Wedding Photos of Dress

The following “Dress” 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 “Dress” 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.

Photograph captured at Longstowe Hall, Cambridge where a small boy plays hide-and-seek between the legs of a woman in a dress during a wedding celebration.

Sweet Moment at Longstowe Hall: Young Boy Plays Hide-and-Seek in Woman's Wedding Dress

An intimate moment of a bride getting assistance with her dress at home in Brittany is captured in black and white with powerful contrast at this wedding event.

Breathtaking Bridal Moments: Elegant Bride in Brittany Receives Dress Assistance in Stunning Monochrome

black and white monochrome contrast Brittany brittany bride wedding bride assistance

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

South Yorkshire beauty black and white captivating Whirlowbrook Hall Sheffield Sheffield Bride

A beautiful bride, surrounded by friends, is putting on the finishing touches to her attire at Domaine Etxezahar in Bardos, France. The palpable emotion in the air is captured in this stunning wedding day image.

Bardos Bride and Friends at Domaine Etxezahar, France, Embracing the Wedding Day Emotion

wedding gown finishing getting ready Bardos Bride Pyrénées-Atlantiques stunning

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

dreamy reception venue Padua bride Backlight captivating Padua day

Beautiful moment of sisterly love as the bride's sister embraces her after helping with the final touches of her dress, at Marriott Metrocenter in Bethesda, MD on the wedding day.

Sisterly Embrace: Bride's Sister Helps with Final Touches at Marriott Metrocenter in Bethesda, MD

sister touches bride dress bw Wedding Photo Bethesda Wedding Moment smiles

Emotional moment at The Estate at River Run, Maidens VA, as the mother assists the bride with her gown - a tender black and white shot from the wedding day.

Tender Motherly Help: Bride's Emotional Gown Prep at The Estate, River Run, Maidens VA

moment emotional Estate getting ready Maidens VA gown dress

A bride gazes out the window at Brewery Gulch Inn in Mendocino, California, moments before putting on her dress on her wedding day - captured in a beautiful black and white photograph.

Bride's Quiet Contemplation at Brewery Gulch Inn, Mendocino, California: A Serene Pre-Wedding Moment

window bride Mendocino wedding photography Brewery Gulch Inn inn contemplation California Brewery

A candid moment at the wedding venue, Chateau des Anges in Saint Just de Claix, as a glass of red wine accidentally spills on the bride's dress during the dinner reception.

Red Wine Mishap: Candid Capture at Chateau des Anges in Saint Just de Claix

accident mishap red wine Chateau des Anges spill venue candid wedding photo

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

venue bridal suite love Oxfordshire Wedding Moment Adjustment emotion bride

A bride is getting dressed with the help of two assistants on her wedding day at the elegant Château de Caumont, captured in a nostalgic black and white style.

Elegant Bridal Preparations: Château de Caumont, Captured in Nostalgic Black and White Glamour

help assistants elegant Gers Chateau getting ready Preparations

The Vienne wedding preparations - the bride is surrounded by her attendants in a cozy room at home, adjusting her dress for the ceremony.

Elegance in Vienne: Bride And Attendants Prepare in Cozy Home For Wedding Ceremony

Vienne Wedding Moment home joyful candid emotional cozy room dress

A heartwarming moment captured on a backyard wedding day in Washington, DC, as the groom playfully cleans his glasses with the bride's dress, in a nostalgic black and white styled image.

Heartwarming Backyard Wedding: Groom Playfully Cleans Glasses with Bride's Dress, Washington, DC

DC Wedding Moment glasses bride moment captured cleans styled playfully

At the Baxter Hotel wedding venue, the bride and groom are seated on a couch, displaying affection as she leans against him with her elegant dress spread out on the carpet.

Romantic Moment at Baxter Hotel: Bride and Groom Seated on Couch, Displaying Affection

elegant Bozeman wedding photography sitting carpet Montana seated dress

A candid wedding moment captured in Moulin Piongo, France, as a young girl lovingly assists her mother, the beautiful bride-to-be, with final preparations on the big day in this documentary-style photograph.

Captivating Candid Moment: Mother and Daughter in Moulin Piongo - A French Wedding Prep

dress getting ready young Girl documentary style red dress big day gown

A candid and detailed shot taken at a wedding reception in Linz Church, showcasing children and matching dress patterns in a serene setting, capturing a documentary-like moment on the special day.

Children Dressed in Matching Patterns: Candid Moment at Linz Church Wedding Reception

Children kids detailed church wedding reception Linz Church special day

A romantic wedding portrait of a couple in Málaga, Spain, captured at the beach as they kneel in the surf near sunset. The bride is in a beautiful wedding dress, and the groom is in a tuxedo.

