Family Formal Cheat Sheet
It happens: your wedding photographer asks you for your “family formal list,” and suddenly you can’t remember any of your family members. “Me and my parents and… who else?” To avoid leaving out crucial people, use this cheat sheet to jumpstart your list and ensure you don’t forget any important family members.
Immediate Family Formals
A basic list of family groupings to include parents and siblings. Adjust as necessary to include nieces, nephews, and significant others.
Partner A + B with Partner A’s parents
Partner A with parents
Partner A with individual parents
Partner A with individual siblings
Partner A with siblings
Partner A with siblings + parents
Partner A + B with Partner A’s siblings + parents
Partner A + B with both sets of parents + siblings
Partner A’s family dismissed
Partner A + B with Partner B’s parents
Partner B with parents
Partner B with individual parents
Partner B with individual siblings
Partner B with siblings
Partner B with siblings + parents
Partner A + B with Partner B’s siblings + parents
All family dismissed
Extended Family Formals
A longer list to include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and siblings. Adjust as necessary to include additional members/groups.
Partner A + B with Partner A’s grandparents, parents, siblings
Partner A + B with Partner A’s grandparents, parents
Partner A + B with Partner A’s grandparents
Partner A with grandparents
Partner A + B with Partner A’s siblings, parents, and first side of family
Partner A + B with Partner A’s siblings, parents, and second side of family
Partner A’s grandparents dismissed
Partner A + B with Partner A’s parents
Partner A with parents
Partner A with individual parents
Partner A with individual siblings
Partner A with siblings
Partner A with siblings + parents
Partner A + B with siblings + parents
Partner A + B with both sets of siblings + parents
Partner A’s family dismissed
Partner A + B with Partner B’s grandparents, parents
Partner A + B with Partner B’s grandparents
Partner B with grandparents
Partner A + B with Partner B’s siblings, parents, and first side of family
Partner A + B with Partner B’s siblings, parents, and second side of family
Partner B’s grandparents dismissed
Partner A + B with Partner B’s parents
Partner B with parents
Partner B with individual parents
Partner B with individual siblings
Partner B with siblings
Partner B with siblings + parents
All family dismissed
Want more tips? Plan out your photography timeline next!