Wedding Photos of California

The following “California” images were created by documentary wedding photographers from the WPJA, who regularly submit their best candid moments, artistic portraits, details, and scene setters for review by our WPJA competition judges.

WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS + ARTISTIC PORTRAITS & DETAILS + ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS

Some of the “California” marriage photography samples below may have come from the getting ready events, the actual wedding ceremony, the reception after-party, an engagement session with the couple, or possibly be artistic portraits or detail shots.

FINE ART WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: Our Artistic Guild award winners take a more creative approach to wedding day Portraits and use their innovative skills to capture the Details of each couple’s special day. The Artistic Guild’s Scene Setters are some of the most notable and breathtaking from within the artistic WPJA contest categories. Playing with light and shadow, special effects, and post-production editing, these images embrace the artistic component of wedding photography.

PRE-WEDDING ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY: The story of every couple starts long before the wedding day, and the engagement marks one of the most important milestones in their story. Engaged couples often want to celebrate the occasion and announce their upcoming wedding with a photoshoot. Pre-wedding portraits of an engaged couple can be just as moving and compelling as the images taken on the wedding day. Engagement portraits can win a Diamond Award, an exclusive WPJA award whose winner is selected from the best engagement photography in the world.

A California documentary wedding photographer captured this moment at The Mountain Terrace in Woodside showing that is Nothing happier than a bride dancing and singing with buddies

A California documentary wedding photographer at The Mountain Terrace captured this picture of a guest Dancing away with the exhilarated crowd in Woodside

The Mountain Terrace dancing exhilarated outdoor wedding picture crowd California documentary weddings

A California wedding photojournalist at the St. Francis Westin Hotel in San Francisco captured this moment of The groom getting lifted by the groomsmen during the reception

lifted San Francisco reception Brett Butterstein CA groom California wedding photojournalist California

A California documentary wedding photographer captured this moment at the St. Francis Weston Hotel in San Francisco of A little girl sharing a secret with the bride on the dance floor during the reception

Brett Butterstein California San Francisco California documentary weddings little girl bride

This California wedding photojournalism picture is a top quality example of what candid, nontraditional Lake Tahoe wedding photography looks like, as a flower girl looks up excitedly at her dad in his grooms suit

Lake Tahoe wedding photography California wedding photojournalism flower girl grooms suit excited Lake Tahoe

Pre-wedding portrait-session in Oakland Hill for a pair of CA Lovers in the beautiful light of the forest

beautiful light CA Lovers California trees CA pre wedding portrait sunlight

Pre-wedding San Francisco couple portrait-session with the The furry baby dog winning as the best poser

San Francisco photographer San Francisco couple CA portrait dog fur baby California

Venice, California marriage ceremony award-winning image showing The couple tells their dog (who is also a ring bearer) to sit and stay

pets dog stay ring bearer Venice photographer Venice couple Outdoor

Malibu couple posturing for an engagement image while the photographer is Getting creative with light after sunset

The Hendrys California malibu malibu night portrait

Los Angeles bride and groom to be, posing for a pre-wedding engagement photo shoot at the LA County Museum of Art as they hold hands below at a street light installation

Los Angeles LA County Museum of Art California holding hands Kate Hampson street lights LA bw portrait

The California WPJA is proud to award this non traditional, beach wedding image showing a LA Bride throws her bouquet from a lifeguard tower at the CA beach

throws LA California Lifeguard Tower bouquet LA bride CA beach wedding image

California e-shoot with a Sweet couple sauntered to a colorful door on a San Francisco street

California sauntered San Francisco street California wedding picture colorful door sweet couple

Hollywood wedding photography contest award winning gallery picture from The Lombardi House in California showing The bride and groom walking down the isle after being married by their best friend

best friend Lombardi House Los Angeles California couple Hollywood wedding photography married California

California pre wedding photography from Alviso Reserve showing Peach is the new Blue

Alviso Reserve flowers CA couple CA Tyler Vu sitting California pre wedding photography

Carmel Downtown, California environmental engagement e-session with a couple Behind the Painted Door

California Painted Door Carmel photographer California engagement N CA e session Downtown couple

Santa Cruz, California portrait e-session - Violet you're it

pink plaster California sitting California portrait session kissing steps

Moss Beach, California portrait e-session with some BW Love amongst woods

Tyler Vu California forest bw Moss Beach California couple portrait fence

Lake Tahoe, California environmental engagement e-session - a couple on a boat

Lake Tahoe, California environmental engagement e session for a couple on a boat

Lake Tahoe California engagement e session couple boat California portraits California

Emerald Bay, California portrait e-session - woman posing with ring during their engagement session

Emerald Bay, California portrait with a woman and man posing high above the blue water lake

California blue water lake California Engagement Photographer CA Pre wedding CA woman and man

Emerald Bay, California portrait e session of a couple looking at each other fondly

high above trees lake fondly CA e session CA couple

Emerald Bay, California on-location portrait e shoot of a couple looking at each other dearly

CA CA e shoot snow jackets couple California couple portrait

Davenport Artful Engagement Photography showing Their love is sweeter and brighter than the strawberries in the field

strawberries California farm davenport couple farming field

Donner Lake, California Fine Art Engagement Session with the bride to be looking at her new fiance's face with so much love

couple in love California California photographer lakeside engagement Donner Lake

Los Gatos couple shoot in front of a colorful window and door display

CA engagement photography colorful Los Gatos N CA door display Los Gatos couple shoot window

Desert couple portrait at Vasquez Rocks, California wandering the landscape and the rough terrain

Vasquez Rocks picture session Vasquez Rocks rough terrain landscape California Wandering

Vasquez Rocks, California pre wed portrait amongst the rocks, the moon, the landscape and the couple

California California pre wed portrait rocks CA couple moon Vasquez Rocks

Pasadena silhouette evening couple portrait during sunset magic

evening couple portrait contrast pasadena pasadena engagement photos Silhouette portrait silhouette

Pasadena couple portrait session, an evening silhouette, dancing in the sunset light

evening silhouette silhouette dancing Pasadena engagement portrait session pasadena sunset contrast

Pasadena couple portrait in the fields during the late afternoon light

fields CA late afternoon Pasadena couple portrait CA Photographer light California

Pasadena pre wedding photo shoot with starburst magic

A pre wedding photo shoot with starburst magic and rainbow colors

pasadena pasadena engagement photography starburst magic California colorful lights

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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.