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.

A top wedding photographer in Hangzhou, China captured this picture of the First dance at night under lights on the grass

Best wedding reportage photography from East Rildesten showing a pic of the outdoor First Dance

first dance Janina Brocklesby sunlight East Rildesten bride and groom grass UK wedding reportage photography

Gotse Delcheve best wedding photography from Hotel Baroto showing a pic of a Bulgaria First Dance

Bulgaria Gotse Delcheve fireworks first dance Bulgaria wedding photography Hotel Baroto

Royal Sonesta Hotel, Cambridge MA real wedding moment of guests embracing while viewing the couples first dance

Korri Crowley bridesmaids Royal Sonesta Hotel Cambridge couple first dance MA real wedding guests

Germany artistic wedding detail image of a man with his phone camera capturing the first dance

Germany artistic weddings Germany first dance man wedding detail image phone camera

Belle Mer wedding photo of the Bride and groom first dance

wedding photo bride and groom Belle Mer first dance Logan Westom

Castello di Strassoldo, Cervignano, Italy wedding photo of the First dance in a dark environment

environment dark Italy wedding photo Cervignano first dance Castello di Strassoldo

Boston, MA wedding photo from Artists for humanities Center of the Groom having fun during his first dance with wife

first dance having fun wife groom MA wedding photo Boston

Thai wedding photography from a Bangkok First dance in a highly decorated reception hall venue

Bangkok wedding image reception hall venue Thai Bangkok decorated Bangkok reception venue Chanarthip Cheingthong

Terra Residence wedding reception image of the bride and groom during their first dance

Terra Residence wedding venues Terra Residence reception venue wedding reception image bride and groom first dance Terra Residence

Wedding photo from Desmond Hotel Malvern, PA of the bride laughing during the first dance at wedding

Desmond Hotel Malvern PA first dance bride laughing pa wedding wedding

California wedding photography from San Jose, California of the bride and groom's first dance, swing dance style

first dance wedding photo San Jose Tyler Vu style California bride and groom CA

Baden-Württemberg wedding photo from the lit reception showing the bride and groom during the first dance

Baden Wurttemberg wedding couples bride and groom lit first dance reception colorful lights

Ireland wedding photo from Segrave Barns, Louth during the First dance for the last wedding in the venue before 2020 lockdown

Segrave Barns Ireland wedding photo Ireland reception venue Ireland wedding venues first dance 2020 lockdown

Colorado wedding reception photo from Della Terra Mountain Chateau (Estes Park, CO) of the groom dipping bride during first dance

Della Terra Mountain Chateau first dance dipping bride CO Estes Park Colorado wedding reception photo

Reception Venue photo from the Black Canyon Inn, Estes Park, CO of the bride and groom sharing their first dance

Estes Park bride and groom CO first dance Reception Venue photo Black Canyon Inn

Villa Walter Fontana artistic wedding photo showing first dance contact with hands

A black and white wedding photo featuring an overhead light for contrast captures the couple's first dance and the tender contact of their hands

overhead light dancing first dance tender contact Lecco lecco photographer black and white

Chicago Bride & Groom Sharing Their First Dance at the reception

outdoor receptions Bride & groom IL reception garden receptions open air wedding venue outside reception

Chicago couple image of them during their first dance at the wedding reception

outside reception first dance outdoor receptions outdoor wedding reception Chicago couple image open air wedding venue

Picture of a Couple dancing their first dance in their apartment in Madison, WI

Ilana Bar av WI garden receptions open air wedding venue apartment outdoor receptions outside reception

Belle Mer Wedding Reception venue image of the Bride and Groom first dance

Belle Mer wedding venues Belle Mer reception venue Belle Mer first dance Belle Mer Wedding Reception venue Logan Westom

VT outdoor, tented wedding photo from Manchester, Vermont as The bride and groom share their first dance with their dog

outside reception Vermont bride and groom garden receptions Tented Wedding Manchester

A Trieste wedding photographer captured this moment at Stanjel Castle, Slovenia of the tender First dance

Trieste Trieste reception venue tender Trieste wedding photo castle Slovenia

Lodzkie wedding photographer took this image at the Best Western Podklasztorze in Sulejow, Poland showing us the First dance of the bride and groom - A shot taken by through speaker stand

Lodzkie Sulejow Poland bride and groom first dance Lodzkie wedding photo speaker stand

Oaxaca wedding photographer created this image from Proyecto Murguia, Oaxaca City during the First dance surrounded by their family and friends

Proyecto Murguia Oaxaca Oaxaca wedding photo friends Oaxaca City Oaxaca outside reception

Colorado wedding photos from Black Canyon Inn at Estes Park, CO of the bride and groom first dance at sunset

CO Estes Park reception venue Estes Park wedding venues bride and groom Estes Park Black Canyon Inn sunset

Bulgaria wedding photography from Villa Ekaterina, Vakarel created during the First Dance with the floor covered with white fog and clouds

Bulgaria reception venue Vakarel first dance white fog clouds floor

Bassmead, Manor Barns wedding image of the bride and groom's first dance

Manor Barns wedding Manor Barns first dance bride and groom Bassmead Bassmead wedding venues

First dance wedding photo from Las Caletas, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Las Caletas Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta bride and groom dance floor Mexico Puerto Vallarta bridal

Now Jade Resort Riviera Cancun wedding image of the bride and groom during their first dance

bride and groom Now Jade Resort first dance Riviera cancun wedding venue Cancun reception

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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.