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Wedding Photos of Candid

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The following “Candid” 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 “Candid” 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.

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In California, at the reception venue, a candid wedding reception moment with is captured as guests enjoy laughter, connection, and celebration.
At A California Reception Venue, Candid Wedding Guests Share Laughter, Connection, And Joyful Celebration Moments Together.
receptionlaughtercalifornia wedding venueguestscelebrationjoyful wedding laughterCalifornia - Northern
In Nimes, France, women hesitates to get dressed for the wedding, capturing a candid pause amid the flurry of day-of preparations with friends and loved ones.
Candid Pause Occurs For Women In Nimes, France, As They Await Their Dress Moment Amid Wedding Day Excitement.
dresscandidNimes venuewomenOccitanieNimes marriageexcitement
In San Francisco, California, the groom stands at the front of a party bus taking a selfie, while the group of seated guests behind him smile and pose, capturing a candid and energetic post-ceremony celebration.
Groom Snaps Party Bus Selfie With Wedding Guests In San Francisco
selfieparty busSan Francisco Wedding MomentSan Franciscogroompost ceremonycandid
In Central Park, the couple is photographed from behind in a black and white image, standing close together beneath a single umbrella, their quiet intimacy beneath the rainy sky evoking a deeply personal promise.
Couple Stands Close Together Beneath Umbrella In Central Park Black And White Photo, Evoking Quiet Intimacy And Togetherness Under The Rainy Sky
close togetherCentral Parkintimatepersonal promiseCity Parkromantic rainNew york wedding
In Taiyuan, Shanxi, the groom carries the bride on his back up red-carpeted stairs, surrounded by smiling family. A playful boy stumbles ahead of them, adding a lively touch to the joyful scene.
Groom Carries Bride On Back Up Red Carpeted Stairs In Taiyuan, Shanxi, Surrounded By Smiling Family As Boy Stumbles Ahead
wedding daybrideShanxired carpetChinapiggybackcelebration
From a low camera angle, the bride and groom walk down a red carpet as they leave the wedding venue in Taiyuan, Shanxi. Men nearby hurry about, adding dynamic energy to the celebratory scene.
Low Angle Shows Bride And Groom Walking Red Carpet Leaving Taiyuan, Shanxi Venue As Men Hurry Nearby
low angleChinadynamic energybridefestive scenegroommen hurry
In Gironde, France, a young boy eagerly snaps pictures of the wedding preparations with a phone, playfully imitating a photographer, capturing the sweet curiosity and excitement of the get-ready atmosphere.
Young Boy Snaps Wedding Preparation Photos With Phone In Gironde France
Wedding PrepGirondeboyfunchildhoodget readyImitation
At Country Relais Le Capanne in Tuscany, a lively black-and-white action shot captures guests under strings of lights, bursting into laughter and chaos as everyone reaches for the bouquet.
Wedding Guests Laugh Under Lights Reaching For Bouquet At Le Capanne
guestsblack and whiteCountry Relais Le Capannebouquet tosslaughtercandidreaching
At Fawsley Hall, Northamptonshire, the bride and groom share an emotional reaction during the best man's heartfelt speech. Captured in black and white, their faces reveal genuine love, gratitude, and deep connection in the moment.
Bride And Groom Share Emotional Reaction To Best Man’s Speech At Fawsley Hall, Northamptonshire
weddingreceptionbest manEnglandemotionalheartfeltblack and white
At a private home in Northamptonshire, East Midlands, a black-and-white photo captures a seated usher reading a book to the flower girl, highlighting a sweet and peaceful connection between generations amid the wedding festivities.
Seated Usher Reads Book To Flower Girl At Northamptonshire Home, Black And White Photo Highlights Peaceful Generational Connection
flower girlconnectionweddingblack and whitepeacefulFestivitiesreading
At Casa Celincordia in Cesena, Italy, the bride and groom, dressed in traditional attire, sit face to face in a candid black-and-white shot that captures the tender intimacy and quiet connection between them.
Bride And Groom In Traditional Attire Sit Face To Face At Casa Celincordia Cesena
romanticFace to faceintimacybridetenderweddingblack and white
At a St Albans reception venue in Hertfordshire, friends joyfully see the bride for the first time outside on the grass, sunlight behind them illuminating her and capturing genuine excitement and happiness.
Friends Joyfully See Bride For First Time Outside At St Albans Reception, Sunlight Illuminates Grass Setting And Captures Excitement And Happiness
outsideSt Albanscandidfriendsjoyfirst lookhappiness
In San Francisco, CA, an engagement portrait shows her hugging him from behind as they stand among flowers, with the Golden Gate Bridge visible in the distance.
Embraced Among Flowers With The Golden Gate Bridge In The Distance
scenic viewromanticcandidflowersoutdoor sessionBay Areaengagement portrait
