SMALL WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | choose love, not fear

Intimate Weddings & Elopement Photography

Since 2002, the WPJA has been connecting couples with the best, most artistic wedding photographers from around the world.

Elizabeth Prybylo, a Portland Maine Wedding & Portrait Photographer
Indra Simons - iSi weddings - Dutch wedding and elopement photographer
Italy wedding and elopement photography by Alessandro Di Noia
Wedding Photography by Thinh Phan
Var wedding photography by Marion Deletraz of PACA France
New York City and Queens wedding photography and elopement sessions by Natasha Singh
Hauts-de-Seine wedding photography by Benjamin Hoffmann of the Île-de-France WPJA
New Delhi documentary-style wedding photographer Shivali Chopra - India WPJA Pro
Boulder wedding and elopement photography by Jason Johnson of the CO WPJA
Colorado wedding photography and CO couple engagement portraits by Joe Pyle
Studio portrait of John Ryan, wedding photographer of J&J Studios, LLC
BW studio portrait of Toronto wedding photographer Thomas Campean, of Ontario Canada
Wedding and elopement photography by Zsofia Rebicek - Light&Dreams
Ottawa wedding photography by Kathi Robertson
Portrait of Nottinghamshire elopement and wedding photographer Martin Makowski, of United Kingdom England East Midlands
Color wedding photography by Iris Hu

Authentic Photography

The WPJA organizes various wedding photography rounds annually, recognizing and honoring exceptionally captivating images.

Take a look at the previous victors by clicking on the links below:

Intimate, Micro Wedding Planning & Elopement Articles

Not everyone has a lagoon or glacier next door, but there's no rule saying you can't have a small wedding in the great outdoors. Take advantage of natural...

Kobe Vanderzande, of Limburg, is a wedding photographer for

There’s nothing quite like an intimate wedding reception in a tent, with its uniquely informal atmosphere, customized decor and proximity to the elements...

The Authenticity of
Wedding Photojournalism

Stam Chananakhon, of , is a wedding photographer for
Thomas Jongbloed, of Utrecht, is a wedding photographer for
Erkin Agsaran, of Istanbul, is a wedding photographer for

WPJA Contest Photos - January 19th, 2024

Any wedding photographer is going to want to please their clients — but they also want their work to be appreciated on a broader scale. This is one of the reasons why the Wedding Photojournalist Association members love our regular photography competitions. These popular contests give our photographers the opportunity to submit their best images in hopes of being selected as a winner and being recognized for their creativity and effort. Our contests are judged by a panel of notable and respected working photojournalists and picture editors in the news industry, which adds an element of prestige to our awards.

Echo Mountain, Idaho Springs, CO: Best dog watching his parents get married in a field at a remote location in nature. Spectacular scenery at Echo Mountain.
Award-winning documentary wedding photographer captures a joyful moment as the bride and groom smile while walking out of their ceremony under trees in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Lyon Rhône Church Exit: Guests and the bride and groom celebrate their wedding day with a burst of color and joy, as they play with smoke bombs outside the church after the ceremony.
At home in Vendée, France, the bride and her best friend prepare for the wedding in the bathroom, using mirrors to complete their makeup
Bridal party enjoying a group lunch on concrete benches under a shade canopy at Nanping Fujian park wedding
Awarded by the WPJA, this captivating image by the pro documentary wedding photographer showcases a hilarious wedding moment at the Domaine de l'Orangerie. The bride has a drink spurting out of her mouth while the groom looks on in amusement
At Jaipur, India: Capturing the celebratory moment of opening the champagne at the wedding cake table
At Paris, a bride affectionately embraces her husband while he holds a microphone and delivers a speech, with an off-center framing and a minimalistic touch

Artistic Guild - Creative Portraits and Details - January 31st, 2024

The Artistic Guild competitions are distinctly different from our other WPJA contests because this category is specifically for photographers who use their talent to create digitally-enhanced images, staged portraits and dramatic detail images. This competition attracts documentary wedding photographers who also view themselves as artists who are constantly looking to create their next masterpiece.

