One of the most common questions couples ask while planning their wedding timeline is:
“How many family photo combinations should we have?”
The short answer? I usually recommend around 10 family groupings.
For most weddings, this allows enough time to photograph everyone who matters most without spending so long on formal photos that you miss out on enjoying your wedding day.
As a Cairns wedding photographer, I generally allow 20–30 minutes in the timeline for family formals. With a little planning beforehand, we can move through around ten combinations smoothly and keep the day relaxed and enjoyable.
Why I Recommend Around 10 Family Groupings
Your wedding day goes incredibly quickly.
While family photographs are often some of the most treasured images from the day, they can also become the longest part of the schedule if there isn’t a clear plan.
Keeping your list to around ten combinations usually means we can capture:
- Both of you with everyone
- Each set of parents
- Grandparents
- Siblings
- Immediate families
- Any particularly important extended family members
This gives you beautiful photographs with the people closest to you while leaving plenty of time for celebrating with your guests.
What Does 10 Family Photo Combinations Look Like?
Every family is different, but here’s an example of what a typical list might include:
- Couple with both families
- Couple with Bride’s immediate family
- Couple with Bride’s parents
- Couple with Bride’s siblings
- Couple with Bride’s grandparents
- Couple with Groom’s immediate family
- Couple with Groom’s parents
- Couple with Groom’s siblings
- Couple with Groom’s grandparents
- Couple with any special extended family or close relatives
Of course, if your family looks different, we’ll simply adapt the list to suit you.
Why Not Have More?
You absolutely can.
But every additional combination adds time.
If each grouping takes just two or three minutes to organise, position everyone and capture a few images, twenty combinations can easily take close to an hour.
That’s an hour you could be:
- enjoying cocktail hour with your guests
- spending time with family you haven’t seen for years
- relaxing together as newlyweds
- having beautiful couple portraits taken
Most couples are surprised by how quickly time disappears on a wedding day, so keeping family formals efficient helps everything run much more smoothly.
What If Family Photos Are Really Important to Us?
That’s completely okay.
Some families are very large or have relatives travelling from overseas, making family photographs an even bigger priority.
If that’s you, we can absolutely build extra time into your wedding timeline.
Rather than rushing through twenty or thirty combinations, I’d simply recommend allowing a little longer so everyone can enjoy the experience without feeling hurried.
The most important thing is that your timeline reflects what matters most to you.
Tips for Faster Family Photos
A little preparation goes a long way.
Before your wedding, I recommend:
- Creating your family photo list before the wedding day.
- Keeping the list focused on the people most important to you.
- Asking a trusted family member or bridal party member to help gather people.
- Letting everyone know when family photos will happen.
These simple steps can save valuable time and help everything flow effortlessly.
Remember—These Photos Become Family History
Family formal photographs might not feel as exciting as your ceremony or your sunset portraits, but years from now they often become some of the most meaningful images you own.
They capture multiple generations together, celebrate your families coming together, and often become treasured prints displayed in homes for decades.
That’s why I always make sure we photograph them efficiently, but never rush through them.
My Approach
When I’m photographing a wedding, my goal is always to keep things calm, organised and enjoyable.
I’ll guide everyone into position, keep the pace moving, and make sure nobody is left wondering where they’re meant to be.
Once we’ve captured your family photographs, we can move straight back into enjoying your wedding day, whether that’s spending time with guests, heading off for relaxed couple portraits, or getting back to the celebrations.
Every wedding is different, but as a starting point, around 10 family photo combinations within a 20–30 minute window works beautifully for most couples.
If your family is larger or your priorities are different, we’ll simply create a timeline that suits your day.
I’d love to chat with you about your wedding day. You can contact me here to have a chat.
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