Wedding Photos of Black and white

The following “Black and white” 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 “Black and white” 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.

Halloween wedding in Ventura, CA: Officiant with silver goblet before bride and groom drink in backyard.

Enchanting Halloween Wedding: Officiant Presents Silver Goblet to Bride and Groom in Ventura

Groom prep fun at Château La Gallée: wedding party playfully interacts with historic portraits.

Groom's Playful Prep with Historic Portraits at Château La Gallée

Rhône Rhone groom black and white Millery historic portraits groom prep Château La Gallée

A black and white wedding prep in São Paulo, eyes playfully hidden by a plant's leaves.

Enigmatic Elegance: Playful Preparation at São Paulo Wedding in Black and White

Bridal prep leaves black and white Sao Paulo wedding photography hidden eyes São Paulo

At a family's house in São Paulo, Brazil, a black-and-white portrait captures the newlywed couple in a tight shot as they kiss against a white background, highlighting their pure and timeless connection.

A Black-and-White Newlywed Kiss in São Paulo, Brazil

Brazil timeless São Paulo Newlywed couple kiss black and white tight shot

At Domaine de la Chopinière, France, a striking black-and-white silhouette captures the bride and groom. She is silhouetted against black, and he against white, creating a dramatic and elegant contrast.

Dramatic Silhouettes Of Bride And Groom Create Striking Contrast At French Wedding

black and white Domaine de la Chopiniere Dramatic striking elegant France wedding portrait contrast

At Alte Schlossfabrik in Solingen, the bride and groom share an intimate black-and-white portrait. Their heads are gently touching in a close-up, highlighting their deep connection and love.

Timeless Love Captured: Intimate Black-and-White Portrait at Alte Schlossfabrik Wedding

black and white Solingen Wedding Portrait Alte Schlossfabrik Solingen deep connection North Rhine-Westphalia Germany

At Le Clos Barisseuse in France, the couple dances joyfully with their dog in the forest. A black-and-white shot captures the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees, enhancing the scene's charm.

Couple and Dog in Sunlit Forest at Le Clos Barisseuse

filtered light black and white forest pet dog couple dancing Oise trees

In Amsterdam, Noord Holland, a black-and-white detail shot captures the bride gracefully getting into her dress, highlighting the intricate textures and delicate fabric.

Bride's Dress Details Captured in Black-and-White in Amsterdam

Amsterdam Wedding Details Noord Holland Detail Shot stepping into dress black and white brides dress Amsterdam

In a dramatic black-and-white portrait at La Alhambra, Granada, Spain, a top-down view captures the couple, instilling a sense of vertigo with its dizzying perspective against the stairs backdrop.

Dramatic Black-and-White Portrait at Granada's La Alhambra

stairs backdrop Spain black and white Granada Granada Wedding Portrait overhead shot top down view

In a black-and-white portrait at Plaza de Santa María, Jaén, Spain, the couple exudes elegance with an old-world building towering behind them. Her dress gracefully flows across the frame, enhancing the timeless scene.

Black-and-White Portrait at Historic Plaza de Santa María, Jaén

Plaza de Santa María Old World Building black and white Spain Jaén towering building timeless scene

At Gite l'Essentiel in Haut-Breda, France, a tight black-and-white shot poignantly captures the groom's mother as she sheds tears during the wedding ceremony, highlighting the emotion of the day.

Capturing a Mother's Emotion During Haut-Breda Wedding Ceremony

Haut Breda tight shot Isere black and white Gîte LEssentiel emotion shedding tears

At Abbaye de Pontigny, a black-and-white tall shot shows the couple walking hand in hand with a little girl through the historic stone building, heading to the ceremony.

Couple and Child Walk Through Abbaye de Pontigny to Ceremony

heading to ceremony French wedding photography vertical frame historic stone building Abbaye de Pontigny columns black and white

Sao Paulo: Bride steps down at night, dress held, in a magical moment.

Magical Evening Descent: Bride's Enchanting Step Under Sao Paulo's Starlit Sky

stepping down vertical format night shot São Paulo black and white Sao Paulo wedding photography

Black and white photo of bride and groom dancing, hands wrapped around her waist.

Bride and Groom's Enchanting Dance in Classic Black and White

black and white wrapped around waist dancing São Paulo Sao Paulo wedding photography

In a striking minimalist portrait from Bourges, she stands in elegant white against a black background, while he is dressed in black on a white backdrop. This tall vertical composition creates a captivating checkerboard effect.

Minimalist Portrait Creates Striking Checkerboard Effect in Bourges

vertical composition Bourges Bourges Wedding Portrait minimalist portrait black and white Contrasting checkerboard effect

Gelderland, Netherlands: Children "chatter" during an outdoor wedding ceremony.

