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.

Wedding photo from The ceremony site at the Gamble Gardens in Palo Alto, California with the gorgeous light streaming through the trees gives a feeling of hope and perseverance

Wedding photo from the cliff edge overlooking the pacific ocean near Stinson Beach, California of a really close potato sack race -- a time honored tradition

fog California potato sack race Stinson Beach wedding photo cliff edge

Wedding photography overlooking the pacific ocean near Stinson Beach, California of the bride and groom in a potato sack race

California Pacific Ocean overlooking Stinson Beach CA Wedding Photography bride and groom

Wedding photography from a ceremony in a majestic redwood grove in Marin County, California. The forest was enveloped in a mystical fog layer

majestic forest fog ceremony mystical Marin County Redwood grove

Coyote Park, Fremont, California Summer Love couple during an engagement photo session

fun Times Fremont happy laughter love fremont engagement photographer California

Pier 7, San Francisco, California couple with a Night View of Bay Bridge during a pre-wed session

SF couple portraits Tyler Vu city lights night portrait skyline bay bridge California

Ghirardelli Square, San Franciso, California Couple enjoys a minute inside Street Car of SF during a pre-wed session

street car San Franciso California indoors inside portraits SF cable car Ghirardelli Square

Berkeley, California Botanical Garden couple portraits during a pre-wed engagement session

Berkeley engagement photography flowers Berkeley California trees park Botanical garden

Big Basin State Park, California couple at a Fallen Tree during a pre-wed photo shoot

California black & white pics Big Basin State Park Tyler Vu black and white bw pre wedding photo bw portrait ideas

Baker Beach, San Francisco, California couple sunset Run on the beach during a pre-wed photo shoot

California waves ocean Tyler Vu sea monochrome bw

California wedding photographer in Truckee, CA with a couple embracing while watching the sunset on top of a mountain

Truckee Truckee engagement shoot CA pre wedding image Truckee sunset mountain Couple embracing

California pre-wedding photo session with an engaged couple and The cats with Dancing feet reacting to the beautiful lake view

water dock dancing lake view California Lakeside

California engagement photo shoot at Cupertino with A hug in the park

Sky park Cupertino tree California engagement shoot CA

California pre wedding and engagement photography from San Francisco showing us "When Harry met Sally" with furry babies

San Francisco California SF engagement mountain top nature dogs view

Bay Area engagement photoshoot & pre-wedding session from San Francisco with An affectionate kiss in the sun flare

San Francisco lens flare afternoon California sun flare kiss sunshine

California wedding photographer captured this outdoor snowy image at Granlibakken Resort: Tahoe City, CA of The groom reacting to seeing his bride for the first time at their ceremony

ceremony open air wedding Outdoor garden weddings reacting outdoor ceremony Tahoe City

California wedding photography from the venue of Topanga Canyon, CA showing The groom and his mother enjoying a dance together

California mother Topanga Canyon outdoor receptions dance Nicky Byrnes outside reception

Topanga Canyon, California wedding photography showing The bride and her maid of honor share their excitement before the ceremony

California wedding photo excitement maid of honor CA California Nicky Byrnes Topanga Canyon

California beach wedding photography from Cupertino, CA showing A guest looking on as a bride and groom are wed in an intimate beach ceremony

seaside weddings beach ceremony coastal wedding California Cupertino lakeshore ceremony CA

California outdoor wedding photography of a bride and groom getting married in front of a small group of friends and family at a private estate in Lake Tahoe, CA

mask family coronavirus CA friends lockdown covid 19

California outdoor ceremony wedding photography from Oakland showing it's Hard for Mom to let go of the bride

outdoor Ceremony wedding Oakland wedding couple bride Oakland California Oakland outdoor wedding

California wedding photography from the City Hall, San Diego as Paperwork is completed and then Off to the waiting room

paperwork San Diego marriages San Diego wedding photography civil ceremony San Diego marriage picture California City hall

California wedding photographer captured this image at the Intercontinental Hotel, San Diego, CA of The brides nephew performing his duties as ring bearer

California San Diego nephew CA California wedding photo Intercontinental hotel

California wedding photo from San Jose of guests returning favor buy pouring shots of Cognac to bride. This wedding was the last wedding shot before pandemic shutdown

California wedding photo San Jose pouring shots San Jose wedding venues shutdown Tyler Vu San Jose reception venue

San Francisco engagement photoshoot & pre-wedding session at night in California with a Walk on Pier 5

Tyler Vu SF city lights sf skyline California SF city view SF couple portraits

CA engagement photoshoot & pre-wedding session from Oakland, California with a Quick stop at Graffiti Alley

California wall art oakland couple portraits urban portrait Tyler Vu oakland mural graffiti

CA pre wedding portrait session with engaged lovers in Napa, California at a Taqueria Style Stop

California lighting Tyler Vu evening dusk night portrait low light

San Francisco pre-wedding photo session with an engaged couple at the street cafe in San Francisco, California with some Daytime Brunch Love

California San Francisco pedestrians Tyler Vu brick building sf street cafe

CA engagement photo shoot at the Hakone Garden, Saratoga, California - Image Shot through Bamboos at fans local garden

Saratoga California Tyler Vu nature garden Hakone Garden forest

Santa Cruz pre wedding and engagement photography at the Natural Bridges of California After sunset lit with lights

California sea Tyler Vu sunset water santa cruz engagement beach

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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.