Are you planning a short-notice, small wedding or elopement?

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS ARE OPEN - Many couples don’t want to wait. They are planning to get married in the very near future, eloping, or rushing a small ceremony with their photographer, some close friends, and family but dispensing with or postponing the reception party. 

View WPJA photo stories from smaller weddings - WedElope | Choose love, not fear!

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SMALL WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | choose love, not fear

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.

Real Wedding Photography

Since 2002, the WPJA has been connecting Brides and Grooms with the best, most reknown wedding photographers from around the world.

Chicago Wedding and Elopement Photographer Allison Williams, of Illinois
Netherlands and Overijssel Wedding Photography by Jola Mulder
Vermont documentary wedding and elopement photography by Josh Kuckens, of Burlington
Jersey, Channel Islands Wedding and Elopement Photography by Catherine Hill
Guangzhou wedding photography by Jinqi Tan, of Guangdong, China
One of the most touching things about wedding photography is how quickly you find yourself thrown into the heart of such an important, intimate occasion. It's a responsibility only a fool would take lightly.- Harry Richards, WPJA Member
Become a Member

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:

2021 Best Pre-Wedding and Engagement Portrait Photography

2021 Diamond Awards for Pre-Wedding Portraits

2020 v04 Artistic Guild

2020 v06 Photography Competition

2020 v05 Photography Competition

2020 v03 Artistic Guild

View More Contests

WPJA News & Articles

Checkout the latest wedding photojournalism news and top articles:

2020 AG Photographer of the Year - Dorota Karpowicz

When viewing the wildly adventurous and vibrant wedding photography of Barbara Dorota Karpowicz, who runs BDFK Photography together with her husband, it is no...

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WPJA 2020 POY

2020 WPJA Photographer of the Year

Congratulations to Renan Radici When Renan Radici joined the WPJA a few years ago, his goal was to become the most awarded photographer in the association in a...

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2019 AG Photographer of the Year - Jesse La Plante

WPJA’s 2019 Artistic Guild Photographer of the Year says he couldn’t have asked for a better training ground for his craft than the years he spent as a...

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The Authenticity of
Wedding Photojournalism

Estelle Offroy, of , is a wedding photographer for

Two people making a commitment of marriage want to remember the day for the rest of their lives. Shouldn’t the wedding photography that commemorates their celebration reflect the personal moments and honest emotions they will remember?

A love for authenticity in wedding photography — finding art in the actualities of a marriage celebration — led to the founding of the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) in 2002. Out of respect for our clients, the wedding photographers and photojournalists accepted for WPJA membership have a demonstrated talent for candid originality and a dedication to the documentary approach in wedding photography. To maintain their standing in the WPJA, member photographers must adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards.

  • For Engaged Couples planning a wedding: Hire a WPJA photographer so you can reproduce and retell the beautiful, unique story of how your celebration unfolds — as you will want to remember it and have it told for generations.
  • For Professional Wedding Photographers with a photojournalist’s talent for capturing moments, not stage-directing them: Join the WPJA to have your expertise accredited, to help promote and further our craft, and to let the WPJA introduce you to the ideal clients for your work.