Wedding Photos of Celebrating

The following “Celebrating” 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 “Celebrating” 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.

Newly wed couple in Perkins Cove, Ogunquit Maine, celebrating their elopement with champagne popping after sailing on the ocean.

POP THE CORK! NEWLYWED DUO IN OGUNQUIT TOAST AFTER SAILING ELOPEMENT OCEAN LOVE

At Domaine de Villary in Nimes, the bride enters with joy, her face beaming with happiness and excitement, arms raised in celebration.

Joyous Entrance: A Nuptial Celebration at Domaine de Villary

celebrating joy happy ceremony exit Domaine de Villary Nimes professional photographer Nimes

Newlyweds celebrate at Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Colorado, holding hands overhead with big warm smiles after being pronounced husband and wife.

Love Elevated: A Museum Wedding in Denver

warm smiles Denver hands overhead Denver Museum of Nature and Science Denver Outdoor Ceremony celebrating newly married

Lifestyle couple portrait at Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, CA. A couple joyfully celebrates their love, popping champagne together on the bow of a boat, framed in the center of the picture.

Love Amongst the Scenic Serenity: A Delightfully Intimate Engagement Portrait at Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe

California - Northern Emerald Bay celebrating Emerald Bay Engagement Session bow of boat champagne lake engagement

Bridesmaid at Domaine de Clairefontaine, Noyarey, France catching the bouquet and celebrating with both hands raised over her head, surrounded by women

Noyarey Nuptials: Bridesmaid's Joyful Bouquet Catch-Fest at Domaine de Clairefontaine

Domaine de Clairefontaine outdoor weddings in France Noyarey weddings flowers bouquet Grenoble toss

In this image, captured by an Italian wedding photographer at Villa Hamalia in Sicily, the bride is embraced by joyful guests as she celebrates, her arms raised to the sky

Villa Hamalia in Sicily: A Blissful Bride Immersed in Love and Celebration

Sicily Documentary Wedding Photography Villa Hamalia arms raised high Italy joyful bride celebrating Sicily

A couple celebrates their wedding at Marianmade Farm in Wiscasset, Maine, as they share a fun moment while cutting their beautiful wedding cake

Marianmade Farm in Wiscasset, Maine: A Sweet Slice of Wedding Bliss

Wiscasset Documentary Wedding Photography cutting cake Midcoast Maine wedding cake Maine Wiscasset celebrating

This WPJA Honor Award-winning photo captures the joyful moment as the bride and groom exit a vibrant church in Lyon. They are surrounded by falling flower petals, adding a colorful touch to their wedding day.

Lyon: A Majestic Wedding, Immersed in Petals, Joyfully Celebrated

celebrating falling flower petals throwing petals Rhône church exit France Lyon

The cake! A black and white photo captures a couple celebrating with fireworks at Piccolo Lago, overlooking Lake Maggiore, Italy. The joyous moment adds a vibrant glow to the night sky.

Dazzling Delights: A Captivating Snapshot of Love and Fireworks - A Stunning Celebration Atop Piccolo Lago, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Lake Maggiore fireworks Lake Maggiore wedding photography night sky Italian Lakes Region celebrating black and white

The groom is carried by the crowd upon his arrival at the reception venue in Île-de-France, Paris. The spirited display reflects the joy and exuberance of the wedding celebration.

Capturing the Epitome of Elation: Wedding Party Lifts Groom in Spirited Reception Arrival at Île-de-France, Paris!

Paris documentary wedding photography Paris groom lifted up crowd surfing celebrating

Brides celebrate their union by holding hands triumphantly over their heads as they exit their ceremony in Minneapolis, MN

Capturing Blissful Unity: Brides Radiate Joy in Minneapolis Wedding

exiting ceremony celebrating newly married MN outdoor ceremony Minneapolis Minneapolis Documentary Wedding Photography

A bride and her friends wade into the sea at Vinpearl Resort in Vietnam, celebrating and having fun during the haldi ceremony

Breathtaking Moments: Bride and Friends Unleash Joy at Vinpearl Resort

Vietnam Documentary Wedding Photography ocean celebrating breaking waves wading in water Vietnam Vinpearl Resort

A couple and their wedding party cheerfully celebrate on a Chicago Trolley after their wedding in Chicago, Illinois

Unforgettable Wedding Bliss: Chicago Newlyweds Revel on Trolley Extravaganza

Chicago Documentary Wedding Photography bride and groom Chicago celebrating wedding party Chicago Trolley

