Wedding Photos of Destination

The following “Destination” 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 “Destination” 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.

An amusing moment captured in black and white as a gondolier hilariously reacts to a newlywed couple sharing a kiss on their wedding day in Venice, Italy.

Venetian Gondolier's Comical Delight: Newlyweds Share a Kiss on Their Wedding Day in Venice

A beautiful bride boards a water taxi in Portland, Maine, heading towards her Peaks Island wedding ceremony on a sunny day.

Bride Boards Water Taxi for Peaks Island Wedding in Portland, Maine on Sunny Day

bride water taxi Portland ME Wedding Moment boat destination dock water

A bride, accompanied by her father, walks towards the ceremony at Hacienda Zorita in Salamanca, Spain, with a flower girl's Barbie doll in the foreground, adding a touch of whimsy to the wedding day capture.

Bride, Father, and Barbie: En Route to Ceremony at Hacienda Zorita in Salamanca, Spain

father ceremony Memorable playful fun barbie cute

In Udine, Italy, a beautiful bride emerges from a convertible at her wedding venue, being gently embraced by the sun and wind on her day.

A Radiant Bride in Udine: Embraced by Sun and Wind at Wedding Venue

Udine Wedding Moment radiant bride auto day marriage happiness

A unique perspective wedding portrait taken at Schloss Wädenswil in Switzerland, showcasing the couple's first look by each being on opposite sides of a stunning old building that is reminiscent of a fairytale setting.

Schloss Wädenswil Fairytale First Look: Opposite Sides, One Love in Switzerland's Enchanting Setting

couple European wedding photography architecture building Switzerland wedding portrait wedding portrait

A stunning wedding photograph at Chateau Rigaud Bordeaux, France, showcasing a beautiful bride and groom framed in golden hour light, standing in a picturesque vineyard at the venue.

Golden Hour Romance: Bride and Groom at Chateau Rigaud Bordeaux Vineyard, France

Scenery light Bordeaux bride sunset wedding photograph rustic intimate

Newlyweds walk up immense white stairs at Andromedas Villa & SPA Resort in Santorini, Greece. Black and white shot emphasizes the contrast against the stunning sea backdrop.

Stairway to Forever: A Santorini Wedding Tale

greece weddings water wedding venue bw ocean Andromedas Villa stairs

Palatéia pre-wedding portrait-session with the the couple in a wooden boat just before heading to the final destination for the rehearsal photos

destination wooden boat rehearsal photos water Palatéia Gustavo Sarmento Palatéia pre wedding portrait

wedding portrait image of the bride looking out over the ocean from her room with a view

IT wedding picture wedding photography Italy bride destination wedding photography Sestri Levante Sestri Levante Italian coast

Hotel Belmond Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil fine art wedding detail photography picture showing the bride getting a helping hand while getting into her dress

fine art wedding detail photography picture showing the bride getting a helping hand while getting into her dress

bride getting ready destination wedding dress helping hand Brazil wedding photography Luxury Wedding Rio de Janeiro

Yosemite - California couple in the destination with snow for portraits

valley rock face mountain top nature destination mountains Yosemite pre wed

Destination engagement photo session on a Cruise Ship MSC Seaview of a couple reflected in a glass surface.

Destination engagement photo session on a Cruise Ship of a couple reflected in a glass surface

destination MSC Seaview glass surface reflected São Paulo engagement photographer cruise ship

São Paulo Engagement Photographer - destination session with birds flying

The engaged couple posed for their destination session with the photographer, the birds flying in the blue sky and the city lamp post silhouettes adding a unique and dreamy touch to their photos

São Paulo engagement photography birds flying destination lamp post blue sky dreamy touch city lamp

Campinas destination portrait session - pre-wedding shoot in red

The engaged couple posed in red and black in front of an artsy, dark background for their pre-wedding portrait session, the silhouette adding a striking and unique touch to the images

red red and black Campinas striking artsy dark background destination silhouette

Maui, Hawaii engagement session in black-and-white | Destination wedding and portrait photographer

The engaged couple shared a tender and intimate kiss during their destination engagement session, captured in a tight shot in black and white as they celebrated their love and commitment to each other

Hawaii black and white destination Hawaii engagement session Maui

A wedding photo taken from a high angle in Reggio Calabria, Italy shows the bride wearing white All Star Chuck sneakers

The bride in Reggio Calabria, Italy wore white All Star Chuck sneakers to her wedding

wedding dress Reggio Calabria Italy high-angle shot bridal shoes sneakers for wedding white All Star sneakers italian wedding

Porto, Portugal destination wedding reception photograph of bride jumping into pool with wedding dress still on

wedding dress water destination pool Portugal photograph celebration

Wedding shoot with Fafe, Portugal couple in the back of a car with guest driving

Going Places Together: A Fafe Wedding Journey

destination romance newlyweds Portugal wedding picture Portugal bw Braga wedding photographer

Windy day wedding photography in Marseille, France

Whispers in the Mistral: A Windy Day Wedding in Marseille

car wind bride day windy outdoors Marseille wedding picture

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.