To help make your wedding day run smoothly, we’ll ask you for a posed portrait list. A portrait list is extremely helpful because it allows us to gauge approximately how much time we’ll need for family photos before/after the ceremony, and prevents us from having to ask you more questions on the day of the wedding. We want you to spend more time enjoying your wedding day and less time figuring out who you want to call up for the next photo.
This is an example of a wedding-day portrait list. If you are having a “First Look” on the day of the wedding, we recommend that we capture as many of the immediate family portraits before the ceremony, and extended family right after.
It’s also recommended that you organize your list with the bigger groups first, starting with one side of the family. Try to create your portrait list in the order you’d like the images taken. Finally, we can’t stress enough the importance of keeping your list short and sweet. If it’s too large and detailed, it’s very easy for everyone to get overwhelmed. We’ve seen it happen many times.
Once you’ve put together your portrait list, please politely ask these specific guests at some point before the day of the wedding that you’d like them to wait by the ceremony site after the processional, so they know that they’re needed for additional photos.
Please note: a portrait list is different from a shot list. We ask all wedding couples to provide a portrait list, but we do not work off a shot list.
Here is an example and a template you can follow for your wedding day portraits:
BEFORE CEREMONY
- Bride alone
- Bride with each bridesmaid (4 total)
- Bride with all bridesmaids
- Bride with Mom (Eileen)
- Bride with Dad (Mark)
- Bride with Mom and Dad
- Bride with Maddie & Alissa
- Bride with Kelly & Nora (sisters)
- Groom alone
- Groom with each groomsmen (5 total)
- Groom with all groomsmen
- Groom with Ted (father of groom)
- Groom with Ted and Mary (mother and father of groom)
AFTER CEREMONY
- Bride & Groom with Groom’s extended family (estimated 14 people)
- Bride & Groom with grandmother of groom
- Bride & Groom with parents of groom
- Bride & Groom with parents of groom + 2 sisters of groom
- Bride & Groom with Bride’s extended family (estimated 23 people)
- Bride and Groom with both sets of parents
- Groom with his 2 sisters
- Bride and Groom with the grandmother of bride
- Bride and Groom with the entire wedding party
