With all of the weddings we have shot, formal group photos tend to be one of the more stressful parts of the day. Here are some tips we have come up with to make that part of the day go more smoothly! 

• Try to schedule at least 45 minutes to 1 hour for formal group photos on the wedding day. This includes photos of the bridal party as well as photos with family. Getting all those people in one place for photos takes longer than you think, so even if you have a smaller bridal party or only want formal photos with a few family members it's best to schedule more time than you think you'll need!
   
• Make a list for your photographer of all the groupings you definitely want photos with, ex. bride&groom with groom's mom and dad, bride&groom with college friends, bride&groom with bride's siblings. Include the names of everyone in your bridal party and of important family members so we can call them by name when posing them in photos instead of having to shout out "Hey you with the glasses! Move in closer!" Other photos that aren't on the list will definitely come up as we go and that's fine! This list just serves as a starting point and insures that we at least get photos of you with those who are most important.

• If these formal photos will happen during cocktail hour (which is usually the best time for us to do them) have the waitstaff at the venue take the drink orders of you and your bridal party in advance so your drinks will be waiting as soon as the ceremony ends. We've found that when the ceremony ends everyone's first priority is going off to get a drink which then means we have to wait for everyone to do so before we can start the photos. If you can have the drinks ready and waiting at the location of the group photos everyone can stay in one spot.
   
• If you can, have some hors d'oeuvres from cocktail hour brought over to where we are shooting so people don't have to leave to get food. Keeping everyone fed keeps everyone happy and the photos will go much quicker!