Guests raising their glasses in a toast at Ashridge House wedding reception

Ashridge Toast: Capturing the Joyful Cheers of a Memorable Wedding Celebration

United Kingdom Wedding Venues couple Wedding Occasion toasting toast Wedding Venues in Hertfordshire Ashridge House

A romantic photo of the newlyweds underneath a tree at the beautiful Le manoir du Thil in Eure, Normandy

Nature's Embrace: A Love Story at Le Manoir du Thil

Normandy Night wedding twinkling lights Lights Le Manoir du Thil Oise

At a reception venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the couple kissed to celebrate the first seconds of 2023, with the guests welcoming in the new year

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the couple kissed to welcome 2023, with guests cheering

guests cheering Philadelphia wedding photographer new years Philadelphia dance floor Pennsylvania celebrating

The groom and bride joyfully celebrated their union at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Chicago, IL, with the groom pumping his fist and the bride smiling

At St. Joseph Catholic Church in Chicago, IL, the groom and bride celebrated joyfully with the groom pumping his fist and the bride smiling

exiting church Chicago Chicago wedding photography celebrating St Joseph Catholic Church smiling fist pumping

The couple, elated to be celebrating their engagement at Nantucket Sound, MA, are about to embark on the next step of their journey together, as they pose for a lifestyle engagement photoshoot on their boat and toast the occasion with champagne

The elated engaged couple toasting their love on a boat at Nantucket Sound, MA, embark on the journey of forever together

sunshine Nantucket Engagement Photography celebrating on the water champagne Nantucket Nantucket Sound

The Walden bride and groom posed for a portrait atop a rooftop, a grand celebration under a bright sky with clouds

On a rooftop, the Walden couple celebrated their union with a portrait against a bright sky

The Walden celebrating bright sky Chicago Rooftop sky and clouds Chicago photographer

As the Chateau St julien echoed with laughter, the newlyweds watched happily as their guests departed with joy in their hearts

Guests left the ceremony, their hearts filled with joy

Chateau St Julien Bordeaux ceremony exit Bordeaux photographer celebrating

A celebration at Amar House - Juquery SP Brazil for the couple after rescheduling the wedding 3 times due to the pandemic, they are finally married

The couple were ecstatic as they celebrated finally being married, thrusting their arms into the air

finally married São Paulo wedding photographer Amar House Juquery celebrating raised arms São Paulo

The Toast from the B&G at the end of the ceremony outside on the lawn of Nauset Beach Inn, Cape Cod

At the end of the beach wedding ceremony, the couple toasted on the lawn

beach wedding Cape Cod wedding photographer celebrating toasting Nauset Beach Inn Cape Cod

A wedding photograph from Château La Hitte, France showing bride and groom celebrating at the after party with guests

A photograph of a joyous wedding reception at a Château, with the newly married couple and their family and friends celebrating

Lot-et-Garonne Chateau La Hitte Lavardac Lot et Garonne wedding photographer celebrating family and friends purple light

The couple ceremoniously threw popcorn from The Guardians Stadium seating area towards the camera

At The Guardians Stadium, the couple tossed popcorn toward the camera in a celebratory manner

Cleveland Artistic Photographer celebrating The Guardians Stadium Cleveland popcorn

World-class documentary wedding image from the Netherlands capturing the bride and groom celebrating right after the ceremony

just married post ceremony Teun Bakker Netherlands photographer celebrating Netherlands

A documentary wedding photographer at an event venue in Ardeche captured the Entrance of the boys

reception party Ardeche Photographer celebrating Jerome Villard Ardeche

Cornelius NC lifestyle couples portrait session at Jetton Park showing they are Celebrating their engagement

Cornelius NC NC lifestyle couple Jetton Park North Carolina celebrating park

An extraordinary Vinicola Don Giovanni wedding image by a professional Brazil photographer in Linha Amadeu, Pinto Bandeira conveying the bride and groom walking and holding hands while celebrating with guest cheering behind them

holding hands guests Pinto Bandeira Pinto Bandeira weddings walking cheering

Arizona wedding reportage photographer captured this moment at the Alcantara Vineyared showing the couple Celebrating after announced husband and wife

Alcantara Vineyards and Winery Cottonwood AZ Alcantara Vineyared wedding venue celebrating announced arizona wedding photographer

Alberta stylish, winter wedding day couple portrait created in front of a hotel at the frozen lake for the Couple celebrating their love

Calgary Alberta couple portrait Canada Alberta bride and groom hotel Alberta Canada Couple

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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.