Wedding Photos of Hug

The following “Hug” 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 “Hug” 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 beautiful bride passing her bouquet to her flower girl during a heartfelt speech at a wedding in Anglet, France. The bond between the bride and her flower girl shines through in this touching wedding image.

A Heartfelt Moment: Bride Shares Bouquet with Flower Girl in Anglet, France Wedding Celebration

A tender moment was captured at the Moretti Adimari venue, as the bride share heartfelt hugs and toasts in the beautiful outdoor setting following their ceremony.

Heartfelt Hugs and Toasts: A Tender Moment at Moretti Adimari Venue Outdoor Celebration

bw Moretti Adimari emotional cherished Sentimental blissful elegant

In Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France, a touching moment unfolds as a guest embraces the bride with emotion on her special day, captured beautifully outside the venue.

Emotional Guest Embraces Beautiful Bride in Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France Wedding Moment

bride Annecy Wedding Moment outside emotion hugging hugs venue

A touching scene at Schloss Herten, Germany, where the bride receives a warm kiss and hug from an elder gentleman immediately following the ceremony on her wedding day.

Elderly Gentleman Tenderly Embraces Bride After Ceremony at Schloss Herten, Germany Wedding

moment bride affection Schloss Herten elderly embrace kiss

A heartfelt detail shot captured on the couple's wedding day at a charming venue in Lussan, Gers, France, featuring the bride tenderly placing her hands on her husband's head in a touching black and white photograph.

Tender Touch: Bride's Loving Embrace at Enchanting Lussan Venue Captured in Monochrome Majesty

hugs wedding husband touch venue Lussan Lussan Wedding Photographer

A candid hug shot of a heartfelt moment between mother and son at Offley Place in Hertfordshire on the day of the wedding ceremony.

Mother-Son Embrace: Touching Moment Captured at Offley Place in Hertfordshire During Wedding Celebration

mother hug love moment son emotion wedding photo emotions

Wedding couple embraces at Sheraton Station Square in Pittsburgh, PA, captured in documentary style as family and friends joyfully dance in a circle around them.

Embracing Love: Wedding Couple at Sheraton Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA, Surrounded by Joyful Celebration

Pittsburgh Wedding Moment wedding couple Pittsburgh joyful circle dance memories

Lovely moment on the wedding day in Land van Es, Strijen, the Netherlands as the bride proudly shows her wedding ring while the groom receives a heartfelt hug.

Embracing Love: Bride Reveals Wedding Ring as Groom Receives Heartfelt Hug in Strijen, Netherlands

Land van Es hug wedding photo happiness moment smiles Netherlands

Grandma lovingly kisses the bride on the cheek against a backdrop of the picturesque Gruyère countryside, in a cherished moment filled with warmth and joy.

Cheek to Cheek: A Kiss from Grandma in Gruyère

joy Fribourg grandma flowers bride kiss Fribourg wedding photographer

Emotional moment captured at Early Mountain Vineyards in Charlottesville, Virginia, as the bride and her brother embrace and shed tears after the ceremony.

Sacred Tears: A Vineyard Embrace in Charlottesville

brother Virginia Bride Siblings hug brother and sister embrace Early Mountain Vineyards

At Château de Barbegal in Arles en Provence, the mother embraces the bride in her arms after a touching ceremony, while the groom looks on.

Embracing Love: A Mother's Blessing at Château de Barbegal

love Arles weddings Provence Arles embracing hug Château de Barbegal

A creative pre-wedding engagement portrait in Lyon, France, featuring a face to face silhouetted couple hugging indoors. The intimate pose beautifully captured by the photographer in their Lyon flat.

GLAMOROUS ENGAGEMENT PORTRAIT | LYON, FRANCE | A SEDUCTIVE SILHOUETTE

stylish engagement photoshoot Lyon flat French romance intimate hug couple portraits sophisticated

Ravenna Wild Beach in Italy serves as a picturesque backdrop for a lifestyle couple portrait. The photographer captures an intimate pose as the couple shares a hug on the shore, their legs interlocked, resulting in a symmetrical composition.

Ravishing Ravenna: Intimate Elegance | A Symmetrical Couple Portrait on Wild Beach

Ravenna Intimate Elegance Couple Portrait on Wild Beach Ravenna Photography composition beach water engagements

Lifestyle couple portrait at Ravenna Wild Beach in Italy captures a hug amidst the serene evening backdrop. The symmetrical center-framed couple, minimalist aesthetic, and expansive sky add to its allure.

Ravishing Romance: Italy's Ravenna Wild Beach Serenades a Stylish Couple

Ravenna photographer evening center framed aesthetic Engagement photography Italy Ravenna Photography

A romantic pre-wedding engagement portrait captures a loving pose at the Bund in Shanghai, China. The tender embrace of a couple is beautifully highlighted as she affectionately hugs him from behind, her warm smile shining towards the camera.

