Wedding Photos of Captivating

The following “Captivating” 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 “Captivating” 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 stunning aerial shot of the wedding reception table at 11 PM, captured at Châteauroux.

Châteauroux's Enchanting Wedding: Captivating Aerial Shot of Reception Table at 11 PM

A wedding image captured at Whirlowbrook Hall, Sheffield, showing the Bride getting ready as she puts on her dress, presented in black and white.

Elegant Bride at Whirlowbrook Hall: Captivating Black and White Wedding Beauty Unveiled

elegant Wedding Whirlowbrook Hall beauty Sheffield Bride captivating getting ready Sheffield

A captivating black and white close-up shot of a bride getting her eye makeup applied at a Swiss hotel in Bodrum on her wedding day.

Bride's Intimate Moment Captured in Swiss Hotel During Makeup Application

Turkey Bodrum hotel Bodrum Swiss Hotel bride application moment

A captivating black and white detail on a wedding day at Villa Contarini Giovanelli Venier - Padua, Italy, featuring a bride elegantly ascending a staircase in a dreamy backlight, accentuating the intricate details of her dress.

Enchanting Bridal Staircase at Villa Contarini Giovanelli Venier - Padua, Italy: A Timeless Moment

Backlight reception venue Villa Contarini Giovanelli Venier black and white enchanting wedding Villa bride

A wedding portrait taken on the special day in Altopiano di Asiago, Italy. The couple stands on a hill, moving towards a grand tree, lost amidst the natural beauty surrounding them.

Romantic Wedding Portrait Amidst Natural Beauty on Altopiano di Asiago, Italy Hilltop

Veneto bw Wedding Photo hill natural beauty captivating romantic reception venue

A captivating black and white wedding portrait captured at Victoria Peak Garden, Hong Kong. The bride and groom are framed by a vintage lamp and the silhouette of trees, creating a romantic and enchanting scene.

Enchanting Black and White Wedding Portrait at Victoria Peak Garden, Hong Kong: Vintage Love

romantic captivating BW wedding portrait Victoria Peak Garden Hong Kong silhouette vintage

Captivating black and white wedding photo taken at Pembroke Lodge, London, of a church ceremony and a reflective composition capturing the grand scene at the bottom of the frame.

Black and White Wedding at Pembroke Lodge - London Church Ceremony Beauty

black white London church ceremony United Kingdom artistic scene lodge bw

A picturesque wedding portrait of the bride and groom taken in the historic village of Clisson, with stunning reflections captured in the river as the couple embraces, creating a unique and captivating composition.

Romantic Wedding Portrait in Historic Clisson Village: Bride and Groom Embracing by River Reflections

embraces romantic Pays de la Loire composition captivating village river

A candid moment at a Bangkok wedding captured in a beautiful photo, showing a woman seated with her baby engrossed in a screen, while the bride passes by, casting a glance back at them.

Captivating Candid Moment: Bangkok Wedding Bliss with Baby, Bride, and Screen Time Glance

capture captivating emotion Bangkok wedding photography baby Bangkok bride

A unique wedding portrait taken at Elmwood Farm, Williamsport, MD, using an iPhone to capture the sky's reflection, creating a captivating visual effect during the couple's portrait session.

Glorious Reflection: Elmwood Farm Wedding Portrait Captured with iPhone in Williamsport, MD

visual effect Sky romantic glorious photography clouds Elmwood Farm reflection

Captivating aerial view of a bride being escorted by her father to St. James Church in Liverpool, England, on her wedding day, with a unique shot showcasing a clock in the foreground as she arrives 35 minutes late for the ceremony.

Stunning Aerial Moment: Bride's Luminous Walk To St. James Church in Liverpool, England

church wedding photo captivating aerial clock arrival father bride

A beautiful wedding couple portrait captured under the Milky Way in the garden of Chateau Saint Denis in Lot et Garonne, France.

Romantic Wedding Couple Embracing Beneath Milky Way at Chateau Saint Denis in Lot et Garonne

idyllic celestial romantic Lot-et-Garonne stunning enchanting dreamy

A picturesque wedding photograph of a glowing mist enveloping newlyweds in Dorsoduro, Venice, evoking an artistic painting-like ambiance on their special day.

