Wedding Photos of Emotions

The following “Emotions” 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 “Emotions” 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 the Meridian Banquet Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan, a bride bids farewell to her family following the heartwarming wedding ceremony.

A Bride's Farewell at The Meridian Banquet Center

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

hilarious love Italy marriage Venice Wedding Moment BW photography funny

A bride exudes anticipation and nervous excitement as she awaits the next moment on her wedding day at Spring Ranch in Mendocino, California.

The Bride's Anticipation: Nervous Excitement at Spring Ranch in Mendocino, California

excitement happiness celebration love anticipation moment bride

A candid image of a bride being lifted by an all-female bridal party at Hackney Town Hall on her wedding day, showcasing unity and joy in celebration.

Unity and Joy: Bride Lifted by All-Female Bridal Party at Hackney Town Hall

Candid Moments laughter Unity celebration lift joy candid

A candid behind-the-scenes shot from a wedding day preparations at Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou, China, showcasing the couple and their loved ones getting ready together.

Elegant Wedding Day Preparations at Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou Capturing Love in Candid Moments

loved ones Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou emotions moment memories Elegance intimate celebration

A candid hug shot of a heartfelt moment between mother and son at Offley Place in Hertfordshire on the day of the wedding ceremony.

Mother-Son Embrace: Touching Moment Captured at Offley Place in Hertfordshire During Wedding Celebration

Hertfordshire moment special bond candid ceremony emotions mother

A heartwarming moment is captured during a wedding ceremony as the couple exchanges vows and rings, promising a lifetime of love and warmth in Shanghai, China.

Exchanging Vows: A Heartwarming Wedding Moment in Shanghai, China

rings Shanghai Ceremony Photography China emotions celebration Ceremony Moments Commitment

A humorous moment unfolds as the groom nervously gets his first tattoo at the wedding venue, while the bride and groomsmen share a laugh in this candid behind-the-scenes photo captured during the wedding day in Landhaus Nordhelle, Germany.

Amusing Groom's Tattoo Debut: Candid Laughter at Landhaus Nordhelle Wedding Day in Germany

pain emotions Landhaus Nordhelle candid groom bride laugh

Groom sheds a tear on his dad's shoulder at Thorpe Garden wedding venue in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England, as emotions of the day overwhelm him, signaling a heartwarming moment of love and happiness.

Groom's Dad Brings the Waterworks at Thorpe Garden Wedding in Staffordshire

Tamworth wedding venue England heartwarming moment happiness overwhelming Waterworks

A black and white shot capturing the intense emotions after the bride throws her bouquet at Kyrenia The House and The Garden in Cyprus.

KYRENIA CATCHER IN BLACK AND WHITE, EMOTIONAL BOUQUET TOSS WEDDING VIBES

intense Cyprus wedding photographer Kyrenia The House and The Garden The House women black and white Kyrenia

At Château de Barbegal in Arles en Provence, the mother embraces the bride in her arms after a touching ceremony, while the groom looks on.

Embracing Love: A Mother's Blessing at Château de Barbegal

Provence Château de Barbegal Provence wedding emotions embracing Arles hug

Award-winning wedding photographer captures emotional moment as the bride's mother sheds tears of joy on her daughter's special day at Chateau du Smith Haut Lafitte in Gironde.

Mom's Tears of Joy: Emotional Moment at Chateau du Smith Haut Lafitte in Gironde

emotions Gironde wedding photographer Chateau du Smith Haut Lafitte Emotional moment Mother of the bride tears Smith Haut Lafitte wedding photographer Wedding photography Gironde

A skilled wedding photographer in Shanghai captures a moving moment during a ceremony. The groom, visibly emotional, wipes away tears while holding a microphone at the altar.