ENGAGEMENT PORTRAIT CAPTURES ROMANTIC BUND EMBRACE | SHANGHAI, CHINA

China engagement photography loving pose The Bund smile couple portrait session romantic Shanghai photography engaged couple

A couple stands against the backdrop of Chateau de la Ligne in Gironde, enveloped by the lush green leaves of ivy, as the bride lovingly hugs her partner from behind in this captivating portrait.

Enveloped in Ivy: A Captivating Portrait at Chateau de la Ligne

Chateau de la Ligne Ivey dark backdrop captivating portrait Gironde Artistic Portrait Gironde green leaves

Wedding detail shot at party hall in Domartemont, Meurthe-et-Moselle: The bride embraces a loved one, revealing her foliage tattoo on her arm, captured from behind in a heartfelt hug.

Bride's Embrace Exposes Stunning Foliage Tattoo in Domartemont

wedding detail shot foliage tattoo emotional bride tattoo Domartemont Meurthe-et-Moselle

A guest sprinkles confetti on the bride's head while giving her a hug at Scotties Garage in Seaford, Melbourne. This image won an award from the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA).

Melbourne Wedding Fun: Guest's Confetti Hug Wins WPJA Accolade at Scotties Garage Seaford

sprinkles Melbourne outdoor wedding Melbourne AUS wedding photography brides head confetti hug

A stunning portrait captures the intricate henna designs on the bride's hand as she and her partner share a tender hug at Livermore Shiva Vishnu temple on their wedding day.

Henna-Adorned Love: A Tender Embrace at Livermore Shiva Vishnu Temple

hug Northern California intricate henna designs wedding couple bride and groom henna designs Livermore CA Wedding Photography

In Udine, Italy, a groom embraces his mother on the outdoor balcony before the ceremony, capturing a tender moment filled with love

Udine's Unbreakable Bond: A Groom's Embrace with Mother

Italy Udine groom and mother outdoor balcony tender moment hug Udine Documentary Wedding Photography

The bride beams with pure happiness as she celebrates the end of her wedding ceremony at Wild Basin Lodge in Allenspark, Colorado

Colorado Bliss: Endless Love and Smiles at Wild Basin Lodge

Colorado Allenspark Documentary Wedding Photography Allenspark Wild Basin Lodge celebrating marriage hug Beaming bride

A French couple in Naples captured in a beautiful engagement portrait, hugging affectionately against a rock wall, with soft lighting

Naples Amour: Embracing Romance in the Shadows of a Rock Wall

Naples Engagement Portrait rock wall hug French Couple Love in Naples soft lighting Naples

A groom is hugged by his friends at a church in Cotes-d'Armor, Brittany

Heartwarming Embrace: A Groom's Joyful Moment with Friends in Cotes-d'Armor Church

Brittany wedding photography Côtes-d'Armor Church wedding groom and friend Brittany hug uniformed man

A touching moment at an outdoor ceremony in East Flanders, Flanders, as the grandmother lovingly places her hand on the back of her daughter

A Heartwarming Gesture: A Grandmother's Loving Touch at an Outdoor Ceremony in East Flanders

hug grandmother outdoor ceremony East Flanders Wedding Photography Flanders daughter East Flanders

A touching moment captured behind the church during a documentary wedding in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, as the bride's father is moved to tears

Emotional Father's Tears Steal the Spotlight at Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Documentary Wedding

France wedding photography emotion touching moment tears Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes hug brides father

In Pleneuf-Val-Andre, Bretagne, France, the couple cuddles lovingly during their engagement photo shoot

Romantic Abundance: Amidst the Scenic Splendor of Pleneuf-Val-Andre, Bretagne, France, an Adoring Couple Embarks on a Dreamy Engagement Photoshoot

Brittany hug Brittany Engagement Photography Pleneuf Val Andre cuddle dreamy

In a joyful moment at a wedding in Milpitas, California, the bride lovingly embraces her maid of honor

Cherished Affection: A Beautiful Bride's Heartfelt Embrace Captured on Film

joyful moment maid of honor hug Milpitas flowers California - Northern Milpitas Wedding Photography

The engagement portrait captured the couple in San Francisco, showing a sweet hug and their reflection in a picturesque setting

Romantic Engagement Portrait in San Francisco: Sweet Hug and Reflection in Picturesque Setting

reflection picturesque setting San Francisco SWEET HUG portrait in San Francisco Engagement romantic

The couple hugging by a river in Hettange Grande, France, for engagement portraits

Hettange Grande, France: Engaging Couple Hugging by the River for Beautiful Portraits

hug river Hettange Grande Moselle Moselle engagement portrait

Love and affection shown through this couple in the charming town of Argenton sur Creuse, during an engagement photo session led by a skilled and artistic photographer

Argenton sur Creuse, France: Captivating engagement photo session captures couple's love and affection through skilled photography

love and affection Indre Engagement Photography black and white portrait Indre hug Argenton sur Creuse

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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.