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Mark Cluney is no longer a member of the Wedding Photojournalist Association.

Des Moines Wedding Photographers

Our Des Moines photographers also provide documentary-style coverage in: Urbandale, Johnston, West Des Moines, Clive, Altoona, Ankeny, Indianola, Ames, Newton, Boone, Pella, Grinnell, Marshalltown, Oskaloosa, Fort Dodge

Des Moines Wedding Photography, Engagement Photo Sessions + Elopements

Intimate Wedding Photography in Des Moines - Capturing the Joy of Small Celebrations - Discover the best Des Moines photographers specializing in intimate marriages. Couples are embracing the trend of smaller, more meaningful celebrations. Let our talented photographers capture the joy and intimacy of your wedding day.

By planning a simple Des Moines elopement, couples are able to stay present in the moment and fully absorb the impact of their wedding day. Given the fact that many couples feel more natural and at ease in intimate settings, it's no surprise that some of the most breathtaking wedding images come from elopements.

The WPJA has an abundance of top-ranked, Des Moines documentary wedding photographers available right now who understand that some weddings and elopements can’t wait. Find yours today!

Recent WPJA WedElope Story Awards

Before the intimate wedding ceremony at City Hall, the bride and groom joyfully laughed together, excited to start the rest of their lives as one

Wenjie Han

On their Wedding Day, the newly-blended family gathered together to take a creative shadow portrait on the boat dock boardwalk, the sunlight shining down on them, the blue water of the lake in the background

Kobe Vanderzande

The bride and groom exchanged their heartfelt vows in an outdoor ceremony under the shade of the trees, creating a picturesque and intimate setting for their small wedding at the chapel situated in the indigenous forest

Christelle Rall

Des Moines Photographers for Large or Small Weddings

Shooting an elopement or small Des Moines wedding event is a wedding photojournalist’s dream: a fairly open schedule with lots of breathing space for creativity – it’s just the photographer, the couple, the officiant, and perhaps a few select companions.

Iowa WPJA members are ready to document any civil ceremony, justice of the peace, mini, or elopement wedding, even if it is a Monday-Thursday ceremony. Search for the “Can Shoot Weddings on Short Notice!” message on the listings below.

View Award-Winning Pictures from Des Moines Wedding Venues

1 Des Moines Wedding Photographers...

Andrea Bibeault is a wedding photographer with a background in art and visual storytelling. She and her husband Ed specialize in photojournalistic-style wedding photography, capturing moments of shared love and unique personalities.

Andrea Bibeault

Omaha in Nebraska, US *Now booking Des Moines weddings.

2600 (USD)

Map of Wedding Photojournalists Serving Des Moines Couples

Searches Related to Des Moines Wedding Photography Vendors

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who are the best Des Moines wedding photographers for small elopements?

A: The WPJA is proud to have some of the top Des Moines documentary wedding photographers for elopements. Our members are able to submit WedElope Stories that take you step-by-step, via a 9 image picture story, through the unique and moving elopements that take place around the world.

Q: How can couples find reviews of Des Moines wedding photographers?

A: We call them Client Letters. At the WPJA, we decided more than 20 years ago to avoid incorporating those third-person testimonials and endorsements that are found all too often in advertisements. Instead, we elevated our listings with the use of Client Letters, which represent the actual words and feelings of the clients who booked those Des Moines wedding photographers for their own wedding.

Q: Where can I find a photographer for a short-notice, small Des Moines wedding?

A: There are many WPJA photographers who are able to help you out at a moment's notice. We understand that sometimes love happens and there's simply no time to lose. We can ensure that you can get married as quickly as possible — and have incredible photographs to remember your Des Moines wedding day by.

WPJA Communiqué: Featured Wedding Photography Articles

What is a Modern Elopement?

WHAT EXACTLY DOES IT MEAN TO ELOPE? If you look up the definition of “elope” in the Merriam-Webster dictionary , you’ll find a plethora of meanings making it quite clear how polarizing the word has become, and how it has transformed and evolved with the passage of time and...Read more

Small Weddings - How to Budget and Save

Traditionally speaking, often times it is the couple’s families who help pay for their wedding. However, unfortunately that’s just not possible for everyone, especially these days when the cost of weddings can quickly and easily get out of control. Some couples find...Read more

Clean background in this photo of the bride walking into her mountain ceremony.

Adventure Wedding Elopements

Some couples, as they begin planning for their weddings, might think that they are limited to the classic locations: churches, gardens, beaches, or even Las Vegas. But in doing so they’re missing out on a multitude of unique options that might suit their personalities much...Read more

WPJA Communiqué: Viewpoints

Elopements: Traditional and Modern

The oldsters among the WPJA ranks no doubt remember when 'to elope' meant, in Merriam-Webster’s definition, “to run away secretly with the intention of getting married, usually without parental consent.” Many wedding photographers have gone on the lam with couples who did just that. However, even Merriam-Webster now acknowledges that “elope appears to have become shorthand for ‘ small destination weddings ,’ a ‘ wedding that is not financially insane ,’ or a ‘ wedding that allows us to not invite all the people we would rather not invite .’” Smaller Weddings are... Read more

What is Reportage?

On Instagram and elsewhere, one can see images labeled as #photojournalism or #reportage when they are, in fact, merely photos. I say "merely," even though photography has been my career's great passion. But it's because of that passion and my respect for the work of actual photojournalists that I am particularly bothered to see wedding photographers call their work "reportage." That word properly used actually means something important beyond just a stylistic conceit. By contrast, however, I'm the lead cheerleader for those practitioners of #weddingphotojournalism ... Read more

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.