Wedding Photos of Heartwarming moment

The following “Heartwarming moment” 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 “Heartwarming moment” 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.

A heartwarming moment captured at a backyard wedding in Watertown, Massachusetts as the bride's brother joyfully photobombs the couple's romantic kiss, adding a touch of fun to the wedding image.

Brotherly Love: Fun Photobomb at Backyard Wedding in Watertown, Massachusetts Captures Heartwarming Moment

Groom sheds a tear on his dad's shoulder at Thorpe Garden wedding venue in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England, as emotions of the day overwhelm him, signaling a heartwarming moment of love and happiness.

Groom's Dad Brings the Waterworks at Thorpe Garden Wedding in Staffordshire

Thorpe Garden England Dad groom heartwarming moment Waterworks wedding venue

A heartwarming moment at Beaulon City Hall in France: A bride embraces her groom tenderly while their young daughter cuddles against his leg, illustrating familial love on their special day.

Tender Embrace: Bride, Groom, and Daughter at Beaulon City Hall in France Wedding Photo

daughter Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes tender embrace France France special day marriage photos civil wedding

A heartwarming moment captured outside the Basílica Nossa Senhora das Dores in Porto Alegre, Brazil, as the priest prays with the bride before the wedding ceremony.

Priest's Pre-wedding Prayer: Tender scene at Basílica Nossa Senhora das Dores, Brazil

Basílica Nossa Senhora das Dores Porto Alegre photographer priest Brazil heartwarming moment porto alegre weddings ceremony Bride

At the couple's home, a heartwarming moment captured as the groom's son helps his father tie his bow tie before the civil ceremony in Chateauroux.

Father-Son Bond: Groom's Son Plays Stylist as Father Gets Ready for Ceremony in Chateauroux

Châteauroux Wedding Photographer kids tie bow plays stylist boy pre ceremony France

Bride in Chateauroux, sharing a laugh as she helps her daughter with her wedding shoes, creating a heartwarming moment of love and joy.

Chateauroux Bride giggles as she helps her daughter with wedding shoes

Châteauroux Wedding Photographer Chateauroux weddings Bride in Chateauroux Châteauroux wedding shoes child Chateauroux photographer

A man lovingly tends to his baby amidst colorful flag pennants at Chateau Lasfargues in Laugnac, France, creating a heartwarming and candid moment captured by the wedding photographer.

Groom and Baby Steal Show at Chateau Lasfargues, France Wedding Capture

france weddings wedding capture baby candid photo Laugnac photographer France Lot-et -Garonne

Malopolskie Wedding Reception Venue: A heartwarming moment during the first dance as the groom, dressed in military uniform, joyfully spins his bride off her feet with one arm

Joyful Spins: A Heartwarming First Dance in Malopolskie

military uniform Malopolskie wedding photography Malopolskie feet Malopolskie Wedding Reception Venue bride groom

Bride and groom visit father in hospital room decorated for wedding at St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny, as he couldn't attend due to illness. Touchingly, he proudly wears his wedding suit in the photo. A heartwarming moment captured.

Kilkenny Hospital Room Wedding: Proudly Wearing the Wedding Suit

Ireland Kilkenny bride heartwarming moment wedding suit Kilkenny hospital wedding St Lukes Hospital

Bride tenderly fixes groom's hair at the Sunrise Amphitheater in Boulder, CO, USA, on their special day. The couple shares a heartwarming moment during the outdoor ceremony, set against a serene, overcast backdrop.

Boulder Bliss: Bride's Gentle Touch Transforms Groom as Vows Commence

Boulder Bliss Sunrise Amphitheater tenderly boulder wedding photography colorado weddings Sunrise Amphitheater Wedding grooms hair

Religious ceremony at Lacenas Church in Beaujolais. The bride's brother performs a song while his son watches adoringly. A heartwarming moment captured on the wedding day.

Beaujolais: A Joyful Serenade at Lacenas Church- Capturing Heartwarming Love

Lyon Bride Lyon Lyon wedding photography captured Beaujolais ceremony heartwarming moment Lacenas Church

Charente-Maritime domaine de Puyrigaud: A heartwarming moment captured during the outdoor marriage certificate signing ceremony, as the couple embraces witnesses.

Charente-Maritime Domaine de Puyrigaud: Embrace of Love at Wedding Ceremony

Domaine de Puyrigaud embracing Charente-Maritime witness marriage certificate signing Charente Maritime Documentary Wedding Photography signing certificate

Reluctant flower girl and her mother amidst guests outside St Bartholomew's church in Burwash, East Sussex on the wedding day. A candid and heartwarming moment captured at ceremony location.

