WPJA.com HomeWedding Photojournalist Association

Wedding Photos of Elegant

For Couples / Wedding Photos of Elegant

The following “Elegant” 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 “Elegant” 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.

Enter Keywords:  
At Wyndham Grand Kalamis in Istanbul, the bride prepares for her wedding day, surrounded by elegant decor, a TV, and the anticipation of the celebration ahead.
Surrounded By Anticipation At Wyndham Grand Kalamis In Istanbul, The Bride Prepares With Elegant Decor And A Television Nearby.
IstanbulWyndham Grand Kalamis weddingelegantelegant wedding preparationWyndham Grand Kalamisanticipation wedding decorpreparation
At Chateau de Rossignol in Chalignac, Dordogne, France, the bride sits serenely while having her makeup done. The lighting and composition evoke the timeless elegance of an old-world oil painting by a master.
Photo by: Guillaume Abello - Issigeac Dordogne (24)
portraitmasterfulsereneFrancemakeuplightingWedding Prep
In l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Vaucluse, France, under a rainy night sky, the groom gently holds the bride’s dress train as she walks down stone steps in a garden, surrounded by glistening greenery.
Groom Holds Bride's Train In L Isle sur la Sorgue
stone stepsbridegroomweddingdress trainFranceglistening
At Palazzo Te in Mantova, Italy, a couple shares a romantic dip in an empty room. Captured in black and white, natural window light accentuates their intimacy and creates a timeless, elegant portrait.
Wedding Couple Share Romantic Dip In Empty Room At Palazzo Te
lightelegantcoupleempty roomPalazzo Teindoortimeless
At Villa Schiarino in Bancole, Mantua, Italy, the bride tosses her bouquet from the staircase. The bouquet hovers humorously between two grand columns, resembling a goal, adding playful energy to the elegant setting.
Bride Tosses Bouquet From Villa Schiarino Staircase In Mantua, Bouquet Hovers Between Columns Playfully Amid Elegant Setting
BancoleItalycolumnsplayfulenergyhumorVilla Schiarino
At Casa di Papi in Lazise, Verona, Italy, a clean, bold detail shot highlights sommeliers carefully preparing the aperitivo, showcasing their skillful hands and elegant glassware as they set the stage for elegant celebration.
Clean Detail Shot Of Sommeliers Preparing Aperitivo At Casa Di Papi Lazise, Verona, Highlighting Skillful Hands And Elegant Glassware For Wedding Celebration
preparationItalyServiceskillful handsreceptionsetupelegant
At Austria's Schloss Kammer reception venue, the bride elegantly strolls across the grounds, holding a single celebratory balloon.
Schloss Kammer, Austria: An Elegant Bride Strolls the Grounds Holding a Single Celebratory Balloon
Austriaelegantballoonaustria brideSchloss Kammerstroll
This stunning black and white portrait from a private atelier in Ravenna, Italy, captures an intimate scene as the couple stands in the window light; she wears fancy clothes, both have eyes closed, and he tenderly kisses her shoulder.
Tender Shoulder Kiss in Window Light at Private Atelier Ravenna Couple Portrait Session
artisticRavennafancy clothesengagedintimateprivate atelierportrait session
At Du Lac et Du Parc Grand Resort in Riva del Garda, Italy, the couple cuts their wedding cake amid a picturesque lakeside and fireworks backdrop, marking a memorable and elegant celebration moment.
Du Lac et Du Parc Grand Resort, Riva del Garda Wedding: Couple Cuts Cake By Lake With Fireworks
cutting cakefireworksDu Lac et Du Parc Grand ResortTrentoRiva del GardaelegantTrentino-Alto Adige
The couple walks hand-in-hand through the arched doorway of a garden at Banmu Garden in Kaifeng, China, capturing a beautiful portrait of togetherness and romance within the classic architecture.
Hand in Hand Through the Arched Garden Doorway at Banmu Garden Couple Portrait Session
arched doorwayChinaloveportrait sessionengagedromanceTogetherness
