Family Photos on Your Wedding Day

How to Keep Them Quick, Calm & Completely Stress-Free

Family photos are one of the most meaningful parts of your wedding day — and also one of the easiest moments for stress to creep in if they’re not planned properly.

The good news?
With a clear plan, family photos can be smooth, efficient, and finished in under 20–30 minutes, leaving you more time to enjoy your guests (and your champagne).

After photographing hundreds of weddings across the Hunter Valley, Newcastle, Sydney and NSW, this is exactly how I help couples keep family photos calm, organised and drama-free.

Why Family Photos Often Feel Stressful

Almost all family-photo stress comes down to the same few issues:

• No clear family photo list

• Guests wandering off to the bar

• Trying to organise large groups on the fly

• Not allowing enough time in the timeline

Without structure, family photos can easily stretch past 45 minutes, which then eats into cocktail hour, sunset photos and the overall flow of the day.

A small amount of planning beforehand changes everything.

When Should Family Photos Happen?

There are two great options, depending on how your day is structured.

Option 1: After the Ceremony (Most Common)

This works best when:

• You’re not doing a first look

• You want everyone gathered together

• The ceremony location has good nearby shade

I typically recommend allowing 20–30 minutes immediately after the ceremony, while everyone is still present.

Option 2: Before the Ceremony (With a First Look)

This is ideal for:

• Winter weddings

• Venues with early light loss

• Couples who want to enjoy cocktail hour uninterrupted

By doing some (or all) family photos pre-ceremony, you free up valuable time later in the day.

👉 This works especially well alongside a well-planned timeline, which I break down in detail in
How to Plan a Hunter Valley Wedding Timeline

Sample Wedding Family Photo List

Here’s an example family photo list to guide your planning:

Start With the Biggest Groups

• Everyone at the wedding

• All friends only

• All extended family from both sides

Bride’s Family

• Couple with Bride’s extended family

• Couple with Bride’s immediate family (parents, grandparents, siblings)

• Couple with Bride’s grandparents

• Bride with grandparents only

• Couple with Bride’s parents & siblings

• Bride with parents & siblings

• Couple with Bride’s siblings

• Bride with siblings only

• Couple with Bride’s parents

• Bride with parents

• Bride with mum

• Bride with dad

Combined Families

• Couple with both sets of parents

Groom’s Family

• Couple with Groom’s extended family

• Couple with Groom’s immediate family (parents, grandparents, siblings)

• Couple with Groom’s grandparents

• Groom with grandparents only

• Couple with Groom’s parents & siblings

• Groom with parents & siblings

• Couple with Groom’s siblings

• Groom with siblings only

• Couple with Groom’s parents

• Groom with parents

• Groom with mum

Important note:
You don’t need every combination above. This is a reference list only — most couples choose 10–15 groupings that matter most to them.

Nominate a “Family Wrangler” (This Is Key)

One of the biggest secrets to fast, stress-free family photos is nominating one organised person per side of the family who:

• Knows who’s who

• Isn’t afraid to speak up

• Can quickly gather the right people

This allows me to focus on lighting, composition and efficiency — rather than calling names into the void.

Where Family Photos Work Best

The best family photo locations are:

• Close to the ceremony

• In open shade (when possible)

• Easy to access for older guests

At most Hunter Valley venues, I’ll already have a pre-selected location based on light, background and accessibility — so there’s no wandering, debating or squinting into the sun.

How Long Should Family Photos Take?

With:

• A realistic photo list

• Everyone nearby

• A nominated helper

Most family photo sessions take 15–20 minutes.

Without a plan, they can easily blow out past 45 minutes — and once guests scatter, it’s hard to get them back.

Common Family Photo Mistakes to Avoid

• Creating an unrealistic, oversized photo list

• Letting key people leave early

• Scheduling family photos during sunset

• Choosing locations too far from the ceremony

• Assuming it will “just work itself out”

Experience matters here — both in planning and on the day.

How I Help on the Day

As your photographer, I don’t just turn up and hope for the best.

I help by:

• Refining your family photo list

• Building family photos into your timeline

• Choosing the best location for light and access

• Running the session calmly and efficiently

• Keeping things moving without rushing anyone

This is all part of how I work — not an add-on.

You can see how this fits into the bigger picture on my
Wedding Photography Pricing & Packages page.

Final Thoughts

Family photos don’t need to be awkward, chaotic or stressful.

With a little planning, they become:

• Quick

• Relaxed

• Meaningful

And once they’re done, you’re free to enjoy the rest of your wedding day without being pulled away.

If you’re currently planning your wedding and want help building a timeline that actually works — including stress-free family photos — this is something I guide all my couples through as part of the process.

👉 Start with
How to Plan a Hunter Valley Wedding Timeline