Boston · Planning Guide
Can I Give You A List Of Photographs to Take?
Documentary Wedding Photography · Boston & New England
TL;DR, Requesting Your Photo List
- Yes, send a list: I encourage every couple to plan their family photos ahead so nothing gets missed.
- A questionnaire arrives early: Five weeks before the wedding you get a multiple-choice list of about 50 family combinations to pick from.
- Add special requests: Note extra groups like college friends, those usually happen during cocktail hour or later in the evening.
You absolutely can give me a list of photographs to take. I always encourage my couples to spend some time before the wedding coming up with a list of family photos so I don’t miss any photographs during the day.
When we are doing family photos, the most efficient ways of taking those photos are by working off of a list. I will send you a questionnaire five weeks before your wedding.
On that questionnaire, you will have an opportunity to request family photos. It’s all multiple choice. I’ve thought of as many different family photos as possible.
There are probably 50 different combinations. You can just click the ones that you want, and we will take them at the appropriate time. Also on that worksheet, there is an opportunity for you to list any additional special requests.
Maybe there’s a group of your high school friends or college friends, those photos are generally taken during cocktail hour or later on in the evening.
Overall, the more information you can give me, the better. I want to make sure you love your photos and receive all that you want from them.
Check out this family formal guide if you want more information on what to expect for your wedding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I give you a shot list for my Boston wedding?
Yes, and I actually encourage it. I always ask my couples to think through the family photos they want ahead of time so nothing gets missed in the rush of the day. The clearer your list, the more relaxed and efficient the family formals go.
How do I tell you which family photos I want?
About five weeks before your wedding I send you a questionnaire, and the family photo section is all multiple choice. I have built in roughly 50 different combinations, so you just click the groupings you want and we shoot them at the right moment on the day.
What if I have special photo requests that aren't on your list?
That same worksheet has a spot for any additional special requests, so you are never boxed in by the multiple-choice options. Maybe it's a group of college friends or a private moment that matters to you. Tell me and I'll make sure it happens.
When do you take the group shots with friends?
Big friend groups, like your high school or college crew, are usually easiest to gather during cocktail hour or later in the evening when everyone is together. I'll plan the timing around when those people are actually in the room so we don't pull you away from the celebration.
Do I really need a list, or can you just capture the day candidly?
My style is documentary, so most of the day I'm quietly capturing things as they unfold. The list really only matters for the posed family and group photos, where I can't always know who is who. The more detail you give me there, the better, because I want you to love every photo and walk away with everything you wanted.
When do you send us the photo questionnaire?
Five weeks before your wedding. That's early enough that you're not scrambling, and close enough that you actually know who's coming and who's standing where. You'll have room to think it over, talk to your families, and send it back without it being one more thing on the week-of pile.
Do we have to write out every family photo combination ourselves?
No. The questionnaire is all multiple choice. I've already thought through as many different family photos as I could come up with, probably around fifty combinations. You just click the ones you want and we'll take them at the appropriate time on the day. You're picking from a list, not staring at a blank page trying to remember your aunts.
Why does working from a list make family photos better?
Because it's the most efficient way to do them, and because it means I don't miss anything. Family photos are the one part of the day where the moments don't just happen on their own, someone has to be gathered. A list turns that into a short, organized stretch instead of a long guessing game while your cocktail hour goes by without you.
How much detail should we give you?
The more the better. That's honestly the whole answer. Everything you tell me ahead of time is one less thing I have to guess at while your day is moving. I want to make sure you love your photos and receive all that you want from them, and the questionnaire is where most of that information reaches me.
Where can we see what to expect for family photos on the wedding day?
I have a family formal guide that walks through how the whole thing runs, so you know what you're signing up for before you start clicking boxes. Read it alongside the questionnaire. It'll make your choices better, because you'll understand what each photo costs you in time and where it fits into the day.