At Castello del Nero, Firenze, this Tuscany couple portrait captures the pair sitting close together on a wooden bench against a wall, ivy overhead framing them in a scene of quiet romance.
Quiet Romance on a Bench at Castello del Nero Tuscany Couple Portrait Session
ivyoutdoorsWooden benchcouplequiet romancesitting closeCastello del Nero
Espaço Natureza — In a high-angle portrait, the bride looks up at the camera through hanging crystals, creating an artistic and ethereal effect for her wedding image at this elegant venue.
Bride's Ethereal High-Angle Portrait Through Crystals at Espaço Natureza
elegantEspaço Naturezahanging crystalsethereal effectSao Paulo Bridal PortraitSão Paulohigh angle
Cañada de las Hazadillas, Jaén, Spain — The bride stands illuminated atop a stone arched bridge, creating a striking and elegant wedding portrait against the natural landscape.
In Cañada de las Hazadillas Jaén Spain Bride Stands Illuminated on Stone Arch Bridge
Jaen wedding portraitCañada de las Hazadillas photographyHazadillas Spain weddingJaénelegant wedding sceneryCañada de las Hazadillas weddingbridge
Château Flojague — The bride and groom share a kiss at sunset, positioned low in a tall vertical frame, creating a romantic and elegant wedding portrait against the evening sky.
At Château Flojague Couple Shares a Kiss Low in Vertical Frame at Sunset
evening skyFlojague château venueChâteau Flojague photographyChâteau Flojague weddingSkyromanticChateau Flojague
Florence, Tuscany — At their ceremony location, the bride enjoys a sun bath in the distance while the groom stands in the foreground, both bathed in warm light for an elegant wedding portrait.
Tuscan Sun Bathes Elegant Bride And Groom In A Warm Wedding Portrait
bride sun bathelegantFlorenceFlorence ceremony locationTuscanydistanceFlorence wedding portrait
Florence, Tuscany — The bride and groom stand outdoors at the reception venue in warm afternoon sunlight, with her veil sweeping long across the frame for a romantic and elegant wedding portrait.
Florentine Sunlight Kisses Veil: A Romantic, Elegant Tuscan Wedding Portrait
warm afternoon sunlightveilelegantFlorence reception locationoutdoor wedding portraitFlorence wedding portraitsunlight
A detailed artistic photograph from the International Spy Museum, Washington DC, beautifully captures the head table adorned with a vibrant and colorful floral centerpiece, showcasing the elegant wedding day details.
Spy Museum Wedding Head Table Floral Centerpiece Elegance: A Detailed Artistic Capture
elegantvibrantInternational Spy Museum weddingvibrant floral centerpieceWashington DCInternational Spy Museum photographyInternational Spy Museum DC
Castelnau des Fieumarcon, Lectoure, France — The bride gazes thoughtfully at her bouquet, standing indoors against richly painted dark blue walls, creating an elegant and serene wedding portrait.
Elegant Serene Bridal Portrait With Bouquet At Castelnau Des Fieumarcon Lectoure France
indoor weddingCastelnau des Fieumarcon photographyCastelnau des Fieumarcon FrancesereneGerspaintedbride bouquet gaze
Ashridge House, Berkhamsted, UK — The bride and groom stand off-center to the right in minimalist framing, bathed in warm sunset light for a romantic and elegant wedding portrait.
Berkhamsted's Ashridge House Sunset: Romantic, Minimalist Portrait of a Loving Couple
minimalist wedding portraitelegantAshridge House BerkhamstedAshridge House UKAshridge Houseminimalistsunset
Ballroom at the Ben, Philadelphia — The newlyweds share a timeless embrace with eyes closed on a grand staircase, symmetrically framed and bathed in golden light for a quiet and elegant wedding portrait.
Elegant Timeless Wedding Portrait - Couple Embracing On Grand Staircase At Ballroom At The Ben Philadelphia
elegantPhiladelphia wedding portraittimelessGoldenthe Ben venuegrand staircaseBallroom at the Ben photography
