Wedding Photos of Pure Joy

The following “Pure Joy” 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 “Pure Joy” 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 pro wedding photographer in West Sussex captures a joyful moment as the bride and groom walk through confetti at Two Woods Estate. Smiling faces of friends and family add to the happy atmosphere.

Two Woods Estate: Capturing the Pure Joy of a Wedding Celebration in West Sussex

A professional wedding photographer captures a joyful moment as the bride and groom share a laugh and look towards their guests while preparing to cut their wedding cake at Schloss Walbeck.

Schloss Walbeck Sparks Pure Joy: Candid Shot Captures Bride and Groom's Wedding Cake Moment

laugh Schloss Walbeck joyful moment candid shot North Rhine-Westphalia Walbeck Germany Pure Joy

In this WPJA Honor Award-winning photo captured by a documentary wedding photographer, the groom's mother shares a moment of pure joy as she watches her son during the handfasting ceremony at Chateau de Morgenex.

A Mother's Joy: Chateau de Morgenex - Documentary Wedding Photographer's WPJA Honor Award-Winning Moment

groom Haute-Savoie Haute Savoie wedding photography Pure Joy Vallieres documentary weddings Chateau de Morgenex mother

A bride and groom embrace at Villa Volpi in Ghiffa, Italy. The bride's radiant smile exudes pure joy on their wedding day.

Radiant Love: Embracing Eternal Joy at Villa Volpi in Ghiffa, Italy

Ghiffa radiant smile Pure Joy Ghiffa Wedding Photography Verbano Cusio Ossola Villa Volpi

A France Wedding, Elopement, and Engagement Photographer created this fun, playful portrait of this Montpellier couple laughing in pure joy while posing in the tall grasses

fun laughing playful portrait posing france engagement photographer tall grasses Montpellier couple

Pure Joy engagement couple portrait in black and white

couple portrait Engagement Portsmouth black and white Portsmouth NH engagement photographer Portsmouth NH e shoot Portsmouth NH engagement photos

Majic Forest - Cape Town Photographer: "It didn't take much to get this couple to show their emotions and love. So much so that a close up showcasing their pure joy was a perfect option."

It didn't take much to get this couple to show their emotions and love. So much so that a close up showcasing their pure joy was a perfect option

Cape Town engagement images Cape Town pre wedding portrait emotions couple Cape Town engagement photography Cape Town e session

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.