Wedding Photos of First look

The following “First look” 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 look” 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 Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Chicago, IL, an emotional first look captures the bride and groom face to face, sharing smiles in a black-and-white photograph.

Chicago Ritz-Carlton First Look: Bride and Groom's Emotional Smiles in Black and White

Bochum, Germany: Bride's emotional reaction to seeing her husband for the first time is captured in a tight, black and white balcony shot.

Bochum Wedding: Bride's Emotional First Look at Husband, Captured in Black and White

tears tight shot black and white Bochum Wedding Photography Germany Bochum emotional bride

At Wentworth Inn in Jackson, New Hampshire, bridesmaids watch as the bride walks down the stairs for her first look.

Bridesmaids Watch Bride's Descent For First Look at Wentworth Inn, Jackson, New Hampshire

bridesmaid first look Jackson NH Wedding Photography New Hampshire Wentworth Inn Jackson NH

At Aldie Mansion, PA, four bridesmaids admire the bride's finished look before the ceremony.

Bridesmaids Admire Bride’s Finished Look Before Ceremony At Aldie Mansion, Pennsylvania

first look pre ceremony moment Pennsylvania bridesmaids Bucks County PA admiring bride Doylestown

In a home in Paris, Île-de-France, the bridesmaids excitedly see the wedding dress for the first time as the bride walks into the room carrying it, in a moment filled with joy and anticipation.

Paris Home Scene of Dress Reveal Before Wedding

Paris Joyful Reveal emotion Paris Love France Parisian celebration unveiling

At Rittergut Stoermede in Geseke, Germany, the father of the bride is moved to tears as he sees her for the first time on the wedding day.

Father of Bride Tears Up Seeing Daughter on Wedding Day in Germany

german wedding Geseke Bridal Tears wedding day Geseke Moment Germany Matrimony wedding emotion

At the bride's house in Amsterdam, Noord Holland, the bride and groom share a heartfelt hug during their first look at the entrance door on the decorated porch.

Bride, Groom Share Heartfelt First Look at Amsterdam Home

love atmosphere bride and groom Amsterdam Event Amsterdam Noord Holland Togetherness

At Swancar Farm, the father of the bride places his hand over his mouth, overwhelmed with emotion as he sees his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time.

Dad Overwhelmed With Emotion Seeing Daughter in Wedding Dress at Swancar Farm

unforgettable intimate moment first look FOB atmosphere daughter Nottingham Event

At Euridge Manor, a father becomes teary-eyed as he sees his daughter for the first time in her wedding dress, using a kerchief to wipe away his tears in a deeply emotional moment.

Dad's Tears: Euridge Manor Wedding Captures Emotional First Look

intimacy atmosphere connection Bath joy Sentiment Bath wedding

At Mountain Shadows in Scottsdale, Arizona, the bride's family reacts with awe and delight upon seeing her for the first time. She turns to reveal the back of her dress and veil, with the groom standing beside her, smiling warmly.

Bride's Reveal at Mountain Shadows Stuns Family, Groom Smiles

Mountain Shadows emotion Mountain Shadows Venue reaction veil atmosphere Arizona

At Sky Ranch Lodge in Sedona, Arizona, the father of the bride pauses, overwhelmed by emotion, as he sees his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time.

Father Sees Daughter in Wedding Dress at Sky Ranch Lodge, Sedona, Arizona

Sky Ranch Lodge Sky Ranch Lodge venue pause atmosphere father of the bride love Sedona

In Alamo Heights, San Antonio, Texas, the mother of the groom and his sister watch with anticipation from a window as the couple shares their first look on their wedding day.

In Alamo Heights, San Antonio, Texas, the groom's mother and sister eagerly watch from a window as the couple shares their first look on their wedding day.

intimacy sister atmosphere first look window family excitement

In Montmartre, Paris, family members eagerly gather at the windows, watching with joy and anticipation as the bride and groom share their tender first look below.

Anticipation and Awe: A First Look Unveiled in Montmartre

joy love family members Paris Montmartre Scene romantic moment Gathered at Windows

A striking image of a nontraditional bride descending a set of stairs in Brooklyn, New York, dressed in a stunning purple gown, captures the excitement and anticipation of her first look, earning it a WPJA Spotlight award.

Elegance in Purple: A Nontraditional Bride's Grand Descent in Brooklyn

descending excitement gown anticipation New York City - Metro Brooklyn New York Brooklyn

At Crooked Willow Farms in Larkspur, an emotional father is captured during his first look with his daughter, embodying the deep love and joy of the wedding day.

Emotional Father Captured in First Look with Daughter at Crooked Willow Farms Wedding in Larkspur

Larkspur wedding emotion joy Crooked Willow first look first look deep love Larkspur weddings familial bond

At the bride's home in Oakham, Rutland, bridesmaids express joyful reactions through the doorway as they see the bride for the first time, capturing a heartfelt wedding moment.

