Do you know what I find curious? When booking a photographer, everyone says “I want a photojournalist” someone to follow us around and capture the day without any posed shots.

I know you don’t see posed family shots on the All Things Pretty wedding blogs because no one wants to see someone else’s family photos, but really everyone wants {and should have} the shots of them with their bridal party and them with each set of parents and the proper family shots that you don’t ever get unless someone gets married. Sorry but you do want them and those shots are not only a record of your day but your family history too. What you don’t want is for them to be boring. You know, everyone lined up saying “cheese!”

And how do you do that? Here are a few ways,

Take yourselves out of your comfort zone.

Photos by Tanya Plonka

And what I mean by that is step away from everyone else like in the photos above. Give yourselves the chance to be a bit silly and have a bit of fun with your bestest friends.

Use Props

Anything as simple as lovely sofas or puppies!

Photo by Eclectic Images via Elizabeth Anne Designs

Photo by Furious Photographers

Photo by Natalie Moser

You know how much fun props are in your photobooth, try them {maybe in a more subtle way} in your relaxed formal photos.

Have a second shooter

A second photographer can catch the sometimes great sillyness that happens inbetween the ‘formal’ photos

{source}

Photo by Jen Hopkins

You can’t beat a genuine smile!

Add a kid

Because you don’t know what they are going to do they can add a funny side to the seriousness of formal photos

Photo by Allegro Photography

Photo by Anna Kuperberg

{Kids are kinda like another kind of prop it seems!}

My next point is Discuss it with your photographer! Make a list of the must takes and don’t go crazy duplicating and creating every single possible combination of shots. Set a time limit and have someone on hand who can gather the people who will be included. – better yet, tell the people who will be included that they are included and when they will be needed.

And finally and quite simply, know the look you want and ask for it. Do you want fun and funny? Props and quirks? Or really are you just happy to have your families together and take some really nice photos? Because that’s ok too.

Annie

Live, Love, Laugh and Dream!