Gelderland, Netherlands Wedding: Groom Gently Hushes Chattering Children During Outdoor Ceremony

black and white hushing child Gelderland child chatter gelderland wedding photography Netherlands

Gelderland, Netherlands: Hotel before the first look, emotional anticipation.

Gelderland, Netherlands Hotel: Bride Descends Stairs in Anticipation Before First Look, Black-and-White Aerial Shot

bride descending stairs stairs gelderland wedding photography hotel stairwell Gelderland black and white overhead shot

Ameglia, La Spezia: Emotional father and daughter portrait at a beautiful wedding.

Ameglia, La Spezia: Emotional Black-and-White Father and Daughter Embrace in a Beautiful Wedding Portrait

smiling bride emotional Father Ameglia La Spezia Ameglia Wedding Photography Bride and father black and white

Bologna couple lovingly embraces under bride's veil, sharing an intimate, joyful portrait.

Bologna Couple Lovingly Embraces Under Bride’s Veil in Intimate, Joyful Black-and-White Wedding Portrait

couple under veil Bologna Bologna Wedding Portrait intimate loving embrace black and white

At a wedding venue in Nanning, Guangxi, a black-and-white photo captures the bouquet flying through the air as multiple hands reach up to catch it.

Bouquet Toss Celebration: Captured Moments at a Nanning Wedding in Black and White

bouquet flying bouquet catch Nanning wedding photography hands reaching Guangxi Nanning black and white

A joyous wedding procession parades through Saint Joseph de Rivière, a charming French village.

Joyous Wedding Procession Parades Through Saint Joseph de Rivière, Charming French Village in Black-and-White Urban Scene

Saint Joseph de Riviere Isere Wedding Photography sidewalk Isere urban scene wedding procession wedding party parade

Bride getting dressed at Château de Papetière in France, a serene pre-wedding scene.

Bride Getting Dressed at Château de Papetière, France: Serene, Elegant Black-and-White Pre-Wedding Portrait

bride getting ready Château de Papetière serene Isere Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Isere Bridal Portrait black and white

During their couple session, she laughs as he kisses her neck in a black-and-white, dreamy portrait that captures intimate connection and lighthearted affection.

Dreamy Black-and-White Portrait Captures Their Intimate Connection

lighthearted scenic backdrop black and white affection kissing neck Poitiers Wedding Portrait Poitiers

Mirror reflects a West Pomeranian bride in a hotel, captured during the intimate moment of her wedding dress fitting

West Pomeranian Hotel: Bride Reflected in Mirror During Intimate Wedding Dress Fitting Moment

intimate moment black and white dress fitting mirror reflections West Pomeranian hotel preparations Poland wedding photography

In Saint Martin d'Uriage, France, a black-and-white pre-ceremony detail shot captures the bride’s shoes, dress, and bouquet, highlighting elegant textures.

Bride's Details in Black-and-White, Saint Martin d'Uriage, France

black and white wedding gown bouquet Isere Saint Martin dUriage elegant textures Detail Shot

A mother sheds tears of joy at a wedding at Hotel Landgasthof Au on Halbinsel Au.

Mother Sheds Tears of Joy at Wedding in Hotel Landgasthof Au on Halbinsel Au, Switzerland

black and white Halbinsel Au Zurich wedding photography wiping tears Hotel Landgasthof Au Zurich emotional mother

At Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, Colorado, a black-and-white silhouette captures the bride with her hair being sprayed, rim-lit from behind, the mist illuminated dramatically against a dark backdrop.

Bride's Timeless Elegance Captured at Hotel Boulderado in Boulder

hairspray dark backdrop boulder wedding photography Boulder bride Colorado silhouette Hotel Boulderado

A Canadian couple celebrates their destination wedding in a lush Madeira Island forest.

Canadian Couple Celebrates Destination Wedding in Lush Madeira Island Forest, Dramatic Black-and-White Dreamlike Image

Canadian couple Portugal Madeira Island Destination black and white fog Madeira Island Forest lush forest

Sun-drenched Fanal Forest in Madeira, ethereal post-wedding photoshoot with misty trees and joyful couple.

Sun-Drenched Fanal Forest, Madeira: Ethereal Black-and-White Post-Wedding Dream Shoot With Joyful Couple and Misty Trees

misty Madeira black and white trees ethereal photoshoot Madeira Wedding Portrait Fanal Forest

A joyful bride arrives at Ca Bevilacqua, Forlì, Italy, riding in a decorated truck for her celebration!

Joyful Bride Arrives at Ca Bevilacqua, Forlì, Italy, Riding Decorated Truck for Celebration, Black-and-White Fun Shot

Forlì joyful bride Forlì-Cesena Ca Bevilacqua truck black and white Forlì wedding photography

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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.