Joyful Bridesmaids React to Bride's First Appearance at Oakham, Rutland Wedding Ceremony

wedding Rutland bridesmaids joyful first look England Rutland-UK Oakham

At the reception venue in Vienne, the bridesmaids share a loving embrace with the bride following the first look.

Bridesmaids Embrace Bride at Vienne Reception After First Look

embrace bride candid wedding Haute Vienne Wedding Photography Vienne Vienne reception venue

A soft, dreamlike shot of a first look in a palm house in Bulgaria. Mist appears on the lens, adding to the ethereal atmosphere.

First Look Magic: Mist-Kissed Romance in a Dreamy Palm House Setting

dreamlike wedding moment soft focus first look soft palm house dreamlike shot palm house first look first look

A mixed wedding at Villa Montalbano in Varese, Italy. Danish and Swiss spouses share a first look on the beautiful old stairs before the ceremony begins.

Mixed Wedding at Villa Montalbano in Varese, Italy: Danish and Swiss Spouses Share First Look on Beautiful Old Stairs Before Ceremony Begins

black and white descending stairs Villa Montalbano Varese first look varese wedding photography vertical composition

At The Marmara Esma Sultan in Istanbul, the couple shares their first look, framed indoors in separate doorways. They reach a hand toward each other, capturing the anticipation before seeing each other.

Couple Shares First Look, Reaching Hands Toward Each Other in Separate Doorways at The Marmara Esma Sultan in Istanbul, Capturing Anticipation

framed in doorways first look Istanbul wedding photography reaching out hand separate doorways Istanbul The Marmara Esma Sultan

At Hotel Sportalm Gipfelglück in Lüdenscheid, NRW, Germany, the bride and her dad share an emotional first look. They embrace warmly, with a big smile lighting up his face.

Bride and Dad Share Emotional First Look, Embracing Warmly with Big Smile Lighting Up His Face at Hotel Sportalm Gipfelglück in Lüdenscheid, NRW, Germany

Hotel Sportalm Gipfelglück North Rhine-Westphalia smile Lüdenscheid Ludenscheid Wedding Photography first look Bride and father

At a venue in Isere, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the bride's parents gaze with emotion as they see her for the first time in her wedding dress.

Bride's Parents Gaze Emotionally at Her First Wedding Dress Reveal in Isere Venue, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

family first look wedding dress proud emotion pre ceremony Isere

In Feytiat 87, France, guests gather excitedly on the steps and porch landing of a building to witness the first look.

Guests Eagerly Gather on Steps for First Look at Feytiat 87 Wedding in France

gather steps anticipation Feytiat wedding witness excited

At the Marriott Hotel in Brookline, Massachusetts, a touching scene unfolds as the father embraces the bride upon seeing her in her wedding dress for the first time, conveying deep emotion and pride.

Father Emotionally Embraces Bride at First Wedding Dress Reveal at Marriott Hotel, Brookline, Massachusetts

wedding joy happy tears wedding tradition dress reveal Emotional moment wedding embrace loving gaze

Canmore, Alberta, Canada - The bridal party shares a heartfelt first look at the hotel on the bride's big day.

Documentary Image of Bride and Bridal Party's First Look in Canmore, Alberta

Canada hotel preparations bridesmaids Canmore wedding photography Canmore bridal party Alberta

Groom's Heartwarming Response to Bride's First Look at Cielo Castle Pines Nuptials

Bride's First Look Brings Groom to Tears at Cielo Castle Pines Nuptials

first look Castle Rock Wedding Photography Cielo at Castle Pines heartwarming Colorado Castle Rock bw image

At Brenwood Lakes, Virginia, the bride with her bridal party as they gather together inside the elegant cabin for a first look.

Breathtaking Bridal Wedding Party First Look at Brenwood Lakes, Virginia

cabin Virginia wedding photography Virginia first look bride Brenwood Lakes bridal party

A bride prepares for her wedding in Istanbul, Turkey, surrounded by the love and support of her mother and sisters. In the getting ready room, they share a special moment as they see the bride in her dress for the first time.

Bride Shares Touching Moment with Mother and Sisters Before Istanbul Wedding

bw moment mother and sisters first look Turkey Istanbul Istanbul wedding photography

Wedding photo captured at Castello di Duino, Trieste, Italy, showing the bride meeting her groom for the first time before the ceremony. A beautiful and emotional scene captured by a skilled photographer.

Emotional first look at Castello di Duino: Bride meets groom in stunning Italian setting

emotional scene Castello di Duino castle wedding Trieste first look Duino Wedding Photography pre ceremony moment

A heartwarming moment is immortalized as a bride affectionately kisses her son during a first look at a private home in Newport, RI USA on her wedding day.

Emotional First Look: Bride Tenderly Kisses Son at Private Home in Newport, RI USA

emotional boy first look moment heartwarming wedding photo son

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.