If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know my number one family photo styling tip is simple: start with mom. Find your outfit first, then build everyone else’s looks around it. But before you even start shopping or scrolling Pinterest, there’s one step that makes the entire process easier – it’s how to “style the story.”

I know that might sound a little abstract but it’s actually the foundation for every beautifully styled family photo. Your style story is the overall feeling you want your photos to have. It’s the mood, the atmosphere and the personality behind the images. It answers the question, “When I look back at these photos five or ten years from now, what do I want them to feel like?”

Once you know the answer, choosing outfits becomes much more intentional. Instead of buying random pieces that happen to coordinate, you’re creating a collection of outfits that all tell the same story.

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What exactly is a style story?

Think of it as the creative direction for your session. It’s less about colors and more about the feeling you’re trying to create.

Maybe your style story is coastal and relaxed. Maybe it’s classic New England, cottage-inspired, modern and minimal, elevated everyday or romantic and feminine. It could be a cozy autumn afternoon at home, a casual summer evening in the backyard or timeless neutrals that never go out of style.

Notice that none of these describe individual outfits. They describe an experience.

That’s exactly what you want your photographs to capture.

(Outfit Details: Me – Dress, Sandals, Kid – Button-up Shirt, Tee Shirt, Shorts, Sandals, Men – Button-up Shirt, Pants, Belt, Shoes)

Three simple ways to create one

1. Start with the feeling

Before you think about clothing, ask yourself one simple question: How do I want these photos to feel?

Maybe you want them to feel playful and full of laughter. Maybe you’re drawn to something calm, nostalgic and peaceful. Or perhaps you envision an elegant evening with soft golden light or a relaxed summer afternoon chasing your kids through the backyard.

The feeling should always come before the fashion. When you know the emotion you’re trying to preserve, your styling decisions naturally begin to support it instead of competing with it.

2. Let your location help tell the story

Your surroundings are part of the narrative and your wardrobe should reflect that.

A beach session calls for a very different look than an apple orchard. A downtown city backdrop has a completely different personality than an open field or a cozy in-home session.

Instead of immediately asking yourself, “What should we wear?” try asking, “What belongs here?”

When your clothing feels connected to the environment, your photos instantly feel more cohesive and authentic. The wardrobe becomes part of the scene rather than something that stands apart from it.

3. Decide what or who you want to highlight

This might be my favorite question because it shifts your focus away from the clothes and back to what really matters.

Every year tells a different story. Maybe you’re celebrating a new baby, your first home or the last summer before your oldest heads off to college. Sometimes it’s a milestone and sometimes it’s simply a season you never want to forget.

This year, when I planned our own family photos, I realized the “who” I wanted to highlight wasn’t a person at all, it was our mini Goldendoodle, Poppy.

She’s become such a joyful part of our family and I knew I wanted this season of life documented with her right in the middle of it. That one decision influenced everything else, from our relaxed backyard setting to the soft neutral wardrobe and East Coast cottage-inspired feel I envisioned for the session.

(Outfit Details: Me – Dress, Sandals, Kid – Button-up Shirt, Tee Shirt, Shorts, Sandals, Men – Button-up Shirt, Pants, Belt, Shoes)

Once you have your style story, the outfits become easier

When you don’t have your style story established is where I see so many families get stuck. They begin by searching for dresses, coordinating colors or ordering clothes online without having any real direction.

It’s a little like decorating a room before you’ve decided on the overall style of the house.

When you begin with a clear vision, shopping becomes much more focused. You’ll recognize the dress that feels right. You will also know which colors fit the mood you’re trying to create. And you’ll also know when something doesn’t belong, even if it’s beautiful on its own.

Instead of asking, “Does this match?” you’ll find yourself asking, “Does this fit the style story we’re trying to tell?”

That’s a much more helpful question.

(Outfit Details: Me – Dress, Sandals, Kid – Button-up Shirt, Tee Shirt, Shorts, Sandals, Men – Button-up Shirt, Pants, Belt, Shoes)

Remember what you’re really creating

Years from now, you probably won’t remember exactly where everyone’s clothes came from but you’ll remember how that season of life felt. You’ll remember the laughter, the missing teeth, the puppy who couldn’t sit still and the little hands that somehow aren’t little anymore.

That’s why I encourage every family to begin with the style story, not the shopping cart.

Because the best family photos don’t simply show what your family looked like. They preserve what this season of your life felt like and that’s a “style story” worth telling.

-Natalie, xo

(Photo Credit: Willow & Wren Photography)

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