Wedding Photos of First dance

The following “First dance” 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 “First dance” 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.

The newlyweds' dance, illuminated by sparkling chandeliers, was captured in an artistic portrait by their wedding photographer

Canada reception photography | first dance though the chandeliers in Cremona

The bride and groom had their first dance at The Normans in York, England, with the bride's tender touch on her groom's shoulder as a special detail

At The Normans in York, England, the bride and groom shared their first dance, her tender touch on his shoulder adding a special detail

North Yorkshire photographer first dance England hand on shoulder lights overhead The Normans North Yorkshire

A romantic moment between the newlyweds was captured by a Polish wedding photographer, as the groom dipped the bride during their first dance on a fog-filled dance floor

At the Wedding Venue - Lasotów Palace, Poland, the groom is kissing the bride just at the end of their first dance

Lasotow Palace Tomasz Budzynski groom kissing bride Poland Poland photographer first dance

The bride and groom's romantic first dance was captured at a Denver mountain wedding venue, offered via a stunning view from the outside

Denver Colorado Reception Venue picture of the couple being highlighted during their first dance as seen from outside

night shot Denver Venue Jennifer Garza Denver denver photographer first dance Colorado

The groom dips the bride during the first dance at Stonover Farm - Lenox, MA

The groom romantically dips the bride during the first dance at the reception party venue

Lenox first dance Lenox Wedding Venue Massachusetts dipping bride Stonover Farm Lenox Wedding Photographer

With a beautiful water reflection at Villa di Ulignano, Tuscany, the bride and groom are dancing their first dance

The bride and groom shared their first dance at Villa di Ulignano, Tuscany, as fireworks were reflected in the water below them

first dance Water reflection Tuscany Villa di Ulignano Julian Kanz Tuscany photographer

At the wedding venue Buitenplaats Amerongen, the wedding couple are doing a spectacular first dance and the bride is being lifted

In the wedding picture, the bride and groom are seen doing a stunning first dance with the bride being swept up in the air, wearing coordinating sunglasses

first dance Thomas Jongbloed sunglasses Utrecht Utrecht photographer dance floor bride lifted

Outdoors at dusk under a blue sky at Adile Sultan Sarayı of İstanbul, it is the First Dance in the stage lights

The wedding photograph captures the First Dance under the night sky outdoors at dusk, with stage lights and dreamy bokeh light bursts

stage lights Adile Sultan Sarayı first dance Istanbul Istanbul photographer

At the Virginia Park Lodge, it's time for the First dance

The guests seated in the background of the wedding picture lit from behind were ready for the First Dance

Virginia Park Lodge Ireland photographer Ireland first dance

In Limburg, Belgium, a tented reception featured the first dance for the bride and groom, captured by a local photographer. Young girls, lined up to watch, were also present for the special moment.

At a tented reception, the bride and groom shared their first dance as young girls watched in awe

Belgium Limburg photographer tented reception Limburg Kobe Vanderzande first dance

At the London, England reception venue, the bride and groom had their first dance amid a snowstorm of confetti falling on them

The bride and groom had their first dance at their wedding reception venue as confetti fell like a snowstorm

London Kristian Leven London photographer United Kingdom first dance

In a black and white moment captured from a high angle overhead shot, the newlyweds share their first dance at their Belgrade, Montana wedding, surrounded by dining guests at tables

From a high angle overhead shot, the bride and groom share their first dance as dining guests look on from tables

first dance Belgrade MT Montana Montana photographer bw moment overhead shot

guests watch the couple's first dance from outside the venue during dusk

dusk first dance Sylvan Guest Ranch Loveland Colorado photographer Colorado

The Loiret Centre-Val de Loire is a reception venue featuring an amazing ballroom design with fog and purple lights that create a stunning opening for the first dance

Loiret Centre-Val de Loire, stunning ballroom with fog and purple lights ideal for this couples first dance

Loiret Centre-Val de Loire fog purple lights first dance Ballroom Loiret Artistic Photographer

A Maryland wedding photographer at Zigbone Farm Retreat in Sabillasville captured a fantastic bridal gown flair in a first dance at the reception venue

a fantastic bridal gown flair in a first dance at the reception venue

Zigbone Farm Retreat Maryland photographer Sabillasville first dance Johnny Shryock Maryland

First dance of the bride and groom taken from outside the Denver reception venue

The first dance of the bride and groom was captured from outside the reception venue at dusk, with window reflections

dusk Denver window reflections denver wedding photographer first dance denver wedding venue

first dance in bw under dj stage lights

bw moment Poland dj stage lights Poland photographer first dance Folwark Tworzyjanki

first dance under the DJ stage lighting

dj stage lighting first dance Ipswich blue lighting All Manor of Events England

bride and groom first dance in blue lighting

blue light Gorizia Bride Italy first dance Gorizia photographer Gorizia

Italy bride and groom's romantic first dance at their indoor reception venue in Castello Formentini, San Floriano del Collio, Gorizia

The bride and groom shared a romantic first dance in low lighting at their indoor reception venue

Gorizia wedding photographer Castello Formentini low lighting Gorizia first dance romantic dance San Floriano del Collio

bride and groom first dance

Romania first dance outdoor dance floor bw moment Bucharest Gradina cu Licurici

Best Belgium reportage style wedding photography awarded image of The bride and groom having their first dance while their kids and nephews circle around them

the bride and groom having their first dance while their kids and nephews circle around them

children surround couple Belgium photographer first dance Belgium

the couples first dance under lights

Meath first dance Boyne Hill House Ireland Meath Photographer under lights

bride and groom first dance on a wood deck under a tent

Bucharest Bucharest photographer Zabola Estate wood deck under a tent first dance

confetti canons pop over the first dance

confetti canons first dance Ireland photographer Abbeyleix Ireland confetti

The reflections of the first dance glimmered off the glass walls of the wedding venue in Doel, Belgium, while the children watched

Doel, Belgium - Children watched in awe while the reflections of the first dance glimmered off the glass walls of the wedding venue

Belgium Children reflections Doel Artistic Photographer first dance Doel

bride and groom getting down during the first dance

Netherlands bride and groom dancing Netherlands photographer first dance Freek Nagtzaam

first dance of bride and groom at the reception venue

France photographer Damien Dohmen reception venue first dance France bride and groom

bride and groom First dance

bw moment bride and groom first dance UK Photographer South Farm United Kingdom

The bride and groom enjoyed their first dance under a starry-looking sky over the dance floor at the hotel reception venue

Hampshire first dance dance floor starry Sky hampshire wedding photographer Hampshire Hotel Venue England

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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.