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.

Tuscany and Siena wedding photography by Gianfranco Bernardo of Italy
Var wedding photography by Marion Deletraz of PACA France
Puerto Rico wedding, engagement and elopement photography by Alexis Rodriguez Montalvo of Caribbean
Jersey, Channel Islands Wedding and Elopement Photography by Catherine Hill
BW studio image of Perth wedding, portrait, and elopement photographer Aman Multani from Western Australia
Isabelle Dohin is a wedding photographer based in France
Engaged couple portraits and wedding photography by Shannon Cain
Elopement wedding photography by Simon Leclercq
Studio portrait of Rovigo wedding photographer Alessandro Merlin of Veneto Italy
Isabelle Bazin Wedding and Elopement Photographer - isasouri photo
Couple engagement portraits by wedding photographer Joshua Grasso
Canada wedding and elopement photography by Lauren Hannah Garcia

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

Michelle Arlotta, of New Jersey, is a wedding photographer for
Didier Ropers, of , is a wedding photographer for

WPJA Contest Photos - January 25th, 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.

The bride smiled under the bright blue sky over The Fort de l'île d'Oléron, France as she cut the ribbons of her flower bouquet
The bride and groom arrived at La Favellina in Vicenza, Italy, under an umbrella, determined to make the best of their special day despite the rain
The outdoor reception venue in Chengdu, Sichuan, is filled with anticipation as everyone awaits the bride's bouquet toss mid-air
Lyon Church exit picture of the newlyweds walking past family and friends
Brides emotion of seeing the grandmother deliver the rings at Círculo Militar - Urca - Rio de Janeiro
The bride and groom had fun as they performed the talambralu ritual at the wedding venue in Golkonda fort, Hyderabad, pouring rice mixed with turmeric on each other
Surrounded by a beautiful white backdrop, the Indian wedding tradition ceremony at Ladywood Estate was a sight to behold with their colorful and vibrant attires
The bride and groom sat laughing and pointing in the direction of the officiant during their wedding ceremony at Rhederoord, Netherlands

Artistic Guild - Creative Portraits and Details - February 11th, 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.

The bride and groom posed for a beautiful portrait in the middle of the roadway at Ristorante Scola in Liguria, with smoke bombs in a dramatic black and white silhouette
This mountain wedding in Crested Butte, Colorado was made memorable by the rain, with everyone holding an umbrella
The bride and groom gaze at the sun's rays beaming through the clouds as they take in the heavenly view of Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
The Bride and Groom posed for a romantic outdoor portrait at night under an umbrella in Frankfurt, Hesse, their reception venue
The couple embraced during their elopement in Acadia National Park, face-to-face and touching heads together
The bride and groom walk in the garden along the path next to the stone wall of La Catilina in Clusane, Brescia, during their BW wedding photoshoot
Coupled with the backlit smoke filling the frame, the romantic atmosphere of a Farmhouse Hotel in Guernsey is enhanced by the presence of rally cars and smoke bombs in the night
Bride leaving the car to prepare to go to the wedding venue of Monserrate Palace in Sintra, Lisbon, Portugal

Diamond Awards - Pre-Wedding Engagement Portraits - February 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.

Couple on the beach during a lifestyle photoshoot in Gloucester, Massachusetts
This lovely engaged couple in San Francisco had a lifestyle session framed by a big cypress tree, creating a forest scene of love
Oxford, United Kingdom couple embracing in archway during a lifestyle portrait session
Her fiancé is lifting her back up by surprise during engagement photoshoot in downtown Toulouse France
A couple lifestyle session in Miami, Florida with formal clothing, walls splashed from lights above, and bokeh lights in the foreground
A lifestyle pre wedding photoshoot in Buckinghamshire, England for a couple walking through a park
A Florence engaged couple lifestyle session with a marriage proposal in the urban streets surrounded by buildings at sunset
A lifestyle portrait session photo of an embrace in the low sun at Sunken Meadow State Park beach

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 wedding photojournalist captured the beautiful and emotional moment of the Bride as she reads her heartfelt vows in the sunshine beneath the trees at Hardy Farm in Fryeburg, Maine
The photographer captured a beautiful moment of the bride joyously embracing her best friend on the dance floor of her San Francisco wedding reception
The emotion of the proud parents hugging their son, the groom, as he prepared for his wedding day at House of the Groom in Siderno, Reggio Calabria was so beautiful it was captured as a timeless moment by the photographer
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
The brothers' emotional speeches and hugs at the Lobster Factory ceremony in Tournai, Belgium were beautifully captured in the wedding photo
The photographer captured a beautiful moment at Montlouis sur Loire, as the two mothers of the couple tearfully embraced outdoors
The wedding photojournalist captured a beautiful moment as the bride embraced her friends in a group hug at the reception of Hardy Farm in Fryeburg, Maine
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