Wedding Photos of Close up

The following “Close up” 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 “Close up” 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.

At a residence in Livermore, California, a close-up detail shot captures someone carefully applying mascara to the bride's eye during her preparation.

Applying Wedding Mascara To Bride During Preparation In Livermore California

Black and white close-up in Playa del Carmen showing the final touches of makeup, with the makeup artist’s hand reaching into the frame.

Makeup Artist Applies Final Touches During Wedding Preparation In Playa Del Carmen Black And White Close Up

bw image Playa del Carmen bride close up final touches Playa del Carmen makeup

Black and white close-up of the groom adjusting his pocket in Gordes.

Groom Adjusts Pocket In Black And White Wedding Close Up In Gordes

Vaucluse close up Gordes Gordes Groom bw image

In Córdoba, Spain, a pre-wedding portrait features the couple cheek to cheek, looking at the camera in a tight crop that reveals only half of each face.

Cheek to Cheek in Córdoba Pre-Wedding Couple Portrait Session

couple romance Pre Wedding Spain Córdoba cheek to cheek portrait session

This striking black and white vertical portrait at Château Bellefontaine, Baron, captures an intimate and shared complicity between the couple in the form of a beautiful, close-up kiss.

Black and White Kiss: Complicity Shared at Château Bellefontaine

Gironde PreWedding Portrait intimate vertical format Baron bw portrait close up Château Bellefontaine

The wedding day in Maceió - AL inspired this close-up artistic photograph focusing on the subtle texture and rich hue of the bride's elegant, freshly applied lipstick.

Maceió - AL: The Bride's Crimson Lips, A Study In Texture and Hue

lipstick Maceió close up bridal preparations Maceió Wedding Details

Peace Hotel, Shanghai, China. A close-up of a newly-wed couple embracing, viewed through a stair railing.

Shanghai Love Story: A Close-Up Embrace at the Peace Hotel

Shanghai close up Shanghai wedding photography stair railing Peace Hotel China embracing

In Piedmont Park, Atlanta, an engaged couple shares a joyful, laughing together.

Engaged Couple Laugh Joyfully Together In Beautiful Piedmont Park, Atlanta Portrait

Piedmont Park Atlanta close up engaged couple Atlanta Piedmont Park Engagement laughing

In Paris, France, a couple shares a playful kiss as he gently bites her chin. The black and white close-up captures their affection and fun loving connection in an intimate portrait.

Playful Black And White Paris Portrait: Affectionate Kiss And Fun Loving Connection

Paris PreWedding Portrait fun loving gentle bite Ile-de-France playful kiss bw portrait intimate portrait

In Hármashatárhegy, Hungary, a couple shares a tender kiss in a romantic close-up. The background features softly focused greenery, highlighting the intimacy and emotion of their engagement portrait.

Intimate Close-Up Kiss Amid Romantic Greenery At Hármashatárhegy, Hungary Engagement Portrait

Hungary greenery backdrop tender kiss romantic close up Hármashatárhegy PreWedding Portrait Hármashatárhegy

A wedding photojournalist captures a close-up of a makeup artist applying eye makeup to a bride at the Plaza Athenee in Bangkok. The artist's shirt features a cat painting.

Plaza Athenee Bangkok: A Makeup Artist's Delicate Brushstrokes for the Bride

makeup artist Bangkok cat Bangkok bride Plaza Athenee shirt art close up

A romantic close-up portrait of a couple nestled beneath the branches of a tree at Chicheley Hall, their expressions warm and affectionate, with soft natural light filtering through the leaves.

Enchanted Love Beneath the Boughs of Chicheley Hall

close up romantic vertical composition Chicheley PreWedding Portrait filtered light nestled in branches Buckinghamshire

Close-up of a bride's jewelry in an antique bowl at a Hotel in Poland.

Antique Bowl Holds a Bride's Jewelry, a Glimpse of Her Polish Wedding Day

antique bowl Hotel in Poland close up brides jewelry Poland Poland Wedding Details

A couple sits face to face in Grignan, Drôme provençale, their expressions tender and loving. The sun backlights them, creating a warm, intimate atmosphere in this close-up engagement portrait.

Provencal Sun-kissed Embrace: A Grignan Engagement Portrait of Love

backlit intimate Drome PreWedding Session Face to face Drôme Tenderness grignan

Wedding at Villa Bubenzer, Freudenberg, Germany. Little guests are happily saying hello to the newlyweds.

