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.

Studio portrait of Brittany Diliberto, an elopement and wedding photographer | Bee Two Sweet Photography
Portrait of Katharine Green from Katie Corinne Wedding Photography Studio
Portrait of Nottinghamshire elopement and wedding photographer Martin Makowski, of United Kingdom England East Midlands
England engagement, wedding and elopement photography by Hollie Mateer of M and G Wedding Photography
Adventure marriage images by Nicky Byrnes of Nemus Wedding Photography
East Sussex Wedding Reportage Photography by Alex Buckland of Cotswolds England United Kingdom
United Kingdom wedding photography, engagement portraits and elopements by Jenny Rutterford
Ottawa wedding photography by Kathi Robertson
NL documentary wedding and elopement photography by Elke Teurlings - Azcona Fotografie
Poitiers wedding photography by Corentin Azamoun of the Vienne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France WPJA
BW studio portrait of Xiaoqi Li, an artistic wedding and engagement photographer
Sergio Russo elopement and wedding photography from the studio ParamountPics
Portrait of Florent Fauqueux, Photographer for marriage ceremonies and engagement sessions
Wedding reportage photography by Nadine Lotze of Lumoid Photo

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

Florent Cattelain, of , is a wedding photographer for
Kristina Cazares Neri, of California, is a wedding photographer for reno, ca
Nicky Byrnes, of California, is a wedding photographer for

WPJA Contest Photos - August 13th, 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.

A child's curiosity shines at a Catholic Church in Durham, UK as he mimics a statue of St. Christopher cradling a baby.
LOS ANGELES - Newlyweds inside their car on the street at night, filled with colorful balloons and sweet messages from loved ones, at the end of their wedding at Smogshoppe in California's City of Angels.
A little girl breaks down in tears during the ceremony at the wedding venue in Loiret, Centre-Val de Loire.
AUCH, France - A young girl watches with awe as the newlyweds exchange rings at their wedding held at Town Hall in Auch.
Groom opens a bottle of Champagne in sabor style as the groomsman prepares to toast at a wedding in Verrières, France.
Washington DC, United States - The newly married couple shares a romantic kiss after their wedding ceremony at District Winery.
Newlyweds in Aveyron, France exit the church amidst a shower of confetti, shielded by a clear umbrella.
UDINE, ITALY - A groom and bride release a dove after their wedding ceremony.

Artistic Guild - Creative Portraits and Details - December 9th, 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.

During their home ceremony in a picturesque grain field, the wedding couple stands lovingly with their kids, surrounded by nature's golden backdrop, creating a beautiful and intimate family moment.
At a hotel, humor arises as the father’s bald head amusingly blends with a nearby balloon, creating a playful, lighthearted moment.
At a marquee wedding in Cambridgeshire, UK, the bride shares a light-hearted moment as a friend helps her out of her cowboy boots, blending rustic charm with wedding elegance.
Amidst a rainy day in Paris, the bride and groom joyfully run through the streets.
In Arezzo, Italy, Benedetta's wedding dress elegantly hangs on a wall adorned with vibrant American ivy, creating a picturesque and serene scene.
A romantic portrait of a bride and groom standing at a reflective surface, surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Gelderland, Netherlands. This artistic photo captures the love and connection between the couple, with the tranquil waters below.
In a hotel room in Ohio, the bride's reflection appears in a small round mirror as she gets her makeup done
At the Akron Art Museum, Cassi and Matt immerse themselves in the joy of an interactive exhibit, capturing their shared happiness and creativity during a post-ceremony portrait session.

Diamond Awards - Pre-Wedding Engagement Portraits - January 9th, 2025

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.

Image of an engaged couple embracing on the beach, enveloped in warm, golden hour light in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
A couple captured in a playful and romantic session atop the rolling hills of Crete Senesi, Tuscany, in this pre-wedding portrait by a talented photographer.
This couple embraces in an autumnal setting at Schloss Heeren, Kamen, Germany for their pre-wedding photo shoot.
Engaged couple savoring the autumn colors while enjoying a glass of champagne on a blanket at Middlesex Fells Reservation in Medford, Massachusetts, captured by a talented wedding photographer.
An engagement photo captured by a wedding photographer in Oakland, CA. The couple stands in warm afternoon sunlight, with the groom tenderly snuggling up behind the bride's neck.
Engaged couple captured in a romantic kiss, framed by iconic red wall and crucifixes in San Miguel de Allende pre-wedding portrait session in Guanajuato.
Engaged couple poses for photographer in reflective car during pre-wedding portrait session, capturing love and beautiful scenery at Bai Am UK.
Montreal's Plateau Mont-Royal sets the stage for this urban pre-wedding portrait session, as an engaged couple poses amidst the city's iconic traffic cones and construction sites.

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 bride's tearful joy and the groom's humorous charm were beautifully captured in a wedding photo at Snowmass, Aspen Colorado with a backdrop of fall colored trees during their outdoor ceremony
The photographer captured the emotional moment of the bride picking up her friend in a foggy embrace on the dance floor of her Montpellier wedding
The wedding photojournalist captured a beautiful moment as the bride embraced her friends in a group hug at the reception of Hardy Farm in Fryeburg, Maine
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 wedding photojournalist captured the tender moment of the bride being embraced by her friend during the outdoor patio reception at Le fou Gascon in Prechac, Gers, France
The bride's beautiful reaction to seeing her special best man seated in the front row was captured by the photographer at Chácara Caiambá - Pedro Leopoldo - Minas Gerais
The black and white photo of the friend hugging the bride, and groom has tears of joy whiped at Kasteel Maurick Vught - a beautiful and touching moment at their wedding
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