Wedding Photos of Chaos

The following “Chaos” 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 “Chaos” 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.

Photograph from a lively outdoor wedding in China's Dashan Li, capturing the chaotic yet orderly contrast between the lively wedding festivities and the serene mountain backdrop.

Bustling Outdoor Wedding in Dashan Li: Chaos and Serenity Meet in Mountain Nuptials

A candid moment caught in the chaos of a wedding reception at The Kingscote Barn in Tetbury, as wind sweeps a parasol onto the roof while the keyboard musician continues to play, capturing a party atmosphere during the celebration.

Wind Sweeps Parasol to Roof: Keyboard Serenade at The Kingscote Barn, Tetbury Wedding Reception

play wedding reception The Kingscote Barn party musician Tetbury chaos

A newlywed couple begins to recess from their ceremony at The Belvedere in Baltimore, MD, with a flower girl running alongside them holding her bouquet, while guests cheer and wave colorful streamers in the air.

WEDDING WHIRLWIND: Flower Girl Sprint Sparks Cheery Chaos as Guests Reel in Streamers

MD Couple MD Flower girl cheer Cheery chaos Cheery Recess Baltimore flowers ceremony

At Saint Clar Bed and Breakfast, a beautiful bride is getting ready upstairs while her bridesmaids prepare on the lower level in a charming scene filled with excitement and anticipation.

Chaos and Calm: A Bride Prepares Upstairs as Bridesmaids Plan Below at B&B

Gers Calm Gers weddings Saint Clar Bed and Breakfast excitement France Gers wedding photographer

Bride playfully sprays groom with champagne in the Chateauroux Town Hall Square.

Champagne Chaos: Bride Sprays Groom in Wedding Moment at Chateauroux Town Hall

Indre wedding photographer sunshine Bride Sprays Groom champagne Indre bride Chateauroux Town Hall Square Champagne Spray

A lively scene at Sudeley Castle in the Cotswolds as wedding guests joyfully pile on to each other on the dance floor, reminiscent of frat house antics.

Cherished Chaos: Wedding Revelry at Sudeley Castle

antics dance floor wedding guests UK Photographer dancing joyfully revelry

reception photography showing dance floor chaos

reception Sutton wedding reportage dance floor Vestry Hall Sutton Sutton reportage weddings UK

parenting during wedding reception with a baby and bottle in Italy | the hard work of parenting at weddings

image of parenting during wedding reception with a baby and bottle in Italy showing the hard work of parenting at weddings

Savona Savona bride Italy couple black and white hard work IT photographer celebration

Wedding photojournalism at England reception with children and taxi shuttle vans outside

Joyful Chaos: Children, Taxis, and Love in England

UK reception shuttle England playing UK Photographer joyful

Wedding shoot with Alberta couple outside in the snow with school bus

Frozen Love: A Winter Wedding Adventure with an Alberta Couple

Alberta celebration fun shuttle transportation Alberta bride Canada photographer

Wedding picture by Coopersburg, PA photographer of guests reacting to a wooden block Jenga Tower falling over

Toppling Tower: Coopersburg Photographer Captures Wedding Jenga Chaos

Pennsylvania reception Coopersburg wedding picture over toppling Coopersburg tower chaos

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.