Group photos at weddings (the fun and quick way)
Shooting group photos at weddings is probably the oldest tradition that links photography with weddings. And as much as I dislike doing them, I do realise they have a purpose, and a certain degree of importance to the documenting of your day. I totally get it… at your wedding are the most important people in your lives, taking part in possibly the most important day of your life (so far), so making sure you get a photo of you and them together in the same shot is a huge deal.
The biggest mistake most couples make when it comes to having their group photos taken on their wedding day is the amount of time you put aside for it. Or possibly the huge amount of time your photographer has put aside for it. Believe me, there are some photographers out there that bloody love doing endless group photos… I’m not one of them. I’d rather be spending my time getting fun, emotional, creative, and natural photos of you and your guests enjoying the day without the faff of a boring two hour staged photoshoot. Your day will go by in the blink of an eye, don’t waste it doing something you really don’t want to.
Admit it, we’ve all been to a friends wedding where the group photos seemed to take forever to get done… people started arguing because they were taking so long… or Uncle Dave was missing from the shot (almost certainly at the bar!)… well, this is exactly the reason why I give all my couples two simple instructions to make the group photos part of their day go as smoothly as possible.
Keep your group photos list to around 6-8 groups MAX!
We shoot them 10-15 minutes before you sit down for food/speeches… and the whole process doesn’t take longer than 10 minutes!
Right, now let me ease you in gently. I’ll keep it simple, and with a bit of luck you’ll like the images I’ve captured, and agree that this is exactly how you want your group photos to look like.. If you want any posed/staged photos at all that is!
In an ideal world, all group photos would look something like this…
and these…
…Chilled-out, totally relaxed, sometimes even completely candid and caught in the moment images! That first image may look like some epic staged affair, but in actual fact took about six minutes to setup and shoot. Then everyone was called in for their meal!
(BELOW) Still don’t believe me that group shots can be quick to shoot and totally natural? Here’s a selection of fun alternative shots taken around the time of me shooting the formal versions.
Photo 1 - Taken just after the formal group photo…
Photo 2 - Taken just before the formal group photo….
Photo 3 - THE formal group photo… (as formal as it gets with me!)
(BELOW) The boys!
The best advice I can give you for getting really relaxed shots of lads, is to have a drink! Have a few beers… chill out with each other, and then I’ll approach you and take a fun group photo. And you never know, I may even catch a fleeting BROMANCE moment too.
(BELOW) A perfect example of a candid group photo. The bride and her bridesmaids all gathered, waiting to go through to the ceremony room.
(BELOW) The girls! Here’s a small collection of extremely simple setups. As you’ll see, whether you’ve got 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more bridesmaids… I like to keep the frame filled, but a nice simple and clean shot. Minimal distractions and always a cool backdrop.
(BELOW) Here’s a collection of group photos that really benefit from vibrant colours. I always edit my images in a subtle manner. I’m not a fan over over-saturated filters/presets at all. I want my photos to look natural, and truly representative of the day you got married!
(BELOW) For this large family group photo I shot in France last year I continued shooting after I’d taken the simple group photo. I personally prefer the second shot! It has a lot more energy and humour to it than the first. But what I like isn’t always what everyone else likes, so I will always deliver both options to the couple.
(BELOW) Mix it up! Blending the boys and girls together for a fun and (moderately) formal shot.
(BELOW) Find the perfect location… and stick to that perfect location.
(BELOW) Go with the flow. I shoot SO many frames when I’m doing the groups. Probably because I’m rattling through them as quick as possible so you can get back to the party, but also because I always capture the unexpected, and random events that happen in the moments in between!
(BELOW) In my experience the wider picture is ALWAYS more interesting…
(BELOW) This kid was slowly sliding out of the shot… I think he heard an ice cream van go by!
(BELOW) Suggesting something a little different - Its not unusual for me to say to a bunch of flower girls “JUMP!”… this instantly makes them do something fun, but also creates a cool portrait.
Asking a groom and his groomsman to climb onto the roof of the fire engine that brought the bride to the wedding…
Or even asking the bridesmaids and the bride to have a little dance to loosen up!
So that’s it… my very brief guide to getting your group photos done in the easiest and most stress-free way possible. Just have fun, keep smiling, and PLEASE just stick to the 10 minute rule! Trust me, you’ll thank me in the end.
Thanks for taking the time to look at this post I’ve put together. If you like the look of these images I’ve shot, and think I’d be a perfect fit for your wedding day, please get in contact with me and lets chat!
If you’ve already booked me, GREAT! Please take these tips on board and I promise to give you a collection of amazing images from your wedding day that you’ll love looking at for the rest of your lives.
2019 - End of year slideshow
I’ve edited and delivered over 35,000 images this year, so narrowing that number down to just 55 of my favourite frames for this slideshow was extremely hard.
2019 started off with my first wedding of the year on Valentines Day with a lovely London elopement. Made even more special by the fact that the couple only booked me a couple of weeks before the wedding day.
With weddings all over the UK, France, and Spain, I’ve really enjoyed visiting lots of new venues I hope to shoot at again soon. One thing I’ve really noticed this year from my enquiries is that it seems a new wedding venue opens up every week in the UK!
On a personal note its been a very joyful year with us welcoming our beautiful second son Jonah into the world in April. His arrival prompted me to choose to take on less weddings this year than ever before and it has not only allowed me to give my couples the best service they deserve, its also allowed me to spend lots more time with my family.
Unlike previous years I’ve gone for a bit more of a slow song for this slideshow. At just 2 minutes long I promise not to take up too much of your day. Even though its a shorter slideshow than I’d normally make, its still full of fun, emotion, relaxed portraits and most off all (and my favourite)… documentary style wedding photography!