Château du Parc Saint Lambert la Potherie, France, presents an artistic aerial view of the stately reception venue's shimmering pool and surrounding grounds set up for the wedding brunch, offering a broad scene setter of the elegant day.
Artistic Aerial Scene Setter Of Wedding Brunch At Château Du Parc Saint Lambert La Potherie France
elegantartistic aerial viewelegant wedding brunchMaine et Loire wedding venueChâteau du Parc Saint Lambert la PotherieChâteau du Parc Saint LambertParc Saint Lambert la Potherie
Château de Contremoret — The bride is shown in profile, her image reflected three times in mirrors around the room, creating an elegant and artistic wedding portrait that highlights her beauty.
Elegant Artistic Bridal Portrait With Reflections In Mirrors At Château De Contremoret France
beauty highlighted profileChâteau Contremoretelegant mirror reflectionContremoret venueChateau de ContremoretCher Bridal Portraitartistic wedding portrait
An elegant detail shot from a Nanping, Fujian hotel shows a Chinese character being carefully applied to a window during the getting ready portion of a wedding day.
Chinese Character Detail Applied To Window At Nanping Fujian Hotel Wedding Day Preparation
getting ready shotFujian Hotel Weddingcharacterwedding day detailNanpingFujianelegant
A couple walks together in the sunlight in Bangkok, Thailand, with an old world building as their backdrop. The warm light highlights their connection in this elegant engagement portrait.
Bangkok Engagement: A Sunlit Stroll Into Their Elegant New Beginning
Bangkok PreWedding PortraitOld World BuildingpillarselegantBangkokwarm light
An elegant details photograph captured at Schloss Ehreshoven in Engelskirchen, Germany, shows the intertwined hands of the parents holding their daughter's hand during the wedding ceremony.
Elegant Wedding Ceremony Detail Of Parents Holding Daughters Hand At Schloss Ehreshoven Germany
Schloss Ehreshovenintertwined hands loveGermanyparentsEngelskirchen ceremonyelegantSchloss Ehreshoven wedding
An elegant Dordogne, France photograph of a wedding day to do list displayed neatly on a saloon table creates a thoughtful, stylized artistic detail portrait of the couple's preparations.
Artistic Detail Shot Of Wedding Day To Do List In Dordogne France Preparation Scene
Dordogne FranceDordogne Wedding Detailsartistic detail portraitphotographto dostylizedDordogne wedding
A bride and groom pose between oak wine barrels at Chicago Winery. The couple is backlit, creating a cinematic glow and a romantic atmosphere for their quiet wedding portrait.
Bride And Groom Backlit Between Oak Wine Barrels At Chicago Winery For A Cinematic, Romantic Portrait
wineryatmosphereportraitbrideChicago Wineryquiet sessionoak barrels
A couple poses for a wedding portrait on a stair landing at the Boston Public Library. The library's ornate architecture creates a beautiful and dramatic backdrop for the indoor session.
Wedding Portrait On Grand Stair Landing At Boston Public Library, Framed By Ornate Architectural Details
wedding portraitBoston Public LibraryelegantbeautifulbackdropDramaticcouple
At Raffles Hotel Boston, a stunning top-down view captures the bride gracefully descending an elegant spiral staircase. Her wedding gown flows behind like a cascade, creating a timeless and artistic moment filled with anticipation and beauty.
Bride Gracefully Descends Elegant Spiral Staircase At Raffles Hotel Boston In A Timeless, Artistic Wedding Image
elegantRaffles Hotel BostonbeautydescendingtimelessBostontop down
Rue Mouffetard, Paris 13, a stunning backdrop as a couple poses elegantly for an artistic and detailed wedding day portrait during a leisurely stroll through the small, historic streets of the capital.
Artistic Wedding Portrait During Stroll On Rue Mouffetard Paris 13 France
leisurely wedding strollParisParis 13 strollParis wedding portraitdetailedstunningRue Mouffetard wedding

Pages

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.