Extended family photos

I plan on having a few different ones taken. One with my "rent a kids" nieces and nephews (-1 who won't be able to be there while they are dressed up. Also with FG's family who is like family to me for my entire life. I would make a list of the pictures you want and get those done first. Then do one or 2 of those extended family. I am close to mine so I would love a few family shots.

We only had close family(1st cousins, etc) so not really the same. However, that being said, we did photos with each group of family and it was SUPER disorganized. It actually really sucked. People wanted 1 on each camera, plus the pro pics. It took forever, and kind of stole most of the "spotlight." We had a DW so it wasn't even a lot of people. I can't even imagine doing one with 13 brothers/sisters. Good luck!

Ugh, I'm sure I will. Probably right after the ceremony. That's what we did for my cousin's wedding, and it wasn't too bad, only took about 10-15 minutes. As we were leaving, someone in the receiving line from each side told us not to leave, to go back into the church to take pictures. It was November, so no one was too keen on sticking round outside to throw stuff at the bride and groom anyway. Friends left, and family stuck around, did a few group photos, and then went on our merry way.

Ok, seriously, does anyone else have a problem with their comment being auto-posted before they're done typing. Because it happens to me about 50% of the time.

Anyway, to finish my post, we did all sorts of different groups and the photographer was very efficient. We did the whole family first, both sides, then just her side with great aunts/uncles, just cousins, aunts, uncles, cousins, working in towards more immediate family. So outer circles could then leave as they were done. I didn't stick around for his side of the family, but I assume it went the same way. Our side took about 10 minutes, so I'm assuming it was about 20 minutes total.

Just have a detailed shot list for your photographer (bride and brides family, bride and groom and brides family, groom and grooms family, bride and groom and grooms family, etc. etc. etc.) and let him know about your concerns. If you've hired a professional, it wont be their first time wrangling family for photos.

We plan on going to every table during dinner and taking a group table photo.

You can just do one large group shot. Like do all the variations of immediate family and then group together everyone your FMIL wants and photograph that. I agree it would be a bit much to split up the extended family into smaller groups.

I plan on it. Have the DJ announce it, whoever shows up, shows up and move on.

We did family photos one hour before the ceremony, thinking it would take 30 minutes. It took less than 15 minutes. To have members of both side of my family there was special. I'm glad I have those pictures. Make a list of the picture order and it's not a big deal.

Also, tell them no taking pictures with their own cameras. Make the professional ones available to them. (We posted ours on Google+. They could save and print any pics they wanted).

No extended family for us. The only family invited for photos are grandparents and God parents. It would take way too long to have anymore family photos. I don't think they're necessary. We can get those kinds of photos at the reception with their own cameras.

We are putting each parent in charge of wrangling their own family and the photographers have the master shot list

We have 6 groups - us with my dads side, us with moms side, us with FMILs side, us with FFIL side, college friends, and neighborhood friends.

Make sure to get multi-generational pics (you, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents). It is rare to have more than 4 generations in one place at one time.

We do group family photos at every family wedding, its the one time were all together and can get an updated photo so of course it'll happen at mine. im not too worried, thats what the photographer is for, also my aunts are great with organizing things, ill leave that up to them!

Give a list to the photographer about who is in what photo. Have the bridal party (someone who's not afraid to speak up) police the crowd of people not in the photos so they're not getting in the photographers way. As for people trying to get pictures with multiple cameras the photographer should have experience dealing with that and moving things along. My family can be guilty of this so we asked out photographer when we booked her how comfortable she was being assertive with family members. She had no problem with it.

Ive decided We are pretty much doing parents and grandparents and that is it. I refuse to spend my wedding taking nothing but formal posed shots, not to mention we only have the photographer for 5 hours.

We had one extended family photo for each side (so not each extended family photo). This was efficient and meaningful especially since they are relatives. Important also when immediate family/parents are not living. This is family and a good photographer should be able to have the group waiting (communicate pre-wedding one photographer family photo) and quickly have it done. No time issue since this is the family that is living. 😍 It is courteous to include both bride and grooms with the option.

*It is courteous to give bride and groom’s families the option.