Wedding Photos of Marriage

The following “Marriage” 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 “Marriage” 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.

Beautiful wedding photo of bride and groom leaving ceremony at St Michael's Manor in St Albans, with groomsmen joyfully setting off confetti canons in the sunny outdoor setting.

Newlyweds Celebrate Under Confetti Canons at St Michael's Manor in St Albans Ceremony

Photographer captures a wedding couple holding smoke grenades surrounded by their family at Horton Grange in Northumberland, UK.

Enchanting Moment: Wedding Couple Embraced by Smoke Grenades at Horton Grange, Northumberland, UK

Horton Grange smoke grenades smoke fog family ceremony outside

Photograph taken at a wedding in Aillas, Gironde, France. The groom and his friends are captured in this wedding photo, as they help him get ready to marry.

French Wedding Bliss: Groom and Friends Gear Up in Aillas, Gironde for Big Day

Aillas Gironde Wedding Photography getting ready Bliss French Groom marriage friends

The photographer captured a tender scene at a Long Beach, Mississippi wedding, where the bride affectionately kisses her smiling groom on the cheek.

Long Beach Love: Bride Kisses Smiling Groom in Heartwarming Wedding Moment

wedding love Long Beach MS wedding photography kiss Long Beach Mississippi tender marriage

Wedding photo taken in Budapest, Hungary capturing the couple kissing in the courtyard at the marriage ceremony.

Newlyweds Share a Kiss in Stunning Courtyard in Hungary

Budapest newlyweds Budapest Hungary wedding marriage photo courtyard Budapest marriage kiss

Wedding photo taken at a Budapest hotel captures a moment when the groom checks the time on his watch, his reflection visible in a mirror.

Groom's Time Check: Budapest Hotel Wedding Photo Captures Reflective Moment in Mirror

mirror Budapest watch Hungary groom moment marriage time check

Wedding photo taken in Ravenna, Italy featuring the bride and groom posing in front of a vintage beetle car, adorned with flowers.

Romantic Ravenna Wedding: Bride and Groom Pose in Front of Vintage Beetle Car

Ravenna Italy wedding old groom marriage Ravenna vintage beetle car flowers

A wedding photo taken in Pernik, Bulgaria, showing the bride eagerly awaiting the groom, with mirror reflections creating a stunning duplicate of the entire scene.

Mirror reflections in Pernik: Bride eagerly awaits groom in stunning Bulgarian wedding snapshot

mirror wedding photo anticipation Pernik Bulgaria stunning mirror Pernik Wedding Photography Pernik

A photo taken at Xi'an Hi-tech Hotel shows the groom playfully arriving to pick up the bride while wearing a dinosaur suit during their wedding.

Majestic Dinosaur Groom Arrives Playfully at Xi'an Hi-tech Hotel to Pick Up Bride

dinosaurs hotel Xian Wedding Photography celebration marriage play Hi tech

A couple is seen leaving The Westin Xi'an hotel for their new life together in this wedding photo.

Newlyweds Depart from The Westin Xi'an, Embarking on the Journey of a Lifetime

tossed flower petals newlyweds departure lifetime confetti The Westin Xian

Beautiful wedding photo taken at a venue with a stunning old wall as a backdrop for the happy couple.

Romantic Couple Says "I Do" Against Enchanting Old Wall Backdrop in Fairytale Wedding Scene

marriage Happy couple love wedding photo stunning venue old wall Italy

Wedding photo taken of the lit couple in the evening at Ponto Vechio

Romantic Evening Wedding Shot Captures Lit Couple at Ponto Vecchio

romantic marriage wedding photo Ponto Vechio Florence Italy Ponto Vecchio Wedding Florence

At the Meridian Banquet Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan, a bride bids farewell to her family following the heartwarming wedding ceremony.

A Bride's Farewell at The Meridian Banquet Center

bride celebration farewell tears family Farmington Hills wedding ceremony

At the Westin Hotel in Southfield, Michigan, an enchanting Indian wedding ceremony unfolds as the bride and groom joyfully participate in the traditional ritual of blowing flower petals into each other's faces.

Indian Wedding Ritual at The Westin Hotel

hotel venue The Westin Southfield Detroit Indian wedding ceremony faces groom enchanting marriage

An amusing moment captured in black and white as a gondolier hilariously reacts to a newlywed couple sharing a kiss on their wedding day in Venice, Italy.

Venetian Gondolier's Comical Delight: Newlyweds Share a Kiss on Their Wedding Day in Venice

candid marriage destination Italy romantic kiss celebration funny

A bride and groom stand in a mountain setting, their silhouettes blending with a vivid sunset against a smoky sky, creating a unique and unforgettable image of their wedding day at Tom Blake Trailhead in Snowmass, Colorado.