Burwash Blossom: A Reluctant Flower Girl and Her Doting Mother

Burwash heartwarming moment East Sussex Documentary Wedding Photography England East Sussex St Bartholomews church flower girl

In the reception venue in Saint-Brieuc, Cotes-d'Armor in Brittany, the wedding photographer captures a heartwarming moment as a child with a disability brings the wedding rings to his parents

Cherished Bonds Unveiled: Wedding Rings United by Love, Captured at the Reception Venue in Saint-Brieuc, Brittany

Brittany disability child Saint Brieuc Cotes-d’Armor Brittany Documentary Wedding Photography heartwarming moment

In a heartwarming moment captured by a documentary wedding photographer, the bride prepares for her big day, surrounded by her mother and young niece at their home in Paris, Île-de-France. This photo has been recognized with a WPJA Honor Award.

A Parisian Morning: A Bride's Beautiful Journey to Say "I Do"

paris wedding photographer big day paris bride Ile-de-France Paris documentary weddings mother heartwarming moment

A heartwarming moment captured in a documentary wedding image, as the bride and groom's son joyfully presents them with their wedding rings at the charming church in Sainte-Menehould, France

Joyful Family Bonding: A Heartwarming Moment at Sainte-Menehould Church in France

heartwarming moment Marne Documentary Wedding Photography Sainte Menehould France couples son Marne wedding rings presented

A heartwarming moment at Juan Santa Cruz Picnic area in Tucson, Arizona, as the flower girl embraces the bride affectionately ahead of the processional

Tucson's Tender Affection: A Bride's Blissful Embrace by the Flower Girl at Juan Santa Cruz Picnic Area

processional Tucson affectionate hug picnic area heartwarming moment flower girl Juan Santa Cruz

In this documentary wedding image, the bride is seen reaching out towards her grandmother, enveloped in the loving presence of her family, creating a genuinely heartwarming moment

Generations United: Capturing a Heartwarming Minnesota Family Bond

Minnesota family Minnesota Documentary Wedding Photography heartwarming moment Minnesota bride grandmother wheelchair

In Istanbul, a Blue award-winning photo captures the heartwarming moment when a toddler son joyfully runs towards his mother, overwhelmed with excitement, as he sees her for the first time as a bride

A Heartwarming Capture: Toddler Son's Joy as He Sees His Mother as a Bride in Istanbul

excitement Istanbul wedding photography Istanbul brides son toddler heartwarming moment

Venlo, Limburg - In a heartwarming moment, a groom shares an emotional embrace and touches foreheads with his terminally ill brother during the reception in Amsterdam, Noord Holland. The touching scene highlights the profound bond between siblings.

Emotional Moment Captured: Groom's Heartfelt Embrace and Forehead Touch with Terminally Ill Brother Sheds Light on Unbreakable Sibling Bond

Brothers sibling bond emotional embrace Limburg-NL Venlo heartwarming moment Venlo Documentary Wedding Photography

A pro documentary wedding photographer captures a heartwarming moment at a reception venue in Paris, France. The image shows a big hug between the bride and groom with their parents, earning a prestigious WPJA Honor Award.

Heartwarming Parisian Wedding Embrace Earns Prestigious WPJA Honor Award

Paris documentary wedding photography joyous moment Paris couple with parents big hugs heartwarming moment

In Mayenne, at the reception venue, the newlyweds receive advice from their grandmother, as captured in this heartwarming moment

Cherished Wisdom: Grandmother's Endearing Words Embraces Newlyweds in Mayenne

receiving advise steps newlyweds grandmother heartwarming moment Mayenne Mayenne Documentary Wedding Photography

In front of Sillegny's City Hall, a high angle detail shot captures the heartwarming moment as the bride and groom's daughter delicately picks up the confetti scattered on the ground

Sillegny City Hall: Beautiful Moment as Bride and Groom's Daughter Collects Ground Scattered Confetti

high angle Detail Shot picking up confetti scattered heartwarming moment Moselle Sillegny City Hall

A heartwarming moment captured at AMMO, Hong Kong, as a baby guest reaches out to touch the hand of another attendee during the wedding day

Baby Guest Reaches Out to Touch Hand of Another Attendee at AMMO, Hong Kong Wedding

Hong Kong attendee baby guest heartwarming moment Hong Kong wedding day touch hand AMMO Hong Kong

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.