A union of elegance and artistry captured in Florence, Tuscany. A unique perspective reveals the bride's braided hair, against a backdrop of an arranged cube stone wall.
The award-winning photographer captures a beautiful scene at Embassy Suites in Pittsburgh, PA. In black and white, the bride's maid of honor and mother carefully hold and steam the wedding dress, ensuring perfection for the big day.
Wedding photo taken at Moselle reception venue, featuring a group shot of the bride and groom in a low-angle view, accompanied by playful gestures from brothers and witnesses.
In this wedding photo taken at Piney River Ranch near Vail, CO, the groom tenderly kisses the bride amidst the serene beauty of the mountains and mesmerizing reflections in the river.
A couple on their wedding day shares a joyous laugh as they bask in the warm sunlight, with the scenic Poudre Canyon in Laporte, Colorado as their backdrop.
A stunning portrait of the bride on her wedding day, taken in Sofia, Bulgaria. The picture captures her beauty next to blooming plants, with a soft gaze over her shoulder and artistic soft elements added to enhance the frame.
In Samui, Thailand, a bride elegantly poses on a balcony, just after getting ready for her big day. A woman inside the doorway captures this on her smart phone, for her own beautiful and artistic wedding day portrait.
In Pontremoli, Italy, a beautiful wedding portrait captured the bride and groom seated in a pose. The groom can be seen reading a newspaper against a village stone building, creating a memorable and artistic image.

Diamond Awards - Pre-Wedding Engagement Portraits - April 8th, 2024

Couples who are searching for a wedding photographer often want a pre-wedding engagement portrait session as well as wedding day photography services. Engagement photographers need to rely on their skill and expertise in order to help their couples select a meaningful location for their portrait session. These awards allow engagement photographers to submit their most moving engagement images in hopes of being recognized for their creativity and skill.

In this engagement portrait, a couple in Nice-Côte d'Azur is captured about to kiss, with sunbeams and a bright blue sky adding a backdrop to their joy, playfulness, and fun.
In a charming setting in West End, Atlanta, a couple gazes into each other's eyes at a wooden table under an umbrella next to a brick wall.
A couple stands in a seaside chapel in Maceió, Brazil, with the reflection of the sky in the background, creating a picturesque and romantic engagement portrait.
At Kervoyal Beach in Morbihan, France, a couple shares a long kiss between two yellow boats in a romantic setting, exuding relaxed feelings.
In Cappadocia, Turkey, this pre-wedding photo session captures the couple's vibrant energy with playful hip-check bumping, big smiles, laughter, and joy.
A romantic portrait of the couple, set against the night view of Beijing city, captures their love at China International Trade Phase 3 Hotel.
In this engagement portrait, a beautiful woman gazes lovingly at her fiancé through a delicate fishnet veil, set against a backdrop at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
In a private residence in Brookline, MA, this engagement portrait captures a couple sharing a kiss on their patio, overlooking the city from a tower.

TLC - True Love Captured - March 3rd, 2023

This WPJA photography competition is focused on the emotions that are on display throughout any wedding event. The images showcase the powerful emotions that the couple are experiencing, and any of the feelings that any wedding guests may go through. The TLC contests follow a long-standing WPJA category tradition of capturing raw emotions.

The groom's touching encouragement of his witnesses to make a speech at his outdoor ceremony at Les tables de Crespin, the reception venue in Tarn, France, was captured beautifully in this wedding photo
The emotion of the proud parents hugging their son, the groom, as he prepared for his wedding day at House of the Groom in Siderno, Reggio Calabria was so beautiful it was captured as a timeless moment by the photographer
The photographer at Ashton Creek Vineyard in Richmond, Virginia captured a beautiful moment of the bride and bridesmaids tearfully witnessing the groom's heartfelt vows
The wedding photojournalist at Fleurance, Gers, France captured a heartwarming moment of the groom embracing his daughter as he prepared for his big day
At a wedding in Bucharest, Romania, the groom lovingly hugged his sister - a beautiful black and white image captured the emotional moment
The happy couple leaving their civil ceremony in Biarritz, France with their little boy beaming with joy at his parents' marriage, is captured wonderfully in this wedding photo, showing the love from his mother
The bride's tearful joy and the groom's humorous charm were beautifully captured in a wedding photo at Snowmass, Aspen Colorado with a backdrop of fall colored trees during their outdoor ceremony
The brothers' emotional speeches and hugs at the Lobster Factory ceremony in Tournai, Belgium were beautifully captured in the wedding photo