Wedding Photos of Southern California

The following “Southern 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 “Southern 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.

Newlyweds enjoying hor dourves at The Maxwell House in Pasadena, California after their romantic wedding ceremony in Southern California.

Noshing Newlyweds at Maxwell House: Post-Ceremony Soirée in Pasadena, CA for Sweethearts

In this stunning pre-wedding portrait captured by a So Ca wedding photographer, a young couple in Los Angeles blissfully embraces each other against the backdrop of a majestic sunset at the edge of the water.

Los Angeles Lovebirds Embrace at Sunset: A Captivating Pre-Wedding Portrait by a So Ca Wedding Photographer

Southern California sunset Los Angeles formal attire Los Angeles engagement water backdrop

A romantic portrait of a couple before their wedding date at the iconic Disney Hall in CA, captured by an artistic and creative SO CA wedding photographer. Love and warmth surrounds them in this bold BW image.

Disney Hall Love Story: Capturing the Romance of a SoCal Couple in a Bold BW Portrait

Disney Hall Southern California Southern California Engagement Portrait romantic portrait black and white light and shadows

This stunning romantic portrait was captured in Beverly Hills by a talented and creative Southern California wedding photographer, showcasing a head-over-heels couple basking in the sun with lush palm trees surrounding them.

Beverly Hills Bliss: A Gorgeous Engagement Portrait in the Heart of Southern California

sunlight Beverly Hills Engagement Photography palm trees city street Southern California Beverly Hills

In this enchanting engagement session captured by the Joshua Tree wedding photographer, a couple's love radiates amidst the awe-inspiring natural beauty of Joshua Tree National Park.

Love's Radiance in Joshua Tree: An Enchanting Engagement Session in the Majestic Joshua Tree National Park

Southern California black and white portrait Joshua Tree Engagement Portrait California desert natural beauty Joshua Tree National Park

Laguna Beach fun-loving couple play in the waves as the sunset turns the sky behind them orange for a pre-wedding session at Thousand Steps Beach

Laguna Beach couple play in the waves as the sunset turns the sky behind them orange for a pre-wedding session at Thousand Steps Beach

Thousand Steps Beach setting sun Kate Hampson California Weddings waves pre wedding session sunset

Downtown Los Angeles on-location portrait e-shoot at home

Downtown Los Angeles e shoot at home Southern California Downtown LA couple session Los Angeles portrait

Death Valley National Park black and white couple portrait

A black and white couple portrait from the hot desert

monochrome bw black and white California engagement photography Southern California Death Valley National Park

Southern California Portrait Session | Engagement Portraits in Blue with a Light

Portrait Session for Engagement pictures in Blue with a Light

Southern California southern california engagement photographer Blue Southern California pre wedding portraits Southern California e shoot CA

Southern California Couple Picture Session | Engagement Image with a Kiss and Bokeh

Picture Session resulting in an Engagement Image with a Kiss and Bokeh

Southern California e shoot southern california engagement photos southern california engagement photographer CA Southern California pre wedding portraits Southern California kiss

engaged couple portrait shot through lattice fencing

Southern California pre wedding portraits Southern California southern california engagement photographer Southern California e shoot lattice southern california engagement photos

Southern California Walk on the Beach for Engagement Photo

a playful couple Walk on the Beach for Engagement Photo

southern california pre wedding portrait Southern California e session southern california engagement images southern california engagement photography beach engagement photo Southern California

Wedding Photo Detail of the Dress Hanging Outside

outside at Home Wedding Photo Dress hanging brides dress gown California fine art wedding image Southern California Wedding Photo

A quiet moment at the wedding for this bride and groom

CA wedding photographer church Southern California Southern California bride bride and groom CA weddings

Engagement Couple Session - Image contains: Southern California Couple silhouetted by the lake during sunset

Southern California Couple silhouetted by the lake during sunset engagement portraits

silhouette slow shutter sunset engagement session pre wedding location SoCal sunset Kristina Cazares Neri Southern California

Red Silhouette Under Santa Monica Pier | California Engagement Portrait Photographer

A red silhouette of the couple is captured under a pier during their engagement portrait photo shoot at dusk, with rich, dark tones in the frame adding to the moody atmosphere

Santa Monica Southern California Santa Monica Pier red light moody atmosphere dark tones under a pier

Garden Grove, CA wedding reception party - Sometimes, men want to catch the bouquet, too

At the wedding reception, some single men joined in and eagerly competed with women to catch the bouquet tossed by the bride

Garden Grove Garden Grove Photographer Garden Grove Reception Party Southern California bouquet catch

California Southern Laguna Beach | Shine Like The Sun during your engagement portrait session

The Beach Engagement Portrait Session featured a picture showing the shine of the sun, with a deep blue sky in the background in the photograph

Southern California shine deep blue sky sun ca engagement portrait Laguna Beach Engagement Photography Laguna beach

The California engaged couple's silhouetted profiles at sunset

In a private, breathtaking location, the engaged couple's silhouetted profiles are captured in a picture session, showcasing their love as they stand all alone

San Diego sunset portrait Southern California San Diego Engagement Photography silhouetted profiles

A California engaged couple illuminated in a golden light at sunset time

The engaged couple's faces, each sporting sunglasses, illuminated in a golden light, were captured amidst a grove of towering trees

San Diego towering trees San Diego Engagement portrait golden light grove of trees sunglasses Southern California

The California engaged couple with a romantic sunset view of the city

The sunset silhouette of the palm trees helped to feature the engaged couple in a romantic view of the city, highlighting all its beauty with the photographer's experienced light-making warmth on their faces

lit portrait palm trees San Diego Engagement Photography San Diego Southern California city view sunset silhouette

Southern California engagement portraits with a view of the city in the early evening

early evening engagement photos CA Southern California view of the city skyline dusk

Southern California engagement photos at the beach - portrait of a young couple walking hand-in-hand in the sand carrying their shoes as a seagull takes flight behind

Southern California engagement photos at the beach of a young couple walking hand-in-hand in the sand carrying their shoes as a seagull takes flight behind

Southern California sand pre wedding session Southern California holding hands seagull Southern California engagement photographers

Southern California Sunset engagement portrait - Beach session with warm light

Southern California Sunset engagement portrait during a Beach session with warm light

ocean sunset engagement photos water embracing Southern California pre wedding locations Southern California

Southern California Engagement portraits. Joshua tree pre-wedding photography.

Southern California Joshua tree pre-wedding photography in the desert

CA black and white ca pre wedding location silhouette Southern California desert plants

The groom and groomsmen were all hugging and laughing outdoors in the sunshine at Huntington Beach, CA, while the perfect lighting highlighted the joy

The groom and groomsmen are happily hugging and laughing outdoors in the sunny lighting

Huntington Beach Wedding Photography laughing Outdoor Huntington Beach Southern California groom hugging

The bride and groom danced in their sneakers at the outdoor reception in Huntington Beach, CA, watched by their guests beneath the cloudy sky

The bride and groom danced happily at their outdoor reception, wearing gown and sneakers

Southern California gown cloudy skies guests Huntington Beach Wedding Photography sneakers socal wedding photography

San Diego bride and groom kiss during the ceremony | California wedding photojournalism

San Diego bride and groom kiss during the outdoor wedding ceremony in Southern California

outdoor wedding ceremony CA Southern California San Diego bride and groom San Diego kiss

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.