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.

Switzerland wedding photography by Monique De Caro
Color wedding photography by Iris Hu
France wedding photography by Angelique Blaise
Baltimore engagement wedding and elopement photography by Breanna Shaw
Europe humanitarian wedding photography by Sebastien Benduckieng
Kirill Brusilovsky wedding photography for creative couples
Southern California wedding photography and engagement portraits by Attila Iuhasz
Wedding and elopement Photographer Carl Bower
Puerto Rico wedding, engagement and elopement photography by Alexis Rodriguez Montalvo of Caribbean
Studio portrait of Rovigo wedding photographer Alessandro Merlin of Veneto Italy
Jerome Pollos Self Portrait, a wedding and elopement photographer of the WPJA
BW Studio Portrait of wedding photographer Joey Curry of the USA WPJA
Germany Wedding Photographer Bartosz Ciesielski

Genuine Photo Contests

The WPJA hosts multiple wedding photography contests each year, awarding only the most captivating and engaging photos.

View winners from past contests 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...

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

Robin Goodlad, of Dorset, is a wedding photographer for
Joshua Dhondt, of Antwerpen, is a wedding photographer for Chateau de l'Ardoisière
Julian Kanz, of Genova, is a wedding photographer for

WPJA Contest Photos - May 8th, 2023

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.

In Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the newlywed's twin daughters have an emotional breakdown after the ceremony and they hug each other and cry of happiness
At the wedding in Lannemezan, France, the crowd, both adults and children, embraced the rain with umbrellas, although some were not so sure
In a wedding picture taken in Ahmedabad, India, the bride's family is seen preparing her for the traditional turmeric ritual before a foggy background
The wedding picture captures the beautiful moment of the bride walking with her father through the streets of Petra
The couple's energetic first dance at Tunnels Beaches wedding venue in Devon, England was captured in a picture, showing their overflowing joy and happiness
The bride is getting ready for her wedding day in Zermatt, Switzerland, with her parents' help, captured in a beautiful BW picture
At the Château d'Aix in France, the bride joyfully captured a special image with her friends at the dinner table with selfies
The bride and groom can be seen enjoying a game of bowling in a wedding picture taken at Manosque Bowling

Artistic Guild - Creative Portraits and Details - February 11th, 2023

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.

On their wedding day, the couple enjoyed a romantic horseback ride in Cappadocia, Turkey, stopping to take a break near the towering rock formations beneath the beaming sun
The bride and groom celebrated their love with a romantic portrait session in the streets of downtown Chicago, followed by a lively champagne toast with lit spray
The beautiful sunshine in Chengdu, Sichuan, near the bride's house illuminated the faces of the bride and her sister in the car, creating a stunning wedding image
The bold pop of red from the shoes on the bed in Faros Hotel, Istanbul, is reflected in the mirror, creating an eye-catching contrast to the warm, soft tones of the room
The couple in silhouette portrait profile, got ready together in a hotel room for their wedding in Florence, Tuscany
The bride and groom at Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia in Sofia, Bulgaria, joyfully join hands to dance the Viennese waltz
Atop a mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine, two brides share a romantic kiss in the sunlight
The couple stood for a portrait in the outdoor courtyard garden setting at Sulejow Monastery, with the ruins in the background and bathed in sunlight

Diamond Awards - Pre-Wedding Engagement Portraits - May 12th, 2023

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.

A Colorado winter wonderland is the perfect backdrop for a couple to pose for their save-the-date engagement announcement portrait while embracing at dream lake
The couple posed for their save-the-date engagement announcement portrait, kissing in a cloister near their Crémieu, France wedding church location
 The couple posed for an engagement announcement portrait in Minneapolis, Minnesota surrounded by holiday lights
The couple lovingly embraces in a Chartres alleyway for their engagement announcement portrait
The couple posed for their save-the-date wedding announcement in Cappadocia, Turkey, with a drone camera angle capturing them on the sand stone rocks
 The couple posed for a stunning save-the-date engagement announcement portrait in Khaoyai National Park, Thailand, with a beautiful big sky as their backdrop
 The couple posed for their save-the-date engagement announcement portrait, smiling and holding hands near an abandoned building in Duluth, MN
 A loving couple poses for an engagement announcement portrait against a backdrop of Aubonne in the clouds and a big sky

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 photographer captured a beautiful moment of the bride joyously embracing her best friend on the dance floor of her San Francisco wedding reception
The photographer at the W Hotel in Chicago, IL captured a beautiful moment of the bride kissing her grandma right before walking down the aisle
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 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 groom's touching encouragement of his witnesses to make a speech at his outdoor ceremony at Les tables de Crespin, the reception venue in Tarn, France, was captured beautifully in this wedding photo
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 wedding photojournalist captured the beautiful and emotional moment of the Bride as she reads her heartfelt vows in the sunshine beneath the trees at Hardy Farm in Fryeburg, Maine
At a wedding in Bucharest, Romania, the groom lovingly hugged his sister - a beautiful black and white image captured the emotional moment