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.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Rhone wedding photography by Coralie Garavel of France
Studio portrait of Ohio wedding photographer, Jenn Ochwat of J.lynnephotography
Couple engagement portraits by wedding photographer Joshua Grasso
Jersey, Channel Islands Wedding and Elopement Photography by Catherine Hill
New Delhi documentary-style wedding photographer Shivali Chopra - India WPJA Pro
Italian wedding and elopement photojournalist - Alessia Bruchi Fotografia
Jerome Pollos Self Portrait, a wedding and elopement photographer of the WPJA
Bulgaria Wedding Photography by Ognyan Stoynev, of Sofia
UK wedding reportage and engagement photography by Damion Mower
Intimate wedding photography by Wayne La
Oise elopement and wedding photography by Frederic Bry of the Hauts-de-France WPJA
Engagement, Wedding and Elopement Photographer for New England, Andy Madea
Couple Portraits and Wedding Photography by Tsvetelina Deliyska
France engagements + wedding photography by Jerome Villard

Genuine Photo Contests

The WPJA hosts multiple wedding photography contests each year, awarding only the most captivating and engaging photos.

View winners from past contests 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...

The Authenticity of
Wedding Photojournalism

Brittany Diliberto, of Virginia, is a wedding photographer for Shenandoah Woods, Stanley VA
Matt Wilson, of Colorado, is a wedding photographer for
Rosa Engel, of Nordrhein-Westfalen, is a wedding photographer for

WPJA Contest Photos - May 8th, 2023

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.

At the AGCO and International Events in Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, a wedding picture captures a moment of intense anticipation amongst the guests as they compete to catch the bouquet
At a reception venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the couple kissed to celebrate the first seconds of 2023, with the guests welcoming in the new year
A memorable moment of the bride getting ready for her wedding with her mother and bridesmaids at the Smithville Inn in Galloway, NJ was captured in a photograph
The bride and her mother tenderly touch faces in the light of a window at Hotel Teatro after getting dressed
The wedding picture captured the moment of the bride's sister bidding her farewell, framed by the smiles of the groom and his brother in Delhi, India
The bride shed an emotional tear as she, her husband and guests gathered to sign the marriage register at Sutton Church, Hull, England
At Avon Hill Lodge in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, the bride was captured on the dance floor playing air guitar, surrounded by guests pointing at her
At Nanning in Guangxi province, a funny moment was captured in a wedding picture with a man and a girl doing the Limbo

Artistic Guild - Creative Portraits and Details - June 2nd, 2023

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.

At the Mansion on Main St in Voorhees, NJ, a couple posed for a portrait on their wedding day, standing on a grand staircase and under a massive chandelier
At the stunning Zephyr Palace at Villa Caletas Hotel in Jaco, Costa Rica, the newlyweds posed for a romantic candlelit portrait at the stairs of their wedding reception
The love between the couple at The St Vrain in Longmont, CO was so strong that even the winter snow couldn't break their embrace
 The couple embracing at their wedding close to Switzerland, at the reception venue
The couple had a beautiful black and white portrait taken of them walking the streets of Bordeaux
At Delhi, India, the majestic mountains provided a picturesque backdrop as fireworks illuminated the stage during a stunning Indian wedding at sunset
At Little Wold Vineyard, Yorkshire, England, a detail shot showing guests and an oversized chess board with the people spaced out like chess pieces
The newlyweds had their wedding picture taken in Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, with the bride posing under a cloudy sky at the bottom of the stairs and the groom standing far away at the top

Diamond Awards - Pre-Wedding Engagement Portraits - May 12th, 2023

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.

 The couple embraced in front of the majestic Place Stanislas, surrounded by lush foliage, for their save-the-date engagement announcement portrait
 The Governor Hercílio Luz's Camp House in Rancho Queimado, SC was the setting for a relaxed engagement announcement portrait of the couple
The couple ran together in the afternoon sunlight in Kashmir, India, with the trees illuminated around them for their save-the-date wedding announcement picture
 A couple poses for their engagement announcement portrait in Positano, Italy, near the waterfront beneath the trees
The couple snuggled in tall dry grass and evening sunlight at Dillon Reservoir in Dillon, Colorado for their save-the-date wedding announcement picture
The couple embraced gracefully in a picturesque setting of tall trees, under a blue sky in Dobogókő, Hungary for their save-the-date engagement pre-wedding announcement picture
The couple in white ran and laughed in the sunshine on the beach sand in Maceió, Brazil, capturing their love and movement in a save-the-date engagement pre-wedding announcement picture
An engaged couple bow heads to each other along Auditorium Shores, Austin, Texas

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 tears of joy from the groom and ring bearer as the bride walked down the aisle at the Westin Playa Conchal in Guanacaste, Costa Rica were captured beautifully in the wedding photo
The bride and her father shared an emotional moment as he kissed her head in the back of the limo just before the ceremony, captured perfectly in their wedding photo from Trieste, Italy
The photograph captured a beautiful and emotional moment as the bride held back tears while saying her vows outdoors at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, WI
The black and white photo of the friend hugging the bride, and groom has tears of joy whiped at Kasteel Maurick Vught - a beautiful and touching moment at their wedding
The photographer captured a beautiful moment at Montlouis sur Loire, as the two mothers of the couple tearfully embraced outdoors
The photographer captured the beautiful moment of a wedding guest giving the bride a big hug and a kiss on the cheek at the Private Home in Congham, Norfolk, UK
The wedding photojournalist captured the tender moment of the bride being embraced by her friend during the outdoor patio reception at Le fou Gascon in Prechac, Gers, France
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