Family formals do not need to be stressful and don't need to take more than 20 minutes of your wedding day! Before your wedding, I chat with couples about their expectations for family formals and ask that they narrow down family formals to no more than 20 photos (typically 10 photos per partner). I'll share my typical list of family formals and they edit the list as needed.
The list usually looks like this:
1. Bride & mom
2. Bride & dad
3. Bride & bride's parents
4. Bride, groom & bride's parents
5. Bride, groom, bride's parents & siblings
6. Bride, groom, bride's parents, siblings & grandparents
7. Bride, groom & both sides parents, siblings & grandparents
8. Bride, groom, groom's parents, siblings & grandparents
9. Bride, groom, groom's parents & siblings
10. Bride, groom & groom's parents
11. Groom & groom's parents
12. Groom & dad
13. Groom & mom
14. Groom & siblings
15. Bride, groom, groom's siblings & S/O's
16. Bride, groom, bride's siblings & S/O's
17. Bride & siblings
Once a couple decides on their 20 family portraits, I ask they communicate with those family members and share where and when to meet for the family formals. There's no such thing as over-communicating this! I suggest having a "family representative" on each side to help coordinate family members during the family portrait time.