Many thanks to all of you that booked me to shoot your wedding this year… I hope you love the moments I captured for many years to come.
I’m really excited about my 2020 weddings, and have still got dates available if you’ve not yet booked a photographer… just get in touch!
Have a great Christmas everyone, and a very happy new year.
Ed.
London pub wedding photography - Lordship Pub - Nat and James
“Wow. Just... just WOW.
We have just had our wedding photos back from Ed, and they have surpassed every hope we had for them. They're not only brilliantly shot (I mean, Ed, please take EVERY photo of me for the rest of my life), but they're a full documentary memory of the day. Every little detail is captured, and he's somehow managed to snap the exact personality of each and every guest. They're absolutely incredible.
Ed will make you feel so at ease, you'll barely notice that he's there - except you do want to notice him, as he's such a great guy you'll feel like he's one of your invited guests. He worked tirelessly, still shooting things he loved the look of even as he was packing up to leave. That's how much Ed cares about your day. He'll make you feel like yours is the most important shoot he's ever done, and you'll LOVE the results.
As a side note, we did our wedding on quite a modest budget by wedding madness standard, but prioritised the photography as something worth spending money on. You never get a second chance to capture it right.
If you feel similarly, Ed is 100% the man for the job.” - Nat + James
Were you a guest at this wedding?
Below is just a selection of my favourite shots from the day, but why don't you take a look at their online gallery and download some photos... for free!
Simply click HERE - Then get the password from Nat + James, and download as many HI-RES images as you want!
If you scroll through this wedding and think "WOW! Yeah... these are the kind of fun and relaxed photos I want at my wedding!" Then please do get in touch and lets chat.
2018 end of year review
Fun plays a huge part in my photography. Well, thats what a lot of my couples tell me anyway! And I like to think a lot of this end of year slideshow portrays how I capture all the happiness I see at weddings.
Putting together a slideshow at the end of the year is never easy. Mainly as I have SO many fun and creative shots I want to feature. Anna and I delivered over 40,000 images to couples this year, so choosing just three minutes worth of photos to show was really tough! What you’re about to watch is only a tiny selection of images that make me smile when I look at them… Just as much now as when I saw them happen in front of me.
To every couple that asked me to shoot their wedding this year, THANK YOU!
Thank you for booking me, trusting me, and just allowing me to rock up on your special day and just do my thing. Even after 20+ years of doing this I still continue to find shooting weddings a hugely interesting and fun experience. And when I get to spend so much time with couples that genuinely get excited about seeing what I see, it really does mean the world to me.
(And if you like this slideshow… you can check out a couple more of my previous years slideshows too… 2017 and 2016)
Pembroke Lodge wedding photographer - Kat and Marc
“We absolutely LOVE the photos, wow wow wow! They are beautiful.
You guys captured some really amazing shots, and lots of blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments!! We LOVE THEM!!! Looking through all of the photos, it's like re-living the whole day again.
Really great variety in styles too, between reportage, action shots and more portrait style - but always very natural.
We're really glad that you and Anna had an enjoyable time on the day, you both mixed in seamlessly with our guests - I remember one point when we were in the photobooth and suddenly noticed that you were in there with us and hidden in the dark”
Marc & Kat xx
Were you a guest at this wedding? Below is just a selection of my favourite shots from the day, but why don't you take a look at their online gallery and download some photos... for free!
Simply click HERE - Then get the password from Kat + Marc, and download as many HI-RES images as you want!
PHOTOS BY ED GODDEN + ANNA HEATON
Rainy London pre-wedding shoot - Kat and Marc
London pre-wedding shoot with Jeni + Ned
Clapton Country Club wedding photography - Charlotte and Matt
"They’re amazing, thank you so much. You managed to get pictures of so many of our friends - it’s all a bit overwhelming remembering the day."
Were you a guest at this wedding? Below is just a selection of my favourite shots from the day, but why don't you take a look at their online gallery and download some photos... for free!
Simply click HERE - Then get the password from Charlotte + Matt, and download as many HI-RES images as you want!
London wedding photography at the Asylum - Morgana and Raj
"Finding each other was so lucky, but finding Ed as a photographer is just being blessed!
Having Ed at our wedding has been like having a super-talented best friend with ninja and mind reading skills! Our pictures are beyond beautiful. On the day everything goes so fast that it would be impossible for us to catch every detail and moment. By looking at our pictures today we not only relive our special day, but realise how much of a fun and special day it was for everyone.
Thank you infinitely Ed."
Even before I set foot into bridal prep at Morgana and Raj's flat, I knew this wedding day was going to be laid-back, relaxed, and fun-filled.
From their initial contact with me, to the emails I received the week before the wedding, I was constantly re-assured that they totally trusted me to just shoot away, and capture their wedding day in a relaxed, reportage way.
Both Morgana + Raj, and all their guests were SO SO nice to me on the day... totally made me feel like one of the family... Chatty, friendly, and fun to photograph. Nobody took themselves too seriously, and nobody minded me snapping away, and getting up close and involved in the action on the hot hot hot dancefloor!
Were you a guest at this wedding? Below is just a selection of my favourite shots from the day, but why don't you take a look at their online gallery and download some photos... for free!
Simply click HERE - Then get the password from Morgana and Raj, and download as many HI-RES images as you want!
Crystal Palace pre wedding shoot - Christina and Dan
London pre-wedding shoot - Julia and Joe
Rain, wind, sunshine, and all the colours of spring. This pre-wedding shoot in Putney had the lot!
I can't wait to photograph Julia and Joe getting hitched at their venue overlooking the Thames this summer.
On a day that had a mixture of weather conditions, this lovely London couple didn't stop smiling whatever the English weather was chucking at them.
London wedding photography - Theresa and Julian