Enveloped in Glowing Mist: A Romantic Wedding Portrait in Dorsoduro, Venice, Capturing Timeless Beauty

Dorsoduro Wedding Portrait mystical elegant romantic wedding couple portrait sophisticated misty

A captivating silhouette of a soon-to-be couple against the beautiful Breton coastline on their wedding day in France, captured in style as they celebrate their special day.

Romantic Silhouette of Bride and Groom Against Breton Coastline on Wedding Day in France

coastline captivating sea Silhouette wedding photo ocean Brittany sunset

A black and white photograph captures a Hindu ceremony at Brympton House in Somerset, UK, showing the couple's family gently covering their eyes with hands.

Captivating Hindu Wedding Ritual at Somerset Estate

United Kingdom Somerset photographer UK Somerset black white photo newlyweds wedding

A romantic portrait captured by a creative wedding photographer at the Venue at Malcom Hotel in Canmore, Canada. The couple is silhouetted against a backdrop of colorful lights, creating an award-winning image.

Canmore's Captivating Canvas: Illuminating Love Through Silhouetted Romance

romantic silhouette Canmore romance Canada Creative Wedding Photographer Canada Weddings at Malcom Hotel Silhouetted Love

In a room at Mocrone Massa, Tuscany, Italy, a captivating wedding photo captures the bride's serene anticipation as she sits on a bed, clutching her beautiful bouquet.

Captivating Toscana Bride's Serene Anticipation Transcends Through a Stunning Capture

romantic Italy Portrait Sessions in Tuscany beautiful bride Portrait Photography Tuscany captivating Artistic Tuscany Wedding Photography

An award-winning wedding photographer captures the romantic essence of the bride and groom at The Gatsby in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England.

Captured Romance: The Gatsby Love Story in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England

romance portrait photography enchanting intimate Hertfordshire Wedding wedding couple timeless

In a dimly lit Minnesota library, the bride and groom sit closely, their faces softly lit by a book light, captivated in an intimate scene on their wedding day.

Whispered Wedding Album Pages: A Captivating Minnesota Library Affair of Love

library wedding photography romantic library wedding Minnesota book light intimate library wedding captivating

At Uzbaş Arboretum in Urla, İzmir-Turkey, a black and white portrait captures the bride and groom facing each other before the after party at their wedding venue.

Captivating Contrast: A Timeless Turkish Love Portrait at Uzbaş Arboretum, İzmir

after party Uzbaş Arboretum Turkish artistic portraits İzmir weddings wedding venue bride and groom Uzbaş Arboretum in Urla

Wedding photo taken at Lantignié Beaujolais, Rhone, capturing a joyful session as the groom is playfully thrown into the air by his friends.

RHONE GROOM SOARS AMIDST FRIENDS IN CAPTIVATING WEDDING SHOT

Lantignié Beaujolais wedding venue Rhône weddings Rhône air tossed playfully thrown flying

An Orléans couple is captured posing in a layered portrait set against the backdrop of a large field

Captivating Layered Portrait of Orléans Couple in Serene Field Setting

backdrop serene field setting large field layered portrait captivating Orléans couple

Aerial photograph captures newlyweds on the shore of Acantilados de Maro in Nerja, Spain, as they enjoy the waves crashing against them

Newlyweds on the Shore of Acantilados de Maro in Nerja, Spain: A Captivating Aerial Photograph

vacation spot Spain newlyweds aerial photograph honeymoon captivating coastal scenery Nerja

creative wedding day portrait in the night between some trees and some colorful spot lighting

enchanting idyllic dreamy romantic colorful lights Schwetzingen captivating

Sacramento documentary wedding photo of an Asian bride and traditional bridal outfit with tears streaming down her face

Bridal Bliss and Tears: A Captivating Moment in Sacramento

Asian Sacramento Sacramento marriage venue streaming moment Sacramento wedding picture outfit

A wedding photo in Spain lets us share a secret moment of passion in nature.

The wedding couple's unique union is artistically captured in a captivating outdoor photo

Outdoor share couple's photo artistically secret Passion

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.