Wedding Photos of Blessing

The following “Blessing” 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 “Blessing” 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.

The awarded BW shot captures the beautiful moment of a bride and groom holding hands before an altar, receiving the blessing of a priest during their wedding ceremony in an Haute-Garonne church.

Sacred Union: Hand in Hand at the Altar in Haute-Garonne

The spotlight-winning image captures a moment of pure joy as the newlyweds receive a blessing at the Église de la Couronne in Charente.

Blessed Beginnings: A Joyful Union at Église de la Couronne

celebratory moment wedding ceremony delighted emotional union church

A close-up shot of the bride and groom's details during their Germany church wedding ceremony. The couple's daughter holds the rings as the priest or pastor gives the blessing.

German Church Wedding: Daughter Holds Rings as Couple Blessed in Close-Up Ceremony

Germany couple wedding ring moment rings close up ceremony daughter ring bearer details in Germany

A bride bows before the priest at a London chapel, with the priest's hands outstretched towards her face, hair and veil. The image is captured in a striking black and white frame.

London Bride Receives Blessing from Priest in Captivating Wedding Photo

blessing London wedding photography outstretched hands priests hands bowing London chapel London

A beautiful couple on their wedding day in Dublin, Ireland. They stand in front of a statue of Jesus, his hands extended over them in blessing. Perfectly captured just after the ceremony, this stunning image radiates love, faith, and the start of a union.

Blessed Love: Wedding Day Bliss in Dublin, Ireland Under Jesus' Watchful Eyes

Dublin wedding photography portrait eternal ceremony blessed blessing wedding couple

Beautiful moment captured at Villa Gabau in Tuscany as the bride lovingly kisses her mother's hand during her heartfelt speech.

Tender Touch at Villa Gabau: A Mother's Blessing in Tuscany

Villa Gabau touch speech tender Tuscan Photographer kiss emotional

A captivating wedding photo captured at Pieve di San Lorenzo in Pegognaga, Mantua, Italy. The intense moment of the blessing beautifully narrated through the illuminating light shining on the priest.

ILLUMINATED BLESSING: Captivating Wedding Photo at Pieve di San Lorenzo, Mantua, Italy

mantua wedding photography intense Pegognaga wedding close up photography Pegognaga priest ceremony

During the enchanting Haldi ceremony at Enchantment Resort in Sedona, AZ, this award-winning pic captures the bride as turmeric is delicately applied to her face by a woman's hand.

Enchanted Moments: Turmeric Blessing at Sedona's Enchantment Resort

turmeric yellow Enchantment Resort luxury wedding venue hand bride preparation Arizona

Inside a Church in Nogent, the priest is blessing the couple

The priest is blessing the couple with his hands up in the air, framed by the bride and groom on each side, inside a Church

blessing Haute-Marne Nogent Nogent Church Nogent Wedding Photographer priest hands lifted

Father of the bride gives away his daughter and blesses them through a handshake at an outdoor Antwerpen Flanders Wedding Ceremony

At an outdoor wedding ceremony under a blue sky and a solo big tree, the father of the bride gave away his daughter and blessed them through a handshake

father of bride Flanders Antwerpen outdoor ceremony antwerpen wedding photographer hand off Antwerpen blessing

Porto, Portugal wedding photographer contest award winning image sample showing the priest with raised hands blessing the bride and groom in the church

Daniel Monteiro raised hands Porto Portugal portugal wedding photographer Porto couple blessing

Chicago wedding photographer contest award winning image sample showing the IL Brides father blessing the couple

Edward Ciesielski IL couple chicago wedding photographer brides father couple Chicago blessing

Wedding photography from Lucknow, India Elders of the family blessing the couple!

family couple India Elders Lucknow blessing wedding photo

Alagoas church wedding photography from a Maceio ceremony of 4 priests blessing the bride and groom at their wedding

masks Alagoas church wedding photo lockdown priests Alagoas Maceió Monica Guimaraes

Pierce Farm at Witch Hill, Topsfield, Massachusetts wedding image of a Mother giving groom a blessing pre-ceremony

Massachusetts wedding image mother of groom Massachusetts Pierce Farm Witch Hill MA Topsfield Topsfield photographer Simi Rabinowitz

St. Nedelya Church, Sofia - Church ceremony photography with priest blessings

the priest blessings in the church

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the bride looking at the groom while the priest blesses them

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Blessing the Bride and Groom at the Altar

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Sunlight illuminates the couple during the blessing

Orvieto weddings Abbazia San Giusto Orvieto wedding images blessing sunlight illuminates

groom blessing and prayer before ceremony

Lake Tahoe NV Lake Tahoe small wedding Our Lady of Snows ceremony Lake Tahoe photography blessing

Bride and groom get the blessing from the priest during their orthodox wedding ceremony

Romania wedding photography priest blessing St Apostoli Church bride and groom orthodox Romania church wedding

The groom stamping on the glass at the end of their Jewish blessing

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Citrus Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka. The couple put garlands on each other as a greeting and blessing, but this is usually made into a mini-game to see who can do it first, without being garlanded themselves. The winner will always have the upper hand

The couple put garlands on each other as a greeting and blessing, but this is usually made into a mini-game to see who can do it first, without being garlanded themselves

garlands blessing game Sri Lanka greeting Citrus Waskaduwa Sri Lanka couple

Wedding photography in Los Angeles, California | The newly married couple receives blessing from the elderly.

Wedding photography of The newly married couple receiving blessing from the elderly

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wedding photograph of the priest blessing the bride and groom

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Sicilia wedding photo of father kissing bride's hand | wedding photography before church ceremony

Amore in Sicilia: The Father's Blessing

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water flower color rings blessing

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hearts rings blessing shadows

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.