Family photos - what I'll do is after I've taken the big group photo I'll let everyone know that we're going to be doing family photos and will point all the family in the direction of where we'll be taking them. That's an easy way to segway and get all the family in one place. A general rule of thumb is 3 minutes per photo (for groups of 10 or less) so 10 combos will take 30 minutes.

Family photos list structure - do the largest side first. Starting with the largest photo combo you want and then taking away from it, e.g. Extended family, Grandparents-Siblings-Parents, Siblings-Parents, Parents. Then you can start on building up the other side, smallest to largest.

Family captains are the best - they make things run so much easier. Choose a person for each side, someone who is loud, bossy and knows most people haha. Then give them the responsibility of being family captain and coordinating all the groups. If you want to send through the list of family photos that'd be good too as family captains often forget theirs haha, that way I can also check everything looks good and that we'll have enough time to do all the family photos you want :)

Prewritten message to send to family captains if you please.

Hey guys we'd love to appoint you as our official family photo captains. Our photographer recommended we do this because it's much easier than us being the ones trying to read and tick off a list while being in the photos ourselves and it allows him to focus more on making the family photos awesome while you guys keep the process flowing.

So if you can both print out a copy and bring the list with you and use it to coordinate the family photos that'd be amazing. Jonathan the photographer will help you out with them, after the ceremony we will be doing a bit of mingling and then Jonathan will organise the group photo himself, straight after the group photo he'll point people in the direction of where the family photos will be taking place and that's when you're on!

Your job is calling out the combos and helping to herd people in and out of the shot. While one group is getting their photo taken if one of you can be organising the people ready to jump in for the next photo that'd be awesome. Thanks so much, this will make this part of the day way more enjoyable and less stressful for us :)