Little Guests Happily Greeting the Newlyweds at Villa Bubenzer in Germany

young children detailed shot Freudenberg Wedding Photography North Rhine-Westphalia close up Freudenberg Villa Bubenzer

Closeup of a joyful couple getting showered with rice outside a church in San Pietro in Trento, Italy.

Just Married: San Pietro in Trento's Joyful Shower of Rice and Love

showered with rice Trento joyful couple Italy close up San Pietro Trentino-Alto Adige

At Grand Hyatt Erawan, an emotional black and white close-up captures the groom speaking into a microphone, his gaze fixed tenderly on the bride.

Groom Gazes Tenderly at Bride While Speaking in Emotional Black and White Close-Up at Grand Hyatt Erawan

emotional bride close up Bangkok tender wedding intimate

The bride and groom hugging during their couple's photoshoot at the ceremony location in Fribourg, Switzerland.

Bride and Groom Hugging During Couple's Photoshoot at Ceremony Location in Fribourg, Switzerland

Swiss Wedding Portrait Swiss couple close up hugging Fribourg vertical frame

Close-up of bride’s face during makeup at Zephyr Palace, Villa Caletas Hotel, Jaco, Costa Rica.

Bride's Close-up Makeup Portrait at Zephyr Palace, Costa Rica

Jaco Wedding Details Zephyr Palace Villa Caletas Hotel Jaco Bridal Makeup Costa Rica close up

At their Budapest ceremony, a tender close-up captures the bride and groom holding hands tightly—her bouquet resting on her lap and him in ceremonial uniform—highlighting a powerful, quiet moment of unity and love.

Bride and Groom Hold Hands Tightly in Tender Close-Up, Symbolizing Unity at Budapest Ceremony

love Budapest groom wedding bouquet bride ceremony

Engaged couple, Indian boy and Australian girl, embracing in Maharashtra, celebrating love and cultural roots.

Engaged in Love: Indian Boy, Australian Girl Embrace Maharashtra, Celebrate Cultural Roots

Maharashtra traditional attire close up eyes closed Love in Maharashtra Maharashtra PreWedding Portrait

A close-up of a couple's joyful, kissing smiles, captured at Tenuta La Michelina, Torino, Italy.

Joyful Kiss: Torino's Tenuta La Michelina Wedding Day Portrait

Turin Wedding Portrait Turin smiling couple Joyful Kiss close up wedding bliss Tenuta La Michelina

Close-up of bride and groom's hands during vows at a local church in Messanges, France, capturing the symbolic gesture and emotional charge.

Hands Entwined: Bride and Groom Exchange Vows in Messanges, France Church

hands couples hands ring ceremony vows Messanges Wedding Photography close up Landes

Close-up of couple embracing during their engagement session in Chicago’s picturesque Lincoln Park location.

Close-Up Embrace: Engaged Couple’s Love Shines in Chicago’s Picturesque Lincoln Park

close up kiss on cheek smile Lincoln Park Chicago engagement photography Chicago bw portrait

Engaged couple in Santa Cruz, close-up with heads touching, sun shining behind them, creating a warm, glowing effect.

Sunlit Warmth: Engaged Couple’s Tender Close-Up With Glowing Santa Cruz Sunset

Santa Cruz engagement photography backlit heads touching arms around neck sunshine Santa Cruz glowing effect

A loving couple shares a kiss on a quaint street in downtown Annapolis.

Sharing a Kiss on Quaint Downtown Annapolis Street, Love in Full Bloom

loving couple Maryland hat Annapolis Engagement Portrait trees Annapolis close up

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

intimate portrait Germany black and white Solingen Wedding Portrait Solingen close up North Rhine-Westphalia

At Hidden Creek Estates in Roscoe, Illinois, the sunset portraits beautifully capture the bride and groom's matching tattoos. A close-up of their hands highlights this unique symbol of their shared commitment.

Sunset Close-Up of Bride and Groom's Matching Ink at Hidden Creek Estates

Roscoe hands Illinois Hidden Creek Estates matching tattoos close up Roscoe IL Wedding Photography

At Moselle, in front of the church, a close-up shows the bride’s white train resting gently on a ground scattered with red petals, fabric folds and bright colors creating a romantic, raw atmosphere.

Bride's Train and Red Petals Create Romantic Atmosphere in Front of Moselle Church

folded fabric Moselle wedding details brides train close up red petals raw atmosphere Moselle

A couple at Lac d'Ayron, captured in a tight, black-and-white face-to-face shot. The image highlights their intimate connection and the depth of their smiles.

Couple at Lac d'Ayron in Tight Black-and-White Portrait | Image Highlights Intimate Connection and Smiles

tight together intimate France smiles close up connection

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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.