Wedding Photos of Traditions

The following “Traditions” 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 “Traditions” 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 documentary-style wedding detail photograph taken at the Battery in Manhattan, New York, showcasing the vibrant colors and intricate details of a Hindu wedding ceremony.

An Intricate Hindu Wedding Ceremony Captured at The Battery, Manhattan: Vibrant Colors Galore

Groom and his family at Oxford College, Oxford, UK, captured in a moment of preparation before the wedding ceremony

Oxford's Spirit of Togetherness: The Groom's Family Embracing Traditions

Oxfordshire Oxford College Oxford UK pre wedding ceremony Oxford wedding photography Grooms family Spirit of Togetherness

An award-winning wedding detail picture captures the bride barefoot on a pebble beach in the Basque Country, France. The cool blue tones add an artistic touch to the image.

Barefoot on Pebble: An Artistic Wedding Picture in Basque Country

bride Destination wedding photography barefoot bridal beauty water wedding photography water

Groom, at a Sikh ceremony in Asheville, North Carolina, strikes a symmetrical pose by window panes indoors, framed against a dark blue sky.

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA WEDDING: Sikh Groom Captivates Against Dark Blue Sky in Symmetrical Portrait

window panes Sikh Groom indoor wedding North Carolina traditions symmetrical sword

The bride playfully steals a larger piece of bread from her husband at a reception venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after he broke off the larger piece during the traditional breaking of the bread ceremony

Love Knows No Bounds: Joyful Bride Embraces Tradition, Stealing Hearts (and Bread) at Philly Reception

Philadelphia traditions bread breaking bread ceremony Pennsylvania Philadelphia Documentary Wedding Photography

Four playful groomsmen loom over the groom on a hotel lawn in Delhi, India, as the groom pleads with them not to tear his clothes during this lively documentary wedding moment

Unforgettable Moments: Lively Delhi Wedding Documentary Captures Playful Groomsmen's Mischief

groomsmen traditions mischief Delhi Delhi Groom India Delhi Documentary Wedding Photography

In Milpitas, California, the bride's parents lovingly wash away turmeric from her face using hot water, capturing a heartfelt and beautiful moment during the traditional Indian wedding ceremony

Unveiling Love: A Heartfelt Moment Unfolded in Traditional Indian Wedding

turmeric ritual indian tradition traditions brides parents Milpitas Documentary Wedding Photography Milpitas California - Northern

At the Prince Regent Hotel in Chigwell, London, UK, a happy bride and groom, adorned with flower leis, were pictured as part of a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony

A traditional Hindu wedding ceremony happened at the Prince Regent Hotel, Chigwell, London, UK

London wedding photography traditions prince regent Chigwell London Hindu wedding London Happy couple

A captivating wedding image captured in Delhi, India, showcasing the essence of traditions as a man sits amidst a picturesque pool of flower petals.

Serenity in Petals: A Timeless Wedding Tale from Delhi, India

traditions flower petals overhead shot India Delhi Artistic Details Delhi

The bride and groom beamed with joy as they were showered with good wishes, blessings and water during the haldi ceremony in Hyderabad

The bride and groom were blessed and showered with water during their traditional haldi ceremony

blessings Hyderabad showered India Hyderabad Photographer good wishes water splashing

The groom's face was captured in a tight shot as he tried to catch his breath after getting water splashed at him in Hyderabad

At the ceremony, a tight shot of the groom's face was captured as he was splashed with water

Hyderabad traditions blessings tight shot showered splashed water Hyderabad Groom

Goa, India Wedding ceremony with traditions and rich rituals

A chandelier hangs overhead as an Indian wedding is celebrated with vibrant colors, traditions, and rich rituals

Vibrant colors India indian wedding goa Goa Wedding Photographer traditions chandelier

A France wedding photojournalist at Domaine de Courtalain captured this moment of the Groom getting ready with some help by the groomsmen putting on his pants

France pants groom Domaine de Courtalain getting ready Jean Baptiste Chauvin groomsmen

A Romania wedding photojournalist at the Saint Nectarie Church captured this moment as the Bride is getting uncrowned during the orthodox ceremony

traditions Saint Nectarie Church Romania wedding photojournalist uncrowned bride crowns orthodox ceremony

Singapore nuptial day award-winning image of the Bride feeding rice ball to her groom during a Chinese ceremony

Singapore wedding image feed traditions Charles Sng groom couch bowl

Traditions wedding photography from the Haldi ceremony on wedding day at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi of the The brides brothers enjoying with each other at their little sisters wedding

wedding day Emirates Palace Traditions wedding photo traditions Haldi enjoying Haldi ceremony

Bulgaria wedding photography from Botevgrad during a moment of stealing a bride, a Bulgarian tradition from the past

bulgaria weddings Bulgaria wedding photo Bulgaria traditions Bulgaria wedding image bride Bulgarian tradition

Boston, MA Couple looking at each other while posing for their engagement session photos

Boston traditions engagement photos Boston posing stare Boston pre wedding portrait

Boy looking at some weird adults wedding traditions

MA drinking Cape Cod Wychmere Beach Club Cape Cod weddings traditions

The traditional pouring over a vibrant fire against a dark backdrop captured every detail of the special day at the Paradise Banquet Hall in Ontario

At a traditional Toronto wedding, captured with hands pouring over a fire against a dark backdrop and details of the special day

dark backdrop fire traditions Traditional hands pouring Toronto toronto weddings

London, UK Wedding Photography showing the arrival of the groom

traditions Wedding Photography showing the arrival of the groom

London wedding image traditions London Emil Boczek London Weddings arrival groom arrival

Miner's Foundry, Nevada City, CA Wedding Photographer - Photo of the couple lifting their table cloth to kiss under the table in the Danish tradition.

Miner's Foundry, Nevada City, CA Wedding Photo of the couple lifting their table cloth to kiss under the table in the Danish tradition

traditions Miners Foundry table CA wedding photo Nevada City Tara Theilen table cloth

Image of men playing traditional Chinese wedding event of blowing flour.

Image of men playing traditional wedding event of blowing flour

red flour China gate crashing traditions China groom door games funny

wedding ceremony ritual photo

San Francisco wedding ceremony ritual SF CA rituals traditions

image of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Jewish wedding traditions on the dance floor in switzerland

Switzerland bride dance floor Switzerland Jewish Wedding slow shutter bw switzerland wedding

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London - Israeli dancing traditions with chairs

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London venue image of Israeli dancing traditions with chairs

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel bride and groom Israeli London venue traditions London documentary wedding chairs

Telangana wedding reception photos in India

Telangana wedding reception photo of the groom traditions in India

Telangana marriage venue Telangana India wedding picture grimacing groom traditions India traditions

Indian Wedding with Indian Groom | Westlake Village, California

The Regal Transformation: An Indian Groom's Wedding Headdress in Westlake Village

Westlake Village photographer headdress indian uniform indian wedding wedding headdress traditions

Waldorf Astoria Dubai wedding photo of groom getting headwear fashioned.

ROYAL RED: GROOM GETTING CROWNED IN THE DESERT HEAT

crowned Waldorf Astoria wedding picture desert red Fashion majestic regal

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.