Posed Group & Couple Wedding Portraits…
We’ll start with a traditional wedding portrait. However, group and couple portraits aren’t all about smiling (or kissing) for the camera, as this page will demonstrate.
I’ll be honest: posed group photos are not my favourite part of photographing a wedding! There, I’ve said it… I am a reportage photographer, preferring the more natural approach, but I realise the importance of a few prearranged group portraits. In-laws love them, and they make great photos for the living room mantelpiece. A good photographer will take the required posed shots as efficiently and effortlessly as possible. With a bit of planning and preparation, your photographer will capture some great group portraits without disrupting the day too much.
Kolbe, Rebecca, and their friends were up for fun shots reflecting their personalities. Of course, I made sure I took some ‘safe’ group photos before setting up daftness like this! But moments like this keep the posed part of the day fun and minimise restless guests.
Sometimes, I’m just spoilt for the perfect setting. These oversized deckchairs were positioned just right to photograph both sets of parents with the bride and groom in front of the venue.
The inclusion of their daughter makes this photo much more meaningful. It was taken outside the Merton Register Office in South London.
Wedding photographers should strive to capture shots from different viewpoints. Laura and Jason were married on the first floor (above them), so I went wide to give the photo more context.
Photographing the posed shots presents many more opportunities than staged photos. After I had taken the traditional shot, the bride’s mum stepped forward to take one, so I took the opportunity to photograph her photographing them… The couple in the deck chairs add a lovely finishing touch!
Some scenes, such as the facade of St Paul’s Cathedral, call for a straight and traditional portrait. This could be the best spot in London for it. Sadly, security has tightened its stance on photographers since I took this.
Your Photographer Should Take Control
This is the one time the reportage photographer needs to make themselves heard during the day. I don’t like raising my voice or being the centre of attention. However, I’ve learned from experience that things take much longer than they should if I’m not a little assertive during this time. This is usually necessary only when shooting larger groups, including the all-important group shot of all the guests.
Group shot from a small wedding. Balconies and upstairs windows are very handy, enabling the camera to capture every face.
Top Group Photos Tip
Delegate an usher or two to help gather people. This will help you quickly work through your group photos with minimum disruption. As the photographer takes the posed setups, the ushers can queue up the subsequent setup of guests.
You usually won’t see this: The posed group is on the steps. After photographing them, I stepped back to reveal the rest of the small wedding party looking on. It offers a different perspective on this part of the wedding day.
Posed Wedding Photographs are not for Everyone!
Some couples don’t want any posed shots at all. When I send them my questionnaire, they leave the posed section blank or add a note asking me to concentrate on the more natural moments. I am happy to do this, but always ask if they need anything. Invariably, they change their minds and ask if I wouldn’t mind taking a few…
Eve and Dan were very giggly throughout their posed photoshoot, which was good because it brought out their personalities and relationship well.
Fun and Informal or Serious and Staged?
So, I prefer my group shots to be fun and informal. It depends on the couple, their guests, and their personalities/requirements. Some couples are up for laughing and seeing the funny side of most things. They naturally monkey around for the camera and wind up with fun shots that perfectly suit their personalities.
Here are a few photos from Helen and Dale’s wedding to demonstrate the balance of sensible and fun…
Here’s a nice full-length shot of the lovely Helen with her gorgeous bridesmaids. I edited several like this and converted one to black-and-white. I also went in closer for a headshot crop.
I took this a few seconds after the previous shot. Sometimes, a suggestion is all it takes for some fun wedding shenanigans.
Whilst I was photographing this bride with her bridesmaids, they shared a silly moment I captured, which was more memorable than the ‘sensible’ pose.
This is another fun shot taken at a wedding at the Paintworks in Bristol. Some grooms are reluctant to be picked up, but Shaddai didn’t mind at all.
Warming Up Those Who Are Camera Shy
Other couples and their wedding party need more encouragement to relax, but do so when warmed up. It takes a bit more time, but they relax in the end.
Then some are very uncomfortable in front of the camera. They often opt for fewer posed wedding photos than most, sometimes even none at all! For these couples, I try to take their portraits as quickly as possible to minimise discomfort. Of course, they sometimes warm up, too, and they often enjoy them more than they thought! The more relaxed the photographer is, the less painful posed shots are for those who don’t like them. No matter who I photograph,
I try to make photography fun!
How lucky were we for this shot? A Moment before the wedding party departed, I took this just as the sun was vanishing behind the beautiful Castell Coch near Cardiff.
