Wedding Photos of IL

The following “IL” 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 “IL” 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.

Justin Edmonds is an artistic wedding photographer for Colorado

Photo by: Justin Edmonds - Denver Colorado

The bride and groom posed for their portraits in the streets of downtown Chicago, with tall buildings in the background and the bride's veil blowing in the wind towards the sky

The bride and groom posed for their lit portraits in the cityscape to capture its beauty

Downtown Chicago veil wind tall buildings IL urban portrait Chicago

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 bride and groom joyfully celebrated their union with a champagne toast amidst the streets of downtown

Champagne toast Chicago photographer Downtown Chicago IL lit portrait Champagne Spray

From a high camera angle, the bride is seen having lipstick applied in preparation for her special day at Hotel Sable Chicago

A bird's-eye view reveals the bride having her lips adorned with lipstick by a helper

lipstick bridal preparations high camera angle Chicago photographer Sable at Navy Pier Chicago IL Curio Collection by Hilton

The bride and groom, holding hands, are dancing in an urban scene with cool blue tones and a backdrop of the Chicago skyline

The couple are joyfully dancing in the urban cityscape, illuminated by a tranquil blue hue

Chicago IL

A breathtaking city wedding photo of a bouquet in a window high above the Chicago River

The old town's riverfront setting provides a captivating backdrop for a wedding photograph featuring a bouquet in a high window

bouquet Chicago photographer overhead shot IL riverfront boats Chicago

The dance floor erupted at Wildman BT as a guest showed off his breakdancing moves, impressing his lady and leaving all the other wedding guests in awe

The guest's breakdancing moves on the dance floor left the other wedding guests shocked and impressed the ladies

IL Wildman BT Chicago

At The Joinery, Chicago, IL, the bride and groom trade garlands while hoisted on chairs during a Bengali wedding

The bride and groom were trading garlands as they were hoisted on chairs during the wedding reception party

The Joinery garland trading Chicago photographer Bengali Wedding hoisted in chairs IL Chicago

The bride and groom started their special night with a romantic first dance at Dinolfo's indoor reception venue

The bride and groom shared their first romantic dance in the indoor reception venue, creating a memorable moment

Homer Glen purple light IL Chicago photographer chicago wedding venue DiNolfos DiNolfo’s Banquets

The groom supports the Broadway dancer bride as she performs atop the Walden venue in Chicago, IL

The groom stands in solidarity with his Broadway dancer bride as she puts on an awe-inspiring performance atop a venue during a portrait session

IL Chicago broadway dancer Chicago photographer Walden Chicago couple dancing Rooftop

A couple gets married by candlelight at Salvage One in Chicago, IL

The couple exchanged vows in a romantic, intimate ceremony illuminated by candlelight, surrounded by their closest family and friends

candlelight IL Exchanging vows Salvage One intimate ceremony Hubbard Street Chicago Chicago

The groom took a portrait after getting dressed at the Canopy by Hilton Chicago, framed under arching warm ceiling lights

At the Canopy by Hilton Chicago, the groom posed for a solo portrait after dressing beneath arching warm ceiling lights

Chicago photographer archway Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop solo portrait IL Ceiling lights Chicago

A couple portrait inside The First Unitarian Church of Chicago, framed at its center with symmetrical warm lighting from large overhead chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings

At The First Unitarian Church of Chicago, symmetrical warm lighting from overhead chandeliers frames a couple portrait

Chicago Photographers Illinois warm lighting The First Unitarian Church of Chicago symmetrical IL Chicago

At North Avenue Beach in Chicago, IL, the couple spontaneously broke out in dance, their favorite evening activity, during their engagement session

During their engagement session, the couple spontaneously broke out in dance, their favorite evening activity

couple dancing Chicago city skyline Chicago engagement photography Chicago skyline IL north avenue beach

Near the The Wrigley Building in Chicago, IL, the couple show off their goofy personalities in this candid image from their September engagement session

In this candid image from their September engagement session, the couple show off their goofy personalities, with her peeking over her shoulder at him and him striking a humorous pose

humorous pose looking over shoulder Chicago engagement session Chicago The Wrigley Building IL

A Chicago evening wedding day couple lit portrait at Cantigny Park on the deck overlooking the water at dusk

Wheaton overlooking Cantigny Park portraits IL park Cantigny Park

Best Chicago wedding photojournalism picture from the Revolution Brewing Tap Room during an active first dance

active Illinois bw Chicago Revolution Brewing IL Chicago wedding photojournalism

Chicago wedding documentary photographer created this image at the Adler Planetarium during the bride and father first dance

Adler Planetarium first dance Illinois chicago wedding photographer Adler Planetarium venue IL

Chicago wedding reportage photojournalist created this image from inside the party bus

bridal party Illinois transportation blue lights limo Chicago wedding photojournalist

A creative Chicago documentary wedding photography image sample from the Bridgeport Art Center during the couples entrance

couples entrance Chicago Bridgeport Art Center weddings IL Chicago wedding photography Bridgeport Art Center

An exceptional Chicago wedding photojournalism sample by a professional Illinois photographer communicating the bride hugging friends at the IL hotel room during the getting ready

Illinois photographer chicago bride friends Chicago wedding photojournalism hotel room Chicago

View this pivotal moment in Chicago wedding picture of the Couple saying their vows during their wedding ceremony in the outdoor sunshine

Chicago couple IL wedding ceremony Outdoor sunshine vows Chicago wedding picture

A prewedding session in Libertyville, IL highlighting the fun that they are having together as they pop champagne to celebrate

IL spray pop champagne Libertyville celebrate Libertyville photographer IL prewedding session

View this elegant Downtown Chicago wedding bride portrait with city skyline, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in IL from the WPJA

Chicago photographer Bride Portrait IL wedding photography IL Downtown Chicago wedding elegant Chicago

View this grand Chicago wedding image of bridesmaids posing in an urban street crosswalk, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Illinois from the WPJA

Chicago wedding image of bridesmaids posing in an urban street crosswalk, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Illinois

wedding photography Chicago photographer posing Chicago wedding image bridesmaids Illinois street

Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago indoor wedding reception party award-winning picture showing a ceremony in a greenhouse

Chicago photographer Chicago sunlight Chicago indoor wedding greenhouse ceremony

Chicago nuptial day award-winning image of the couple crossing the street while the groom holds the bouquet and fixes the bride's hair

IL brides hair Chicago wedding image Chicago crossing urban groom

Chicago bride and groom to be, back to back for a Grant Park pre-wedding engagement photo shoot in Illinois with full compression and shot from a lower angle to compress the towers in the background to show location

Grant Park chicago bride Chicago city skyline IL couple back to back

Chicago bride and groom to be, posturing for an engagement image created while sharing a laugh to capture the ring to show the new rela

Chicago brides IL Chicago laugh chicago bride engagement ring

Chicago bride and groom to be, posing for a Lincoln Park pre-wedding engagement photo shoot with a single speed light behind them

Chicago night portrait IL lit portrait Lincoln Park Chicago farmed

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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.