Shanghai Unveiled: Emotional Groom's Tearful Vow, Captured by Skilled Wedding Photographer

China wedding photography tears Somerset wedding venue groom Shanghai unveiled Shanghai emotions

The photographer captured a special moment at Relais Castello Bevilacqua in Verona, Italy, earning the WPJA Honor Award. The image shows the emotions of the bride and groom's daughter as she witnesses her parents' ring exchange during the wedding ceremony

Verona Vows: A WPJA Honor Award for a Captured Moment at Relais Castello Bevilacqua

emotions Verona Documentary Wedding Photography ring exchange Verona couple daughter Castello Bevilacqua Garner ring ceremony

Children are seen at Brewhouse & Kitchen in Nottingham, completely absorbed in their own magical worlds while attending a wedding, exemplifying the full range of emotions experienced on such occasions

Captivating Moments: Nottingham's Children Redefine Joy at Magical Wedding

Nottingham Documentary Wedding Photography Nottinghamshire Children Brewhouse & Kitchen emotions

Bride and groom cutting the cake at the Villa Ekaterina in Vakarel Bulgaria, showing emotions on their faces

The bride and groom cut the cake in a stylish setting, expressing their feelings on their faces

cutting cake reactions Vakarel Bulgaria Vakarel Wedding Photography emotions Villa Ekaterina

The bride and groom mirrored each other's gestures in the Walled Garden in Nottingham, UK, with soft, out of focus flowers in the foreground

At the head table, the bride and groom affectionately mirrored each other's gestures, rubbing their eyes

flowers garden emotions gestures head table Nottinghamshire Nottingham bride

A diaporama at a wedding reception in Haute-Marne, France captures the emotions of three generations coming together

As a diaporama plays at a wedding reception, three generations are brought together by the shared emotions captured in the photograph

diaporama Oliver Saillard 3 generations Haute-Marne Haute Marne Photographer France emotions

Bride hugging her dad and mother of bride looking on at Colshaw Hall

The bride's warm embrace of her father and the mother of the bride's joyful gaze create a room filled with smiles and emotions of pure joy

hugging father mother Cheshire wedding photographer emotions Cheshire Colshaw Hall

Honest and sincere emotions are on display in this wedding day picture created by a Buzios documentary wedding photographer showing the bride and groom embracing head to head at their outdoor ceremony

outdoor ceremony Rio de Janeiro bride and groom Buzios head to head Buzios documentary weddings

Honest and sincere emotions are on display in this Lafitte Auditorium, Jean Lafitte wedding day picture created by a Louisiana documentary wedding photographer showing Grandmother of the bride gets her earrings put on by a group of bridesmaids

grandmother Louisiana Honest Jean Lafitte Lafitte Auditorium Jean Lafitte wedding picture

Honest and sincere emotions are on display in this wedding day picture created by an Alicante documentary wedding photographer showing an intimate and private hug for the bride

bride Alicante wedding day picture Spain private hug emotions

Honest and sincere emotions are on display in this wedding day picture created by a Cesena, Italy documentary wedding photographer showing a moment of true love with the old father

moment Emilia-Romagna Cesena photographer love Cesena Italy wedding day picture

A Colorado documentary style wedding image showing a moment showing the Bridesmaids reacting to bride

reactions reacting Colorado photographer colorado bride Colorado bride

View this pivotal moment wedding picture at the church as the groom discovers his future wife in wedding attire first look

French Groom Dordogne wedding picture emotions Dordogne discovers wedding attire first look

A top wedding reportage photographer in Lecco captured this picture of a motherly embrace

embrace Lecco emotions bw IT Luigi Rota mother

Markus Ribs Society, Istanbul marriage reception party award-winning photo that has recorded emotions right after maid of honor's speech

emotions Istanbul hugs Istanbul photographer maid of honor speech bride

Urbino, Italy nuptial day award-winning image of the groom and friend hugging outside

Italy nuptial day IT weddings friend Urbino photographer LNRD Photography outside hugging

France nuptial day award-winning image of The mother extremely moved in the arms of the bride

arms MOB mother emotions France nuptial day image france wedding photographer

Carmaux Town Hall nuptial day award-winning image of an Emotional moment of the brides grandma after the ceremony

ceremony Carmaux Town Hall brides grandma emotions Carmaux Town Hall Emotional moment

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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.