I think we can all agree that the most important family will be at our wedding day, right? I know that was the case for Josh and I. Aside from a pair of sick grandparents, we were surrounded by the family members who meant the most to us, and have been with us every step of the way.
The longer I photograph weddings, the more I realize just how important family photos are on the wedding day. Maybe it’s not so much the more I shoot, but the older I get. Relationships with parents and grandparents are important. Nine times out of ten, they’re responsible for the adult that we have become. But a photo that I think is just as important as the one with the family with the couple is the one where the Parents or Grandparents are simply together.
Last wedding season, I made it a mission that during our family formal time, while I was photographing the big groups, my second photographer would snag the parents, grandparents, and other married couples to the side and take a formal photo of just the two of them. Together.
These extra five to ten photos are some of my couples favorite photos from their wedding day. At first, I was slightly surprised. After all, I deliver 200-400 bridal portraits per wedding day. Shouldn’t the photos of the Bride and Groom be the couple’s favorite from their wedding day? But then I realized a couple of things.
Why Parent Portraits are Important on Wedding Days
- As parents get older, there’s less of focus to have professional photos taken of just the two of them
- When was the last time everyone was dressed up?! Probably the last wedding? Or god forbid a funeral. And no one wants a photo taken on that day.
- Maybe the last formal professional photo was taken on their wedding day?!
- Something no one likes to think about is the end of our time here on earth. When the photographer takes an extra two minutes to get photos of the parents and grandparents, the ones left behind will have a photo to cherish.
Reason number four is why taking the time to photograph the parents together is so important. I had one or two weddings where a second photographer was not included in a Bride’s wedding collection, so I was photographing the wedding solo. This meant no time for parent portraits. One of those Bride’s lost a parent six months after her wedding. My heart absolutely ached that I was unable to provide her family with a parent portrait.
Brides – if you’re wedding day doesn’t include two photographers, consider contacting your photographer and paying for an additional body there. Not only can the second photographer potentially take these parent portraits, but they will also be able to photograph moments that your main photographer won’t be able to get.
Photographers – here’s another way to be a hero on the wedding day! If you have a second photographer, instead of having them line up family members for portraits, have them take parent portraits. If you don’t offer a second photographer in your collection, and you fly solo like I did for many weddings, make it a point to capture these photos. Your brides will be forever thankful you did!
Such a touching approach. Thank you Loren for sharing our special day!
Loren I absolutely love this blog post. I couldn’t agree with you more! Family is everything! Having photos like this make a huge difference. You are so thoughtful!