In Saratoga, CA, an engagement portrait captures the couple sharing a kiss while he lovingly holds their dog in his arms.
A Kiss Shared While Holding Their Dog In Saratoga
petanimal companionholding dogloveCalifornia - Northernengagement sessionoutdoor session
In San Francisco, CA, an engagement portrait from grass level captures the couple hugging and kissing, with an old-world stone building providing a romantic backdrop behind them.
Engagement Portrait of a Couple Hugging and Kissing by an Old Stone Building
engagement portraitBay Areaengagedold-world stone buildinggrass levelkissingcandid
In San Francisco, CA, a Northern California engagement portrait shows the couple face to face in a heartfelt hug, symmetrically framed with the old pier pilings behind them.
Engagement Portrait of a Couple Hugging With Pier Pilings in San Francisco
heartfelt hugsymmetrical framingBay AreaFace to faceoutdoor sessioncoupleengagement portrait
In Santa Cruz, CA, a Northern California engagement portrait shows the couple relaxing on a downed tree trunk, with her leaning onto him as they bask in the sunshine.
Engagement Portrait of a Couple Relaxing on a Tree Trunk in Santa Cruz
outdoorsloveforestcoupleSanta Cruzromancecandid
In San Francisco, CA, an engagement portrait captures the couple face to face, sharing a kiss as bright sunlight from behind washes out the scene in a dreamy glow.
Engagement Portrait of a Couple Kissing in Sunlight in San Francisco
San Franciscodreamy glowengagedkissingFace to faceCalifornialove
In Rhinebeck, NY, the couple stands face to face at a lookout, sharing laughter as the sunset glows warmly behind them.
Engagement Portrait of a Couple Laughing at Sunset in Rhinebeck
sunsetFace to faceengagedRhinebecklaughtersceniclove
In Boston, MA, the couple sits close together by the water, enjoying the garden scenery as people stroll by in the background.
Engagement Portrait of a Couple Sitting by the Water in a Boston Garden
coupleNew EnglandBostonengagement portraitMassachusettsoutdoor sessionTogetherness
In Grado, Gorizia, Italy, the couple walks together in sunlight, with dramatic shadows filling the right side of the frame and warm light illuminating them.
Engaged Couple Walking in Sunlight and Shadow During Portrait Session in Grado
warm lightengaged coupleItalian locationFriuli-Venezia GiuliasunlightGoriziacandid
In Grado, Gorizia, Italy, a couple portrait in black and white captures an urban street scene as the silhouette of a woman on a bicycle with her dog in the basket passes by in the foreground.
Engaged Couple Urban Portrait in Grado With Bicycle and Dog Silhouette
Italian townsilhouetteGradodog in basketblack and whiteItalystreet photography
In Grado, Gorizia, Italy, the couple sits together on a bench facing a beautiful, historic building, enjoying the charm and elegance of their surroundings.
Engaged Couple on Bench in Grado at Historic Building for Portrait Session
historic buildingElegancecandidengaged couplecharmsitting on benchscenic
In Venice, Italy, the couple is beautifully captured with their reflection in a window, set against the backdrop of the city's iconic scenery.
Engaged Couple Reflected in Window With Iconic Venice
sceniccandiddestinationItalyiconic scenerycityscapelove
In Philadelphia, the couple shares a tender hand kiss beside a tranquil pond, surrounded by vibrant trees and a bright blue sky overhead.
Engaged Couple Sharing a Tender Hand Kiss by a Pond in Philadelphia
vibrant treestranquil pondromanceoutdoorsblue skyportrait sessionnature
At Cypress Grove in Mendocino, CA, the couple joyfully runs down the center of the street, the yellow painted lines leading the eye straight toward their laughter and energy.
Engaged Couple Running Down the Street at Cypress Grove in Mendocino
engaged couplerunningCalifornia - NorthernsceniclaughterjoyMendocino
At a street corner on the Bund in Shanghai, China, he holds her close in a sweet pause amid the city's rush, captured from a low camera angle.
A Sweet Pause on the Bund at a Shanghai Street Corner for a Couple's Pre-Wedding Portrait Session
loveembracecandidDowntowncityscapePre Weddingcouple
In Göreme, Nevşehir, Turkey, a Cappadocia pre-wedding photo session captures the couple playing in the snow, wearing beanies, sharing a playful and romantic dip.
Playful Snowy Dip in Cappadocia Pre-Wedding Couple Portrait Session
unique locationromantic dipoutdoorsNevsehirwinterGoremeportrait session
In Córdoba, Spain, a pre-wedding portrait shows the couple head to head, holding hands and smiling warmly at each other.
Head to Head Smiles in Córdoba Pre-Wedding Couple Portrait Session
holding handssmilingconnectionSpainromanceengagedoutdoors
In Vejer de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain, a pre-wedding photo shows the couple holding hands and smiling in sunglasses as they peek around a village alleyway corner, framed by Old World stone structures.
Peeking Around a Stone Alley Corner With Sunglasses in Vejer de la Frontera Couple Portrait Session
couplesunglassesromancepeekingloveVejer de la Fronteraholding hands

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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.