Silhouetted Sunset Love: A Magical Wedding Moment at Tom Blake Trailhead in Snowmass, Colorado

scenic Tom Blake Trailhead Trailhead silhouettes unique Outdoor love

A fun and festive wedding exit moment captured at Redstone Inn, where the bride and groom sport heart-shaped sunglasses, adding a playful touch to their celebration.

Fun-Filled Wedding Exit at Redstone Inn: Bride and Groom Don Heart-Shaped Sunglasses for Festive Farewell

wedding reception venue celebration happy heart shaped sunglasses Redstone Historic District sunglasses groom

A beautiful portrait taken on a wedding day at Pembroke Lodge in London, England. The image features a bride and groom sitting in the back of a vintage car, bathed in soft, romantic light captured by the photographer.

Romantic Bride and Groom in Vintage Car at Pembroke Lodge, London: Wedding Day Glow

Portrait Photographer portrait Pembroke Lodge car London Wedding Portrait love bridal car

A joyful family portrait captured at Restaurant Vetta in Monte Bre, Lugano, Switzerland, showcasing the bride and groom lifting their baby overhead during the night cake cutting on their wedding day.

Wedding Day Bliss: Family Portrait at Restaurant Vetta, Monte Bre, Lugano, Switzerland

restaurant groom overhead joyful Lugano little girl Restaurant Vetta

A captivating wedding day portrait captured at Tenuta Carretta, showing the bride and groom holding colorful smoke grenades together as they share a romantic kiss surrounded by the swirling smoke.

Enchanting Kiss: Bride and Groom Embraced by Colorful Smoke at Tenuta Carretta Wedding

Piedmont wedding photography venue romance embrace bride beautiful smoke bomb

Beautiful moment in Hong Kong captured at a wedding venue, featuring a happy bride and groom surrounded by confetti during a guest-arranged celebration walk at the Popinjays reception venue.

Magical Wedding Bliss in Hong Kong: Confetti-filled Celebration at Popinjays Reception Venue

guest groom event moment love outside wedding photo marriage

A heartwarming moment captured during a wedding in Sprockhövel, Germany, as the couple's loyal dog lingers at the ceremony, fixating on the priest after delivering the rings.

Loyal Dog's Loving Gaze: Wedding Bliss in Sprockhövel, Germany captured as He Watches Priest

Sprockhövel Wedding Photography pet rings Germany Sprockhövel heartwarming Bliss

A newlywed couple standing under a delicate veil on their wedding day at Burg Blankenstein in Hattingen, set against the serene, minimalistic white background.

Newlyweds Under Delicate Veil at Burg Blankenstein: Serene Wedding Day in Hattingen

happy Hattingen elegant atmosphere serene North Rhine-Westphalia Burg Blankenstein

A candid and heartwarming moment at American Jewish University in Los Angeles, CA, as the bride lays surrounded by flower girls during the reception.

Bride Surrounded by Flower Girls: Heartwarming Wedding Moment at American Jewish University, Los Angeles

reception venue marriage joy celebration Los Angeles Wedding Moment moment flower girls

A beautiful bride in a white gown makes her way to the first look surrounded by eagerly watching family and friends through the windows of a private residence in Prospect Harbor, Maine on the wedding day.

Eager Eyes Witness Bride's First Look at Private Residence in Prospect Harbor, Maine

groom Maine Private residence beautiful happiness Prospect Harbor gown

A bride filled with emotion as she sees her groom waiting for her on their wedding day at Viagrande - Radura dei Sogni venue.

Emotional Bride Gazes at Groom in Viagrande's Enchanted Radura dei Sogni Wedding Venue

moment Sicily bride photo embrace Sicily Outdoor Ceremony groom

In Oxfordshire, UK, a candid moment is caught on camera on wedding day at the venue, as the bride makes a humorous expression while her bridesmaids help adjust her dress.

Oxfordshire Bride's Candid Humorous Moment with Bridesmaids at Wedding Venue in UK

bridal suite dress moment joy bridesmaids reflection marriage

A candid image of a bride being lifted by an all-female bridal party at Hackney Town Hall on her wedding day, showcasing unity and joy in celebration.

Unity and Joy: Bride Lifted by All-Female Bridal Party at Hackney Town Hall

Unity special day candid happiness Hackney Town Hall celebration Candid Moments

Intimate black and white portrait of a bride and groom touching foreheads captured on their wedding day at Château de Cruzy, France, showcasing the bond and love between them in a romantic setting.

Romantic French Connection: Bride and Groom Bonding at Château de Cruzy in Monochrome Beauty

Hérault wedding portrait special day bride Herault bond Chateau monochrome

In Bali, Indonesia, a beautiful moment from the wedding day is frozen in time as the bride delicately sips from a tall glass at the night venue.

Breathtaking Bali Bride Blissfully Sips Champagne, Captured in Charming Night Venue Glow

sipping Bali Wedding Photography Bali bride champagne wedding reception photo bride Indonesia

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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.