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I know, without a doubt that you love your family. I also know that you are going to love your wedding photography and, of course, love your wedding day itself. Putting it all together can be a lot to handle, to say the least. Family photos can be overwhelming. So many different combinations, unique family dynamics and a ton of coordination. Even though it might feel like the longest part of your wedding day, the family portraits end up being some of the most cherished photos. Family comes first. Family is everything. Family photos are a must. Here is the best way to prepare for your wedding day family portraits!
Having a first look or waiting to see each other as you walk down the aisle has a direct effect on when we will capture your family portraits! If you want to enjoy your cocktail hour as much as humanly possible, but also want to make sure you have plenty of time for family portraits, I suggest doing a first look! This way, you can have your family arrive before the ceremony and have all of the family portraits completed before you say “I do!” PLUS: No one has started crying yet, so everyone’s wedding day look will be on point!
This is a game changer! Take an afternoon, sometime before your wedding day, and write down a list of all the family combinations you want to capture. Once you have your list, ask your mom take a look and make sure there are no other combinations she is dying to have! I know, it sounds strenuous but trust me on this one, when you see your photographer reading off the list and being 100% sure that they got every family combination you could possibly want, you will feel a whole lot better! PLUS: It takes the pressure off of you on your wedding day… who doesn’t want that?
If your family is anything like my family, they run 15 minutes late to everything, and I mean everything. This is the perfect time to pull the tell them it starts 20 minutes earlier than it actually does so they make it on time strategy. And don’t you dare feel guilty about it! This is your wedding day! You and your photographer have put a lot of time, energy and consideration into your wedding day photography timeline, as much as you love Aunt Margie, she must be on time!!
Every family has a busy bee, someone who likes to take charge and who can actually get Uncle Harry to stop telling his jokes and pay attention. Do you have someone in mind? Great! Give them a call! Ask them to be the Family Wrangler and they will not only feel important, but kick some major ass doing it!
I have nine nieces and nephews. The oldest is twelve years old, the youngest is not even two months old. There is a big difference between how much time you can have a twelve year old and a two month old stand there and smile. Be mindful when you consider which combinations go first! The same thing goes for the older generations! If Bubbe has a hard time standing, make sure there is a chair nearby to use, if Grandpa is recovering from hip surgery, make sure he gets in and out of his photos as quickly as possible. Your family is going to be grateful that you thought of it all!
It is your family and you know it best! Your family deserve to have it captured in whichever way best represents who you all are, that means, keep your photographer in the loop! As a photographer, I assure you, that we want your wedding day experience to be as pleasant as possible and if that means keeping Mom and Dad away from each other, we will do it!
These are the photos that are shared and loved by all generations. These are the photos that get framed and hung up on all of your walls. These are the photos that matter because the people in them matter. Make sure you are prepared to get everything you possibly can from your wedding day family portraits. No one loves your family as much as you do!
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All you wanted to do was grow up and be just like your Mom. You spent day after day trying on her wedding dress. You tried on her shoes. Mimicked the way she did her hair and put on her lipstick. Now, years later, you have developed your own sense of style. Your own dreams. Your own vision for your wedding day and your mom wants to be there for you through it all. She wants to give you the day of your dreams. She wants to help! Here are YPP’s “Top 6 Mother-of-the-Bride Wedding Duties” that will make your life easier and make her as happy as can be!
We all love family heirlooms. They are beautiful, meaningful and sometimes hard to get a hold of. Give your mom this responsibility. She will know exactly who in the family still has Great Aunt Margie’s Wine Glass or where the heck the family Chuppah is stored… Plus, she will know exactly how to handle your extended family, answer all of their wedding questions all while on the hunt for the family goods!
If you are leaning towards a more traditional wedding, than your mother’s name and address will already be on the envelope, let her be a part of this! Let her decide whether the word “TO” should be a size 20pt or 22pt. It will make her feel like she is a big part of the planning process and will take one last thing of your plate! Plus, grammar can always be double checked!
Your mom will just know. She knows exactly what you need to have the perfect kitchen set up and all the dining room essentials. She knows the best Kitchen Aid to purchase, the most elegant China Plates and even the best place to get a Menorah. Mom will have all the answers to the most overwhelming registry questions!
Your mom has been dreaming about your wedding day just as much as you have been since you were a little girl. She cannot wait to see her beautiful daughter in the white dress, marrying the man of her dreams and being as happy as possible. Your happily ever after is all your Mom wants for you. Let her be a part of the shopping. Let her be there when you say “Yes to the dress!” Let her zip you up with tears in her eyes the morning of your wedding. Let her be a part of it!
The dreaded Guest List! You want everyone there to celebrate with you and your soon-to-be husband, but cutting names of that list is literally keeping you up at night. Don’t worry, I get it and so does mom! Let her be the one to make the cuts and even be the one to get the RSVP’s. It will help you sleep at night and help her keep on top of how many people are coming! WIN WIN WIN!
I know, sometimes, it might be feel like Mama Bear is going over board with the love and all of her ideas, but maybe, just maybe let a few things slide this time. You only get married once and this is a big moment for her as well. She is watching her baby start a family! So, give her the chance to show you how much she loves you!
Work With Yael
My mission is to not only craft images, but really celebrate the unique spirit of Jewish love. I'm here to honor our culture, capture the magic of your love, create family heirlooms for your future and do it all with a whole lot of heart and soul.