Wedding group photos. Every couple needs them, and almost every couple worries about them. Who do you include? How many do you do? How long will they take? Will Auntie Margaret be found in time? These are some of the questions I get asked about more than almost anything else, and I am here to help.
Before we dive in, I want to mention something about the images you will see in this blog. I have not included traditional group photographs where everybody stands in a line looking at the camera. We all know what those look like. They are perfectly fine, but they do not exactly set the world on fire. Instead, I am showing you group photographs the way I love to do them. Vanity Fair style shots with real personality and elegance. Fun walking shots with the wedding party. Candid moments full of genuine laughter and connection. The kind of images you actually want to frame and put on your wall.
That said, a well-planned wedding group photo list makes an enormous difference to how smoothly this part of your day runs. Furthermore, it means you spend less time rounding people up and more time enjoying your drinks reception. Here is everything you need to know.
Why Your Wedding Group Photo List Matters
Group photographs are one of the most important parts of your wedding photography. They are the images that capture everyone who was there. The full family, the oldest friends, the people who travelled the furthest. Furthermore, they are the photographs that future generations will pore over for years to come.
However, without a clear wedding group photo list, this part of the day can easily eat into your precious drinks reception time. A little planning in advance makes everything run quickly, smoothly and with minimal stress for everyone involved. Trust me, it is worth the ten minutes it takes to put the list together.
How Many Group Photos Should You Have?
This is one of the most common questions I get asked, and my honest answer is always the same. Keep it to a maximum of ten combinations. Any more than that and the session starts to feel long, guests begin to drift away, and the whole thing becomes more stressful than it needs to be.
Furthermore, I always recommend prioritising the must-have combinations first. Start with the largest groups and work down to the smaller ones. That way, if time runs short, you have already captured everything that matters most.
Your Wedding Group Photo List — Who to Include
Here is a suggested wedding group photo list to get you started. You will not need every single combination on this list. Pick the ones that feel right for you and your family, and do not feel pressured to include groups that do not feel meaningful.
The essential combinations most couples include:
The full group shot with everyone present. This is always worth doing first while energy is high and everyone is in one place.
The couple with both sets of parents.
The couple with partner one’s immediate family.
Couple with partner two’s immediate family.
The couple with the full wedding party. Bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls and page boys.
Bride with her bridesmaids.
Groom with his groomsmen.
The couple with grandparents. Always prioritise this one. Grandparents tire quickly, and this is a photograph you will treasure enormously.
Additional combinations worth considering:
The couple with close friends who are not in the wedding party.
The couple with colleagues or specific groups of friends.
Couple with any children present.
Partner one with their parents alone.
Partner two with their parents alone.
The couple with siblings.
Making the Most of Your Bridesmaids and Groomsmen Shots
The bridesmaids and groomsmen photographs are where we really get to have some fun, and this is one of my absolute favourite parts of the group photo session.
We will always do the more traditional combinations first. The bridesmaids lined up beautifully with the bride, and the groomsmen looking sharp with the groom. These are the classic shots, and they are absolutely worth having. Furthermore, a well-composed Vanity Fair style shot with the whole wedding party is always stunning and always ends up being one of the most displayed images from the day.
But then we have fun. Walking shots with the whole group heading towards the camera. Laughing shots where nobody is quite sure what they are laughing at, but it does not matter. Candid moments between the bridesmaids and the bride, or the groomsmen giving the groom a hard time. These are the images that genuinely surprise couples when they see their gallery. They did not expect to love them as much as they do, and they almost always do.
My Top Tips for Making Wedding Group Photos Run Smoothly
A good wedding group photo list is only half the battle. How you organise the session matters just as much. Here is exactly how I handle it, so you know what to expect.
I will ask for your list in advance.
When I send over your wedding questionnaire in the lead-up to your day, I will ask you to put together your group photo list. We will then go through it together on our final planning call, refine it if needed, and make sure we have everything covered. By the time your wedding day arrives, we will have a clear and agreed plan that everybody is working from.
Stick to a maximum of ten combinations.
I always recommend no more than ten group photo combinations. Any more than that and the session starts to eat into your drinks reception time, which nobody wants. Think carefully about the most important ones, prioritise those and trust that ten well chosen combinations will give you everything you need.
Timing matters.
We do not launch straight into group photographs the moment the ceremony ends. You have just got married. You need a moment to catch your breath, share a hug and have a drink with your guests. We will give it a little time at the start of the drinks reception before gathering people together. Furthermore, this means guests are relaxed, happy and far more cooperative by the time we start.
Nominate your helpers and point me in their direction.
Before the day, let me know who your nominated helpers are. A trusted bridesmaid, a groomsman or a family member who knows everyone and is not afraid to round people up. Point me in their direction on the morning and between us we will get through the list like a well-oiled machine. This one step makes an enormous difference to how efficiently the whole session runs.
Always start with the largest groups.
Begin with the biggest combinations and work down to the smaller ones. Large groups are the hardest to assemble, so doing them while energy is highest makes everything easier. Furthermore, if time runs short for any reason, you will already have the most important shots safely captured.
Keep grandparents comfortable.
Always prioritise grandparent combinations early in the session. Make sure they have somewhere comfortable to sit while they wait and do not keep them standing for longer than necessary. These are some of the most precious photographs of the day, and they are always worth planning around.
Keep it spontaneous too.
The formal list is important, but some of my favourite group photographs happen completely unplanned. If you find yourself standing with a group of friends or family at any point during the day and you want a photograph, just stop me. I am always close by, and I will never say no. Some of the most joyful and natural group shots come from those impromptu moments rather than the planned ones.
How Long Will Wedding Group Photos Take?
As a rough guide, allow around two to three minutes per combination. So a wedding group photo list of ten combinations should take around twenty to thirty minutes. Furthermore, add a few extra minutes for gathering people between shots, and you have a realistic picture of the time needed.
This is why I always recommend allowing at least ninety minutes for your drinks reception. It gives us plenty of time for group photographs without rushing, and still leaves time for you to relax and enjoy the celebration with your guests before portraits begin.
A Few Final Thoughts on Your Wedding Group Photo List
Keep it manageable, keep it meaningful, and share it with your photographer and your helper well in advance. A well-organised wedding group photo list means this part of the day runs smoothly, efficiently and with plenty of laughter along the way.
Furthermore, do not forget that the unplanned moments around the group photographs are often some of the most wonderful photographs of the day. The grandparent who wipes away a tear, the best man who makes everyone laugh at exactly the wrong moment, the flower girl who decides she has had enough. I will always be watching for those moments while the groups are being assembled, so nothing gets missed.
If you would like to chat about your wedding photography and how I handle group photographs on the day, I would love to hear from you. Get in touch and let’s talk about your plans. Please also check out my blog page for real weddings and wedding tips, and check out my portfolio page for more of my recent work.
