I catch myself doing this all the time. A few weeks ahead of a clients wedding and I find myself saying "if you could just send me your list of formal photos". It's something I try and discuss with my clients at the time of booking and during the planning process but I forget that, to some people, this can sound rather confusing!

So firstly, I want to outline exactly what a formal photo list is, at least from my perspective!

A formal photo list is a list of photographs that you want photographed in a formal, traditional way. The ones where your family and friends and lined up and asked to smile at the camera. This can range from small groups (e.g. Mum, Dad, Parents) right through to "all guests". This differs significantly from a "shot list" which is a complete list of every single shot that you want you photographer to capture e.g. walking down the aisle, exchange of rings, first kiss etc... I never ask my clients for a "shot list" as these are all key moments that I am going to be on the lookout for anyway. 

Of course, there is nothing to say that you have to have any formal photographs at all but, in my experience, most couples want a few at the very least. So here are my top tips to ensure that they don't take over the day!

1) Make sure you have time worked into your wedding day schedule for photos

At most weddings, the formal photographs will be taken immediately after the ceremony. Whether that is outside the Church or in the grounds of your reception venue before the wedding breakfast, ensure that you have adequate time set aside for your photos. A good rule of thumb is to allow 3 minutes for each photo set-up. That means 10 photos will take around 30 minutes and 20 photos will take up to an hour.

2) Think carefully about how long you (and your guests) will want to spend posing for photographs

This is an important one - think reeeeally hard about how long you will realistically want to be stood in front of the camera. If you have arranged a drinks reception, you will of course want to avail yourself of the refreshments. You will also want to greet all of your guests as this will probably be the first time that you will have seen them that day. Write your list of must-have photos, check it against the first point (above) to see how long it is likely to take and then compare it to your schedule. How much time are you leaving for mingling? If you need to cull the list then best to do it now rather than run out of time on the day!

3) Allocate a member of the wedding party to assist the photographer

From a photographers point of view, it is always useful to have someone on hand that can help gather the guests for each photo. Within reason, I can gather people myself but if a list simply states something along the lines of "siblings, partners and kids" then it is useful to have someone who actually knows who these people are and can round them up relatively quickly.

4) Have a backup plan

If possible, I would always advise taking your formal photographs outside - that way you can make the most of the surroundings and also utilise the natural light. But, should it rain, you need a plan B. Does your venue have space to take the formal photographs indoors? For Church weddings there may also be the option to head back inside for the formal photos once the service has finished. Most venues are happy to help out and move around some furniture if required so that photographs can be taken indoors.

5) Formal doesn't have to mean formal!

It is worth bearing in mind that "formal" can be interpreted as loosely as you like!  You may decide, for example, that you want some very formal photos with your parents or grandparents but want something less formal with your friends. Speak to your photographer about this in advance (and also warn your friends if you are planning anything particularly energetic!) so that you can formulate the best way to approach this. 

6) Investigate the option of having a second photographer

If formal photographs are very important to you and you are struggling to narrow down your list then perhaps it would be worthwhile requesting a second photographer. The benefit of having a second photographer is that they can take lots of candid photos of your guests while you are busy with the formal photos - they can be your eyes so you can see what everyone else was getting up to while you were smiling at the camera. Most photographers are able to include this as an add-on to your photography package.

When all is said and done the formal family photographs will be a great reminder of who was at your wedding (and Granny may well pop a framed print on her mantlepiece) but realistically, they won't be your favourite photos from the day. Time and time again I hear that peoples favourite photos are the ones which have been captured naturally - the laughs, the happy tears, the hugs and the smiles. So yes, by all means, take some time to have the formal photographs taken (you'll probably regret it if you don't) but don't let it impact the rest of the day. It's a celebration so spend your time celebrating!