WPJA.com HomeWedding Photojournalist Association

Iowa Wedding Photographers

Find a Photographer / United States / Iowa

Iowa Wedding Photographers

Our Iowa photographers also provide documentary-style coverage in: Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Iowa City, Waterloo, Dubuque

Iowa Wedding Photography, Engagement Photo Sessions + Elopements

Intimate Wedding Photography in Iowa - Capturing the Joy of Small Celebrations - Discover the best Iowa 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 Iowa 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, Iowa documentary wedding photographers available right now who understand that some weddings and elopements can’t wait. Find yours today!
Recent WPJA WedElope Story Awards
The happy couple chose to celebrate their special day with a small wedding ceremony on the lawn of a historic house, with sunshine overhead and all the beauty of the outdoors
Joyce Perlman
The bride and groom sharing a romantic kiss at their garden wedding, with friends in the background making funny gestures
Seven Tao
The couple sat happily in their small wedding, a photo taken from outside the room where the second part of the ceremony was taking place
Federico Pannacci

Iowa Photographers for Large or Small Weddings

Shooting an elopement or small Iowa 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.

United States WPJA members are ready to document any town hall, quick, city hall, 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 Iowa Wedding Venues

5 Iowa Wedding Photographers...

Andrea Bibeault is a photographer for marriage ceremonies and reception events

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 Iowa weddings.
39
4
2600 (USD)
Mid-west wedding, engagement and elopement photography by Madi Ellis

Madi Ellis, a documentary wedding photographer from the USA, has a strong passion for capturing love stories in a raw and authentic way. With a background in acting, she skillfully tells couples' stories through her honest and original work.

Madi Ellis

Chicago in Illinois, US *Now booking Iowa weddings.
21
30
4450 (USD)
Wedding and elopement photography by Peggy Stevinson Bair - Heart of the Moment Photography LLC

Peggy Stevinson Bair is a talented documentary wedding photographer who focuses on capturing the unique stories and emotions of each wedding, drawing on her experience as a former staff photographer at renowned publications.

Peggy Stevinson Bair

Leavenworth in Kansas, US *Now booking Iowa weddings.
10
995 (USD)
Destination wedding photography by Ferdy Martinus

Ferdy Martinus is a wedding photographer with 25 years of experience in storytelling through pictures and videos. Trained at the New York Institute of Photography, he has shot over 400 weddings in the US Midwest, focusing on Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Ferdy Martinus

Minneapolis in Minnesota, US *Now booking Iowa weddings.
1750 (USD)
Laura Alpizar - Wedding Photographer

Laura Alpizar, a visual storyteller in the field of wedding photography, channels her inspiration from her father's photojournalistic style. With over 9 years of experience, she captures meaningful moments with finesse.

Laura Alpizar

Richfield in Minnesota, US *Now booking Iowa weddings.
1
4500 (USD)

Map of Wedding Photojournalists Serving Iowa Couples

Iowa Wedding, Elopement and Engagement Images by WPJA Photographers

Below are some Iowa wedding photography samples from the world’s best wedding photographers of the WPJA. Some of these Iowa marriage pictures might be artistic portraits, details, or documentary-style images that have come from getting ready sessions, wedding ceremonies, reception venues, or Iowa engagement portrait sessions with couples.

Ring bearer scratching himself before walking down the aisle at Fountains Ballroom, Iowa, capturing the relatable discomfort of kids in formal clothes
In Iowa, at the ceremony/reception venue, a flower girl prepares to push the bride and groom's baby in a quaint vintage carriage down the aisle
The groomsman's parents are attempting to fix his tie at a wedding venue in Iowa, while he appears disinterested
Inside a Countrylife limousine, the bridal party partying and singing on party bus
A Colorado Wedding, Elopement, and Engagement Photographer created this creative, urban portrait of this Des Moine couple sitting on some stairs in formal wear
A Colorado Wedding, Elopement, and Engagement Photographer created this artistic, carefree portrait of this Des Moines couple laying down below tree in the fall at Ashworth Park

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who are the best Iowa wedding photographers for small elopements?
A: The WPJA is proud to have some of the top Iowa 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 Iowa 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 Iowa wedding photographers for their own wedding.
Q: Where can I find a photographer for a short-notice, small Iowa 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 Iowa wedding day by.
WPJA Communiqué: Featured Wedding Photography Articles
A Sunshine Solemnization - Outdoor Weddings in Nature
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 sunshine and that open, airy feeling and give your guests some room to breathe! LESS IS MORE Instead of hemming your...Read more
Vows, Crowds, and Nerves: Avoid Stress with a Small Wedding
While some of us were fortunate enough to be born as extroverts, not everyone feels the same way. For a good chunk of the population, any number of the typical wedding day traditions can inspire anxiety and existential dread. This day is all about you, yes, but does that...Read more
jperlman elk cove inn ceremony
Top 4 Types of Small Weddings to Make Your Day Truly Yours
Everyone always says that your wedding day is all about you. But let’s face it; that’s not always actually the case. Many couples stress over guest lists, planning, expenses, and all the frills and traditions of your standard large wedding that they may or may not even be...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.