Wedding Photos of Big day

The following “Big day” 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 “Big day” 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 candid wedding moment captured in Moulin Piongo, France, as a young girl lovingly assists her mother, the beautiful bride-to-be, with final preparations on the big day in this documentary-style photograph.

Captivating Candid Moment: Mother and Daughter in Moulin Piongo - A French Wedding Prep

A bride getting ready for her big day, applying makeup and getting her hair styled in a behind the scenes shot, captured at a private home in London, UK.

Behind the Scenes: Bride Prep for Wedding Day in Private London Home

London England behind the scenes big day wedding day hair styled bridal preparation

Milpitas wedding photojournalist captures the bride being playfully ambushed by friends and cousins, as they apply turmeric to her face and neck in preparation for her big day

Milpitas Melodies: A Colorful Wedding Ambush

wedding ambush big day photography California - Northern Milpitas wedding photojournalist bride face

A documentary wedding photographer captures the sweet moment of flower girls preparing for the big day in Atlanta, Georgia. They can be seen checking their makeup in a mirror. This image has won the prestigious WPJA award.

Sweet Moment: Flower Girls Preparing in Mirror for the Big Day in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta wedding photography moment documentary wedding photographer Atlanta flower girls mirror Georgia wedding kids

The groom and ushers at Two Woods Estate, West Sussex, getting ready for the big day by putting on their new socks - a thoughtful gift from the groom

Two Woods Estate: Groom and Ushers Preparing with New Socks

uk wedding photography thoughtful getting ready Wedding in West Sussex wedding reportage wedding photos ushers

At Bride's house in Arjona, Jaén, Spain, a cute little girl in her wedding attire is lending a helping hand to dress her aunt, the beautiful bride, on her big day.

Arjona's Helping Hand: A Little Girl Assists in Wedding Preparations

flower girl Children Jaén girls helping hand Arjona wedding big day

At House in Soho, London England, the bride and her family prepare for the big day, with the stunning wedding dress hanging in the background, adding to the anticipation and excitement. A beautiful wedding scene captured.

Soho House: The Bride, The Dress, The Big Day Excitement

beautiful wedding England prepare family House of Soho anticipation Soho House

The groom's mother finds her son before the wedding ceremony in Ardeche. This heartfelt moment captured by the award-winning wedding photographer showcases their expertise in capturing meaningful and emotional moments on the big day.

Ardeche: Mother Embraces Groom, WPJA Accolade - Unforgettable Pre-Ceremony Connection

Ardeche weddings big day wedding photographer wedding ceremony Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Ardeche mother

At Trident hotel in Mumbai, the bride's mom becomes emotional as she prepares for the big day, adding an extra layer of love and emotion to the wedding.

Mumbai's Trident Hotel: A Mother's Emotional Journey on Wedding Day

Trident Hotel big day Mumbai wedding photography India MOB emotion Mumbai

In this award-winning photo taken by a wedding photographer in Briey, Meurthe-et-Moselle, the bride and her mother are seen getting ready for the big day. Their reflection is captured in a round wall mirror.

Momentous Reflection: Bride and Mother Prepare for Big Day in Briey, Meurthe-et-Moselle

round wall mirror Meurthe et Moselle Weddings getting ready Meurthe et Moselle wedding photography big day wedding photographer in Briey Meurthe et Moselle

In a heartwarming moment captured by a documentary wedding photographer, the bride prepares for her big day, surrounded by her mother and young niece at their home in Paris, Île-de-France. This photo has been recognized with a WPJA Honor Award.

A Parisian Morning: A Bride's Beautiful Journey to Say "I Do"

at home paris wedding photographer Paris France weddings big day mother Ile-de-France heartwarming moment

A photojournalistic wedding photographer captured this award-winning image at Domaine des Evis. It shows a young boy assisting his father as he gets ready for the big day.

At Domaine Des Evis: Father and Son Prepare, Bond over Shoes, in Captivating Wedding Photo

assisting Domaine des Evis getting ready father young boy Eure et Loir Wedding Photography Eure et Loir photojournalistic weddings

A moment of anticipation for the bride's family was captured at Maryborough House in Cork, where a room full of people dressed for the wedding watched as she prepared for her big day

The bride's family experienced anticipation at Maryborough House, Cork on the wedding day

room full of people Cork big day preparing anticipation Maryborough House dressed

This pre-ceremony wedding image taken in East London, UK captured the bustling excitement of the bridal party as they got ready for the big day

The bridal party's anticipation was captured in East London, UK at a pre-ceremony wedding photo

United Kingdom bride and groom London wedding day pre ceremony wedding image special day bustle

A Jaen documentary style wedding image showing a moment at the Restaurante Majestic in Arjona illustrating that Sharing your big day with your friends is unforgettable

Arjona photographer Jaen bride image Jaén sharing big day Restaurante Majestic

The bride was getting ready for her special day at the Ashford Estate, while her beautiful wedding dress hung in the other room

The bride prepared for her big day at the Ashford Estate, her wedding dress a stunning sight

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A BW detail picture taken at Bali Ayana Resort shows the bride putting her shoes on

At the Bali Ayana Resort - Black-and-white detail shot of the bride fastening her shoes

Bali big day bridal gown bride Last Minute Preparations bw Wedding Balinese Wedding

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.