A standard portrait with both sets of parents taken during their drinks reception.
Reportage Photography vs. the Traditional
In Chapter 1: How to Choose Your Wedding Photographer, I briefly covered the different types of wedding photographers. The difference is never more apparent than during your posed shots.
This is a more traditional approach. A good, clean shot of the couple, looking straight into the camera, purely for the sake of being photographed.
The traditional photographer spends much more time posing and moulding events throughout the day. They manufacture situations and use backdrops to create beautiful effects. They will take the bride and groom away at various times during the day for more posed shots and frequently use elaborate lighting, resulting in a collection of stunning photos.
When setting up Rachel and David’s family portraits, their children had other ideas. So, I snapped away and captured the pair’s interactions. A good example of the more natural approach to wedding photography.
A few moments before the previous shot, there is a nice natural shot of Rachel’s son. The dress and bouquet give it context and serve as a good reminder of how he looked on their wedding day – a precious memory in the years to come!
Your reportage photographer generally spends 10-20 minutes working through a list of posed shots in front of the venue or nearby greenery. This ensures that all the couple’s requirements are met and that they can get on with enjoying the day with their family and friends.
One of my more unusual shots: Bride Gwyneth wanted to recreate a Renaissance painting with her friends. We had time to set up this portrait, which strangely worked!
Below is a list of popular posed portrait requests. Of course, there are many variations of these; some are dictated by whether it’s a large or small wedding. I am also open to taking more informal shots of groups as requested throughout the day.
The same arch as above: Photography is all about the light. I used the beautiful directional pouring through the archway in this portrait to highlight Gwyneth and her sister.
Example List of Popular Posed Wedding Shots
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I was taking the group portraits at this King’s College London wedding when the little chap at the front reached out to hold his mum and brother’s hands. It was such a cute moment that I couldn’t resist moving in just a little closer—at which point he realised that the shot was all about him and hammed it up!
When a couple books my service, I provide a questionnaire. This includes a section solely for listing any required group shots. I state on the questionnaire that keeping these photos to a maximum of 10 minutes and as few shots as possible is advisable. Of course, it’s ultimately up to the couple, and during the day, when faced with various aunts, uncles, and cousins, this list often grows. That’s not a problem if everyone is happy with this.
Pulling back a little gives a good shot of the Merton Register Office, where they were married.
A while after the above photo, the couple arrived at their reception venue. A nice portrait here also reminds them of where they were for their post-ceremony celebrations.
The Best Times of Day for the More Formal Shots
Bridal Preparations:
With you and your bridesmaids/mum/dad/best friends/family cat all ready and looking pristine first thing, the preparations are a great time for a few posed photos of you with those present. This works particularly well when you are getting ready at your home or your parents’ house, as they will have significant meaning.
Some might think this is a bit cheesy, but that’s OK… Kim got ready in a hotel room with her mum, and it seemed a shame not to use the vintage bath.
Arrival at the Venue/Pre-Ceremony:
Whether it’s the groom and his groomsmen or the bride and her bridal party, the arrivals are a fantastic time for a few posed shots at the venue before the day gets going. When the couple arrives together, I also like to take a few pre-ceremony shots.
Rebecca and Carl arrived together, so I shot a few portraits of them against the beautiful front doors of Cardiff City Hall.
During the Wedding Ceremony:
Of course, the posed photos don’t need to be specifically set up or even posed. They may happen naturally at various points throughout the day, not least during and immediately after the ceremony. Moments such as the ring exchange or the first kiss may be included in a wedding portrait, even though they aren’t prearranged.
Sharing their first kiss and… SNAP! A wedding portrait worthy of any mantelpiece.
After the Register Signing:
Many register offices do not allow photography of the actual signing but set up a ‘dummy’ register for portraits. This is a good time for a few shots using the space where the couple signed, as well as with their witnesses. At smaller weddings, I’ve also included other guests, such as parents and siblings, with them at this point.
Although I was allowed to photograph the signing at Ruth and Chris’s wedding, I also took some posed shots. Couples generally prefer both posed and unposed shots if allowed.
Straight after the Ceremony:
This is the best time for most of the portraits the couple has requested. At larger weddings, I often enlist an usher or a friend to round up guests quickly and with as little fuss as possible. I realise how important it is for the couple to move on and enjoy the day, so I work as quickly as possible through their list. I try to finish with a group shot of the whole wedding party.
Finishing with a group shot of the entire guest list means the couple has a lovely reminder of everyone who was there on their special day. Upstairs windows are convenient for this!
