Wedding Photos of Memory

The following “Memory” images were created by documentary wedding photographers from the WPJA, who regularly submit their best candid moments, artistic portraits, details, and scene setters for review by our WPJA competition judges.

WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS + ARTISTIC PORTRAITS & DETAILS + ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS

Some of the “Memory” marriage photography samples below may have come from the getting ready events, the actual wedding ceremony, the reception after-party, an engagement session with the couple, or possibly be artistic portraits or detail shots.

FINE ART WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: Our Artistic Guild award winners take a more creative approach to wedding day Portraits and use their innovative skills to capture the Details of each couple’s special day. The Artistic Guild’s Scene Setters are some of the most notable and breathtaking from within the artistic WPJA contest categories. Playing with light and shadow, special effects, and post-production editing, these images embrace the artistic component of wedding photography.

PRE-WEDDING ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY: The story of every couple starts long before the wedding day, and the engagement marks one of the most important milestones in their story. Engaged couples often want to celebrate the occasion and announce their upcoming wedding with a photoshoot. Pre-wedding portraits of an engaged couple can be just as moving and compelling as the images taken on the wedding day. Engagement portraits can win a Diamond Award, an exclusive WPJA award whose winner is selected from the best engagement photography in the world.

At St. Andrew's Church in Guernsey, after the ceremony, the bride tenderly pays her respects at her father's graveside, honoring his memory on her special day.

In Loving Memory: A Bride's Heartfelt Tribute at St. Andrew's Church, Guernsey

Emotional black and white wedding image in Belpasso capturing a tender moment between the bride and her parents, frozen in time.

Tender Moment of Bride with Parents: Emotion-filled Black and White at Belpasso

Belpasso tender moment black and white cherish special bond Catania family

Beautiful wedding day moment as the bride's mother plays piano at the dinner party in Saint Martin de Ré, France.

Elegant Piano Serenade: Bride's Mother Performs at Dinner Party in Saint Martin de Ré

family Saint Martin de Ré Wedding Moment love marriage elegant dinner party bride

A charming scene unfolds as children prepare for the big day by reading kids books at Morley Hayes Golf Course in Derbyshire, captured in a candid moment during a wedding.

Charming Children Engrossed In Kids Books at Morley Hayes Golf Course Wedding in Derbyshire

Derbyshire wedding photography boys sweet Morley Hayes Golf Course kids family cute

At a wedding in NRW, Germany, the groom is tenderly kissed by an elder guest, capturing a heartfelt moment in a nostalgic black and white photograph.

Tender Kiss: Heartfelt Moment at NRW Wedding Captured in Nostalgic Black and White Photograph

black and white Nostalgic North Rhine-Westphalia Germany wedding moment elder guest BW photograph

A heartwarming moment is frozen in time as the bride gets ready in her childhood home, helped by her loving mother, creating a beautiful memory from the wedding day in Apulia, Italy.

Bride Prepares In Childhood Home, Assisted by Mother, Creating Beautiful Wedding Memory in Apulia

assistance mother loving beautiful preparation bride childhood home

Three men sit in a serene moment at a hotel in Nanping, Fujian, surrounded by a striking blue and yellow wall painting on the wedding day.

Serene Wedding Moment with Three Men at Nanping Hotel Amid Striking Blue and Yellow Wall

Fujian wedding photography candid yellow serene Nanping friends Blue

Emotional bride shedding tears while embracing groom at Woodlands in Cottonwood Canyon Bozeman MT, captured in a timeless black and white photograph on their wedding day.

Tears of Love: Emotional Bride Embracing Groom in Timeless Black and White at Woodlands Bozeman

groom timeless pre ceremony embrace intimate bw Wedding Photo love

A candid shot of the First Look moment at Gerbers Bootshaus Uhingen, where the groom smiles while holding the bride's bouquet, capturing a genuine and heartwarming wedding day memory.

Heartwarming First Look at Gerbers Bootshaus Uhingen: Groom's Joyful Smile Holding Bride's Bouquet

groom smile marriage heartwarming bouquet Baden Wurttemberg First Look Gerbers Bootshaus

A candid moment at Drigstrup Kirke, Kerteminde, Denmark captured during a wedding, where flower girls gather in a secret council with baskets filled with flower petals, giving a glimpse of behind-the-scenes instructions.

Flower Girls' Secret Council: Candid Wedding Moment at Drigstrup Kirke, Kerteminde, Denmark

council glimpse wedding special baskets ceremony petals

Turkey Wedding Photography | an Indian man's tear at the ceremony

Turkey Wedding Photography of an Indian man's tear at the ceremony

moment ceremony love story tear emotional wedding photography

Wedding portrait of the couple dancing with a shadow cast on the wall

silhouette couple romance Beijing fine art wedding portrait dancing wall love

Hesse wedding photojournalism image of Germany couples hugging

hugs bw Germany happiness hugging joy affection

Loyola University photo of the bride and groom during the wedding reception toasts.

Toast of Love: A Moment of Joy at Loyola University

memory celebration Loyola University toast joyful happiness Chicago

Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire, UK wedding phot of bride and mom hugging.

Unbreakable Bond: A Mother's Love at Stoke Park

Buckinghamshire photographer UK photo bride Stoke Park marriage venue connection emotional

Sao Paolo wedding photo | wedding photograph of a small boy interacting with a wedding guest being reflected in a mirror column

Sao Paolo wedding photo of a boy interacting with a guest in a mirror

event captured wedding guests fun mirror Sao Paolo interaction

Utrecht documentary wedding photo of a baby crawling in the grass during the outdoor wedding ceremony

Baby in Grass: Utrecht Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Photo

Outdoor Crawling Utrecht kids love infant baby

WPJA contest judges have been recognized by their industry peers, winning top awards as staff picture editors, staff photojournalists, and newsroom mentors while working for these and other leading publications and journalism organizations.