Let’s take a quick minute here to discuss the important people who helped you become the person you are today, the ones who support and love you the most…. your parents (or grandparents). I have always made sure I make time for these important supporters on your wedding day. It is such a gift to get photographs of them together. When was the last time they had their photographs taken professionally?

Story time for a quick minute here and sort of on topic. A few years ago I was photographing the family portrait time of a wedding and the grandma, the one who helped raise the bride, waited patiently until the Groom’s portrait time was done. Afterwards I asked her over to get her photograph with the bride. I wanted to make sure I photographed her throughout the moments of the day. A few days after the wedding I got a panic message from the bride asking if I took any photos of her that day as she had just passed away unexpectedly. This right here was and is my WHY. This is why I want to make sure that those important family members are captured on your day. Since then it has been stuck in the back of my mind at every single wedding that the photographs I am currently taking may be the last ones ever of some of those people.

Back to the parent/grandparent portraits…make time in your timeline for this please. Even if you feel like your day is rushed and you want to just get to the bride and groom photos… make the time! I remember being at a wedding and we didn’t have time for the family portraits post ceremony so during the reception I grabbed parents and grandparents outside at sunset for their portraits to make sure that when I delivered the wedding gallery those were there. The bride had no idea until she saw her gallery but was so happy I found the time to do so.

Photographers if you have a second shooter helping you that day. Give them that task to make sure they capture parent portraits while you are photographing the other family members. It is that simple task that will help smooth out the family portrait time and make everyone get to cocktail hour quicker!

You can download my family portrait checklist to make sure you have all the important people present.