During the Drinks Reception:
I don’t usually take portraits during this social interaction, but often guests seek me out and ask for photos of themselves together. I’m delighted to do this. Occasionally, the reception starts straight after the ceremony, so I’ve no option but to do any group shots then.
It’s not just the DJ who does requests. Guests often approach me to take a photo of them at the reception, as with this couple in Carmarthenshire. I’m so happy to oblige; it gives a broader selection of images in the final edit.
In the Evening/After Dinner:
In the summer, there’s a small window of about 45 minutes just before sunset known as the ‘golden hour‘, which is perfect for wedding portraits. Sometimes I ask the couple if they want to pop out for a few shots between courses or after the meal.
This sunny shot of Jenny and David walking towards Hammersmith Bridge perfectly shows the Golden Hour’s potential. Just a few minutes before it sets, you can tell how low the sun is. I used some fill-flash to balance the setting sun.
But When are the Couple’s Portraits?
I prefer to complete the list of group shots with the guests first. Then they can travel to the next venue/get drinks and canapés or whatever. By now, the bride and groom often need quiet time and are usually pleased to be away from everyone for a few minutes. So I like to take them away for ten minutes to explore the local environs and see what we can do photographically together.
Jennie and Andrew had only a handful of guests and needed me for only a short time, but I spent a few minutes on their formal portraits before I left.
I didn’t ask for this pose. When couples are relaxed and comfortable being themselves, they have a much more diverse, eclectic set of photos that show their true personalities.
‘Stay Loving’ indeed! Paulina and Wojciech chose to have an hour couples portrait shoot around Chelsea just before their wedding ceremony.
I don’t overly pose wedding couples but ask them to be together—and be themselves. Sometimes, I’ll ask them to dance, play, or kiss. This isn’t as silly as it sounds. I have many gorgeous portraits of couples dancing to silent music, caught at just the right moment. It doesn’t work with the more reserved, but it is fantastic when it does.
Liz and Rory gave it a go: They couldn’t dance, but this shot taken at De Courceys Manor near Cardiff turned out nicely…
Setting up can produce as good results as the planned photos. So, I’m always ready to take incidental shots, as I often ask the couple to do the most ridiculous things for a good shot.
Colour vs. Black and white: I took a few of Vivienne and David in this pose. The vivid colours of the bouquet and David screamed out for colour photo editing…
… However, the gorgeous shadows and tones worked superbly in black and white. I edit my wedding photos in a mixture of both styles.
Here, the couple are dwarfed by the tree. This doesn’t matter, though, as many couples would have this as a large framed print on the wall.
Huge Options in a Short Time – Lindsay & Greg
The couple’s wedding was at the Old Marylebone Town Hall in Central London. They wanted to spend time after the ceremony on their couple portraits, so it took about an hour before they joined their guests for dinner. This was longer than I would normally spend, but I felt they were important to Lindsay. Greg wasn’t so bothered but was happy to go along with what his bride wanted—how it should be!
A standard couple portrait taken outside the venue in London: Closed eyes don’t matter much in some portraits. In this photo, they suggest connection and savouring the moment, even if a photographer is present!
When finding locations for the posed wedding shots, I always take photos of the couple walking. I couldn’t resist this as they passed some roadworks outside Madame Tussaud’s. The contractors’ high-vis jackets and other colours add vibrancy and drama.
I try to take photos of the couple from behind as they walk. Shots like this make a perfect addition to the back cover of the photo book as they suggest closure.
There are no prizes for guessing where this is. City photography adds landscapes that contrast with wedding elegance. I include passers-by for effect and authenticity.
When I see that I have some lovely photos of the happy couple together, I always suggest they take a few minutes alone. They usually readily agree, and I wander back to join the guests and photograph what they’re up to…
This harks back to one of my early weddings (my style has changed a bit since then): A good standard family portrait with a sculpture framing the couple.
Same Group, Massive Difference – Lizzie & Paul
I took the shots above and below within a couple of seconds of each other. They demonstrate how unpredictable even the most traditionally intended group portrait session can be. Looking closely at the photo above, you’ll see that the little girl is slightly blurred. She’s already made up her mind to make a run for it!
Which do you find more memorable?
A split-second later, the little girl broke away from her cousin. Every face reacts differently: The couple don’t seem to notice. Her mum, on the left, is concerned she’s spoiling the shot. The others show a mixture of amusement and nonchalance.
Chapter 8: Transport & Travel – A Move of Wedding Venue – Next>>>>
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