SMALL WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | choose love, not fear

Intimate Weddings & Elopement Photography

Since 2002, the WPJA has been connecting couples with the best, most artistic wedding photographers from around the world.

Ufuk Sarisen Wedding Photography
Tracey Buyce Wedding Images
Italy Wedding and Elopement Photography
BW Studio Portrait of Wedding Photographer Renan Radici
Colorado wedding photography and CO couple engagement portraits by Joe Pyle
Studio portrait of Wes Shinn - owner / wedding and elopement photography studio
Couple engagement portraits by wedding photographer Joshua Grasso
Engagement Portraits by top Wedding and Elopement Photographer Sylvain Bouzat
England documentary wedding and elopement photography by Nathan Eames
BW wedding photography by Mauricio Urena
Baltimore engagement wedding and elopement photography by Breanna Shaw
Jerome Pollos Self Portrait, a wedding and elopement photographer of the WPJA
Portrait of Munster Wedding Photographer Kevin Kheffache of Ireland
Bordeaux, Gironde wedding photography by Pierre Cassagne

Authentic Photography

The WPJA organizes various wedding photography rounds annually, recognizing and honoring exceptionally captivating images.

Take a look at the previous victors by clicking on the links below:

Intimate, Micro Wedding Planning & Elopement Articles

Kobe Vanderzande, of Limburg, is a wedding photographer for

There’s nothing quite like an intimate wedding reception in a tent, with its uniquely informal atmosphere, customized decor and proximity to the elements...

Not everyone has a lagoon or glacier next door, but there's no rule saying you can't have a small wedding in the great outdoors. Take advantage of natural...

The Authenticity of
Wedding Photojournalism

Eric Corbacho, of São Paulo, is a wedding photographer for Santo André , Igreja Matriz do Carmo
Esther Gibbons, of Quebec, is a wedding photographer for Laurentides, Quebec - Chalet
Pierre Saint Remy, of Meuse (55) , is a wedding photographer for

WPJA Contest Photos - January 19th, 2024

Any wedding photographer is going to want to please their clients — but they also want their work to be appreciated on a broader scale. This is one of the reasons why the Wedding Photojournalist Association members love our regular photography competitions. These popular contests give our photographers the opportunity to submit their best images in hopes of being selected as a winner and being recognized for their creativity and effort. Our contests are judged by a panel of notable and respected working photojournalists and picture editors in the news industry, which adds an element of prestige to our awards.

Bride and groom holding hands in the air, walking between guests after the ceremony in the city hall of Enschede, Netherlands
At Les Jardins de Sophie, Vosges, Grand Est, the bride applies her makeup in her hotel room while the television is turned on.
Four women dance in a line on the dance floor at a wedding reception at Pinecrest Chalet, Pinecrest, CA. The image was awarded by the WPJA.
Chigwell Marquees in the UK showcases a happy bride and groom surrounded by friends celebrating their Hindu wedding ceremony
At Savoie - Colonie de l'Espérance, the daughter of the bride and groom brings laughter as she plays the clown during the ceremony
Award-winning wedding photographer captures the sweet moment of embraces between the newlyweds in the garden of their Calvados, Normandy home, right after playing the bouquet game.
Mother of the Bride helping her daughter put on jewelry at their home in Maine-et-Loire, France during the wedding preparations
At Mountain View Resort, Kilkenny, three flower girls hold up the bride's veil train, adding a sweet touch to this wedding photo

Artistic Guild - Creative Portraits and Details - January 31st, 2024

The Artistic Guild competitions are distinctly different from our other WPJA contests because this category is specifically for photographers who use their talent to create digitally-enhanced images, staged portraits and dramatic detail images. This competition attracts documentary wedding photographers who also view themselves as artists who are constantly looking to create their next masterpiece.

