absolutely matter, but we recommend grabbing those photos in a more casual, candid way during your reception. That way, you can get back to cocktail hour (or the dance floor!) without missing a beat.

For most couples, this means family formals can wrap up in about 15–20 minutes once the ceremony space is cleared.

The Ideal Wedding Family Formal Photo Timeline & Template

Pro Tip: Build in 10 minutes after your ceremony to clear the space, move chairs, and set up lighting. Once that’s done, we typically knock out the main family shots in 15–20 minutes.

If you need more groupings? Just add about 3 minutes per extra shot.

Here’s a quick example of what this can look like:

Sample Family Formal Groupings:

This is just a starting point—every family is unique, and we’ll help you customize it to fit yours.

Quick Tips to Keep Family Formals Stress-Free

Lean on Us: We’ve got this. We’ll guide you through every shot so you can stay present and relaxed.

Appoint a Family Wrangler: This is someone who knows the family and can help gather people quickly. Trust us, it helps.

Communicate Early: Share the list ahead of time so no one’s confused or missing. If they’re supposed to stay for photos, let’s make sure they know that (and are reminded about it at the rehearsal dinner!)

What About Extended Family Photos?

We’re 100% down to grab photos with extended family—just not during the formal portrait time. Pull us aside anytime during the reception and we’re happy to snap those extra shots without slowing down the flow of your day.

This is actually one of our favorite ways to capture those bigger family moments—when people are relaxed, smiling, and already having a great time. Plus, you’ll avoid the stress of rounding up distant relatives right after the ceremony when you’re really just ready to celebrate. Think dance floor candids, cocktail hour laughs, or even a quick photo during dinner. We’re always nearby and ready to document the connections that matter most—no formal lineup required.

If you really want to grab a photo with every single guest (or at least most of them), there are totally fun ways to make that happen too:

Race the DJ:

Have your DJ play one song and let your guests know you’re playing a game: the challenge is to get a photo with every table before the song ends. You and your partner will race from table to table while we snap quick group photos. It’s high energy, hilarious, and keeps things moving fast.

The Seated Option:

If you’d rather keep things more low-key, another great option is to have you and your partner sit on the dance floor (or somewhere central) near the end of dinner. Each table comes to you for a quick group photo. It’s a little more polished but still fun and keeps the flow relaxed.

Both of these ideas let you maximize your golden hour for couple and wedding party portraits while also making sure you get those special guest shots—and they help build energy right before the dance floor opens!

Both of these wedding family photo tips allow for that post-ceremony golden hour light to be used for your couples and wedding party portraits, and gets the energy of the room up right before the DJ opens the dance floor.

The Bottom Line: It’s Your Day—We’re Here to Make It Easy

Our job is to make sure you get the wedding family photo gallery you’ll treasure—without spending your whole day posing for them. Let’s keep it fun, easy, and stress-free.

Want more photography tips? Or thinking about having us capture your story? Click here to schedule a consultation and let’s make some magic together.

For more wedding planning tips just like these wedding family photo pro tips, check out our other blog posts or come hang with us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments, real wedding stories, and loads of inspiration.