Sunset Splendor: Bride in Beautiful Dress and Groom in Tux Kneeling in Málaga Surf

beach portrait couple kneeling Malaga wedding portrait Malaga sunset bride

A candid documentary shot taken at the wedding reception venue, Domaine de l'Écart in Burgundy, France, showcasing the bride's elegant dance moves as her feet gracefully move across the floor, emphasizing her shoes and dress during a festive day.

Elegant Dance Amidst Festive Atmosphere: Bride's Graceful Moves at Domaine de l'Écart, Burgundy, France

feet Wedding documentary reception dance celebration Burgundy Wedding Photographer France

In Oud-Beijerland, the Netherlands, an intimate moment unfolds as the bride is helped into her dress by a friend, captured in a behind-the-scenes shot on the wedding day at the venue.

Capturing the Bride: A Tender Moment in Oud-Beijerland, Netherlands on Wedding Day Behind-the-Scenes

venue friend intimate moment getting ready wedding day Zuid Holland Netherlands

A bridesmaid delicately cuts the sleeves off another bridesmaid's dress at a wedding in The Lodge, Breckenridge, CO.

DRESS DEBACLE: BRIDESMAID CUTS SLEEVES OFF GOWN IN WEDDING WARDROBE MALFUNCTION

CO wedding bridesmaid sleeves WEDDING WARDROBE MALFUNCTION cuts CO BRIDESMAIDS GOWN

In the streets of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, a loving moment unfolds as the bride's grandmother helps her keep her dress dry on the way to the bridal car.

Bulgarian Grandma's Bridal Car Dash: Dress Rescue in Plovdiv Street

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Black and white vertical image of a bride elegantly swinging her dress on the dance floor in Var, PACA.

Swinging in Style: Elegant Bride Twirls Dress on Var Dance Floor in PACA

BW wedding photographer PACA Var PACA PACA Photographer Var weddings dress black and white

A bride surrounded by friends joyfully gets into dancing at Notley Abbey in Buckinghamshire, holding her dress up as they celebrate together.

Dancing Queen: Bride Twirls with Friends at Notley Abbey Wedding Celebration in Buckinghamshire

dancing dancing queen friends bride Buckinghamshire Wedding Celebration in Buckinghamshire Notley Abbey weddings

At Domaine des Grands Cèdres in Cordelle, Loire, the bride makes final dress adjustments before heading to the ceremony.

Elegant Beginnings: The Bride Prepares at Domaine des Grands Cèdres

bride preparation dress vehicle limo Loire weddings Loire Cordelle weddings

A beautiful moment captured as the bride dresses up in her home in Rhône, raising her arm to slip into her wedding dress.

Rhône Reflections: The Bride's Elegance Unveiled

bride preparation wedding photography home gown getting ready Auvergne Wedding Photography bride

Bride dancing and laughing joyfully, twirling her elegant wedding dress, at Wrightsville Manor in Wilmington, NC.

Elegant Twirls of Joy: A Wedding at Wrightsville Manor

dress bride twirling NC Wedding venue elegant gown laughing

Lifestyle couple portrait at Goreme, Nevsehir, Turkey captures a pre-wedding photo session in Cappadocia. The couple poses like statues in a historic arched foyer, with the woman's flowing yellow dress cascading down to the man below.

Captivating Cappadocian Couple: Timeless Tale of Love and History

Nevsehir yellow dress Engagement photography Goreme photography statues historic

Image captures the arrival of bride and her father at Skipton Church in Skipton, England, as they step out of a car, revealing their shoes on rain-soaked cobblestone.

Elegant Wedding: Radiant Bride and Father Gracefully Step onto Rain-Soaked Cobblestone at Skipton Church

Skipton Church married couple bride and groom car newlyweds shoe vehicle

Outdoor Wedding at Frensham Hall, Surrey. The bride elegantly holds a beautiful bridal bouquet, while basking in the sunshine and surrounded by confetti.

FRENCHAM HALL WEDDING: A Captivating Bouquet in Sunlit Splendor

United Kingdom weddings dress timeless wedding creative wedding photography bouquet Frensham Hall floral close ups

An award-winning wedding day detail picture captures the intricate beauty of a bride stepping into her gown in Rome. The black and white image showcases the patterned layers of the dress curving around the shoe, creating a mesmerizing composition.

Roman Elegance: A Captivating Portrait of a Bride's Dress Layers

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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.