Outdoor Wedding at Frensham Hall, Surrey. The bride elegantly holds a beautiful bridal bouquet, while basking in the sunshine and surrounded by confetti.
In a wedding photo, captured at Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkey. The bride sits on a bench in the foreground, while the groom lays on his back on another bench in the background.
An award-winning wedding photo captured at Villa Semenza in Lecco, Italy. The picture highlights the beautiful details of the imperial table, with the bride and groom embracing in the background.
Capturing the serene anticipation of the bride, this award-winning detail image by a modern wedding photographer showcases the intricacy of the scene at Bath Registry Office, as she awaits her ceremony on a wooden bench.
Award-winning wedding day portrait captured by a talented photographer at The City Pavilion in London, UK. The groom is skillfully framed in the double doors, offering a unique perspective for this stunning image.
Award-winning photo of the bride's radiant beauty against the backdrop of a rustic, warm-toned peeling stucco wall in Florence, Tuscany.
A captivating image at Tanzschule Potsdam. The photo showcases a poignant detail during a Jewish wedding signing, accentuated by the darkened room, participants adorned in black hats, their hands poised with a pen to sign.
A talented wedding photographer captured a beautiful portrait of a bride and groom at Dreams and Dragonflies in Windsor, Colorado. The couple is elegantly posed in front of an old barn, beautifully lit in a rustic setting.

Diamond Awards - Pre-Wedding Engagement Portraits - February 14th, 2024

Couples who are searching for a wedding photographer often want a pre-wedding engagement portrait session as well as wedding day photography services. Engagement photographers need to rely on their skill and expertise in order to help their couples select a meaningful location for their portrait session. These awards allow engagement photographers to submit their most moving engagement images in hopes of being recognized for their creativity and skill.

The Lake Forest Beach in Tahoe City, CA sets the scene for a captivating lifestyle couple portrait. Embracing on a bridge, the couple is off center in the frame with the picturesque expanse of Lake Tahoe behind. A playful leg lift adds a touch of romance.
A couple about to wed had their engagement portrait session in Buckinghamshire, UK, with the stunning shot showcasing their silhouetted faces, embraced under a vibrant night sky.
A captivating lifestyle couple portrait at Flagstaff Mountain, Boulder, CO. The couple faces each other with laughter, surrounded by floating bubbles at dusk. The photographer expertly highlights the scene with strategically placed lighting.
At The Tall Trees venue, a couple preparing to marry participated in an engagement portrait session, with their silhouetted heads and bodies turned in opposite directions, standing back to back.
This pre-wedding engagement portrait captures a couple in a comforting embrace on a bench amidst the fall leaves of Ecclesall Woods, Sheffield. The serene forest forms a picturesque backdrop.
Lively pre-wedding portrait in Maceió, Brazil, showcasing the sun's radiant glow. The couple shares an intimate embrace by the ocean, with the man's profile in captivating silhouette and the woman basking in sunlight.
A couple about to wed posed for their engagement portrait session at dusk in Dumbo, Brooklyn, with the stunning skyline and sunset as their backdrop, holding hands directly below the iconic Brooklyn Bridge with a mirror reflection below them.
Lifestyle couple portrait at Bevano River Mouth Sanctuary, Ravenna, Italy. Beautifully highlighted by the photographer, the image captures a sweet candid cuddle in the windy nature sanctuary. It features a tight shot of him hugging her from behind.

TLC - True Love Captured - March 3rd, 2023

This WPJA photography competition is focused on the emotions that are on display throughout any wedding event. The images showcase the powerful emotions that the couple are experiencing, and any of the feelings that any wedding guests may go through. The TLC contests follow a long-standing WPJA category tradition of capturing raw emotions.

The emotion of the proud parents hugging their son, the groom, as he prepared for his wedding day at House of the Groom in Siderno, Reggio Calabria was so beautiful it was captured as a timeless moment by the photographer
At a wedding in Bucharest, Romania, the groom lovingly hugged his sister - a beautiful black and white image captured the emotional moment
The photographer captured a beautiful moment of the bride embracing one of her great friends during the getting ready process at Cote How, The Lake District
The photographer at Ancenis, France captured a heart-warming moment of the bride holding hands with her father-in-law as he saw her for the first time in her wedding dress before the ceremony
The photographer captured the beautiful, emotional moment between the bride and groom after they exchanged their rings in Trieste, Italy
The photographer captured a beautiful and emotional moment as a Bari bride lovingly greeted her ailing grandmother, who was unfortunately unable to join the celebration of her special day
At the stunning Mont La Salle in Napa, CA, the moment a bridesmaid holding flowers ran to hug the bride was truly a beautiful and emotional one that the wedding photographer was able to capture
The photographer at Ashton Creek Vineyard in Richmond, Virginia captured a beautiful moment of the bride and bridesmaids tearfully witnessing the groom's heartfelt vows