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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The bride and groom framed in an archway at the Castello di Buttrio while they have their first dance

Castello di Buttrio outdoor reception Italy first dance framed Julian Kanz black and white archway

A first dance during blue hour for their hilltop wedding in Asheville, NC

Asheville bridal hilltop tent NC first dance Asheville bride and groom

Wedding photography from Sofia, Bulgaria of the First dance with fog and purple lights

purple lights haze Sofia first dance Bulgaria fog Ognyan Stoynev

Kids playing with the smoke machine during the first dance at the Best Western Inter Expo Hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia Sofia reception Bulgaria first dance fog Best Western Inter Expo Hotel smoke machine

First dance after the ceremony at a Verona, Ontario wedding

Ontario COVID Social Distancing Verona coronavirus Verona marriage photo Verona marriage

The best-man shoots dollar bills during the newlywed couple's first dance at a Private home backyard wedding in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania

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Case De Garden, Izmir, Turkey First Dance of the couple wedding photo

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St. Sofia Golf Club First Dance for the bride and groom with fog on the floor

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Texas wedding photo from The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio of the Couple practicing the first dance as chairs are removed from a hotel ballroom

San Antonio wedding photographer covid 19 San Antonio wedding couples Philip Thomas coronavirus hotel ballroom San Antonio wedding

Florida wedding photograph from an Ocean Key Resort showing the First Dance with bride and groom

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Tented reception wedding photo from Casa Chorro, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico showing The couple dances for the first time as a married couple in front of wedding guests

Casa Chorro Mexico tent weddings Mexico Mexico wedding tents San Miguel de Allende bride

An Ani ruins, Turkey Couple showing their first-dance moves during engagement photoshoot

Turkey Ani ruins dance moves moves pre wedding locations Ani Ruins first dance Turkey engagement photos

Crazy Pool, Ruse, Bulgaria wedding reception first dance by the poolside

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Colorado Restaurant Patio Wedding Image | Bride and groom dance on the patio of the restaurant

Colorado Restaurant Patio Wedding Image of the Bride and groom dancing on the patio of the restaurant

Colorado wedding spotligt colorado wedding photographer Shea McGrath reception Colorado wedding couples covid19

The newlyweds share their first dance during sunset at 4 Eagle Ranch

wedding image of The newlyweds sharing their first dance during sunset at 4 Eagle Ranch

covid19 Sky CO first dance colorado wedding photographer Social Distancing

Della Terra Mountain Chateau, Estes Park Colorado Wedding Photo | The bride and groom share their first dance under the market lights and the stars.

Della Terra Mountain Chateau, Estes Park Colorado Wedding Photo of The bride and groom sharing their first dance under the market lights and the stars

coronavirus COVID Colorado Estes Park outdoor weddings dusk Della Terra Mountain Chateau Social Distancing

Las Caletas, Puerto Vallarta, México wedding image of the bride and groom dancing their First Dance

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The bride and groom during their first dance at the le chateau in bucharest

Romania bucharest le chateau Bucharest Romania bride and groom Romania Ballroom Le Chateau

The bride's dad holds his daughter's hand during the first dance with her husband at Masseria San Lorenzo, Lecce

holds Masseria San Lorenzo venue first dance husband Lecce bride Daniele Panareo Masseria San Lorenzo

Jaen true love image of a newly married couple on the dance floor

Jaen true love image first dance dance floor Jaén dancing bw Spain

Campinas Creative Couple Dancing Photo on the Wedding Day

slow shutter São Paulo bride reception groom first dance

Montmuran Castel, Brittany, France Photo of the Bride and groom during the first dance with shadows on the wall

Montmuran Castel Brittany Cotes dArmor wedding photo first dance Patrick Lombaert France bride and groom

England wedding photography at Ditton Park Manor venue - First dance for the bride and groom under purple lights.

bride Ditton Park Manor first dance UK Photographer groom bride and groom

London wedding photographer | Froyle Park, UK wedding venue with bride and groom First dance

London wedding photography at Froyle Park, UK venue with bride and groom's First dance

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California Reception venue photography | The bride and groom's first dance at reception

California Reception photo of The bride and groom's first dance at reception

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the bride and groom surrounded by guests clapping

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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.