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.

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

A beautiful bride in a white gown makes her way to the first look surrounded by eagerly watching family and friends through the windows of a private residence in Prospect Harbor, Maine on the wedding day.

Eager Eyes Witness Bride's First Look at Private Residence in Prospect Harbor, Maine

Private residence happiness friends first look emotion celebration groom

Emotional black and white image captured at a bride and groom's home in Nances city, Savoie, France, showcasing a heartfelt first look as the bride sheds tears during an embrace on their wedding day.

Tears of Joy in Nances City: Emotional Monochrome First Look at Bride and Groom's Home

wedding emotion groom intimate France joy home bw image

A unique perspective wedding portrait taken at Schloss Wädenswil in Switzerland, showcasing the couple's first look by each being on opposite sides of a stunning old building that is reminiscent of a fairytale setting.

Schloss Wädenswil Fairytale First Look: Opposite Sides, One Love in Switzerland's Enchanting Setting

Heritage romantic unique perspective destination couple European architecture

A nature portrait captured in Germany during the First Look session at a serene outdoor wedding venue, beautifully encapsulating the essence of the special day.

Enchanting First Look: Serene Nature Portrait at a German Outdoor Wedding Venue

special day wedding love Germany wedding portrait Germany Nature Portrait venue

A touching pose between the newlyweds captured at the Wental Felsenmeer venue during a portrait session on their wedding day, as they share a first look embrace on a serene rocky hillside.

Newlyweds Embrace in Wental Felsenmeer: First Look Portrait on Serene Rocky Hillside

embrace wedding day Wental Felsenmeer newlywed nature portrait first look hillside touching

Newlyweds are captured walking towards a ski lift at Carrabassett Valley, Maine, after sharing their first look amidst a foggy summit on their wedding day.

Romantic Mountain Climb: Newlyweds Begin Journey to Ski Lift at Carrabassett Valley, Maine

foggy ski lift couple romantic adventure summit Carrabassett Valley

At Domaine de Montireau, the newlyweds share their first look during their wedding

Unveiling Emotions: Capturing Love at Domaine de Montireau

unveiling emotions Domaine de Montireau wedding ceremony first look Eure et Loir Wedding Photography Eure-et-Loir weddings

The couple's first look at their wedding ceremony at Schloss Ort in Gmunden, Austria was captured in a beautiful photograph

At Schloss Ort in Gmunden, Austria, a beautiful photograph captured the couple's first look at their indoor wedding ceremony

first look Gmunden bride entering ceremony Schloss Ort Gmunden Wedding Photography Austria Upper Austria

At Rossleague Manor in Galway, Ireland, the bride's friends and family were brought to tears upon seeing her for the first time in the bridal suite

At Rossleague Manor in Galway, Ireland, joy filled the bridal suite when the bride was seen

tears Rossleague Manor Galway Ireland Galway Family and Friends Galway Wedding Photography bridal suite

The bride's anticipation was palpable as the bridesmaids entered, eager to get their first look at the stunning bride in her gown, ready to start her journey to matrimony

The bride was glowing with anticipation as the bridesmaids entered and the first look of her gown began her journey to marriage

brittany bride Brittany first look bridesmaids Brittany photographer Côtes-d'Armor

The bridal party got their first look at the finished bride preparations at Marne Castle in Bergamo, Italy, and everyone was ready for the ceremony

The bride's entrance was met with awe as the bridal party caught their first glimpse of her exquisite preparations, leaving them all ready to celebrate the day

Bergamo photographer ready for ceremony Marne Castle Bergamo Italy bridal party first look

In Brosholme Hall, Uk, father and mother of the bride see the bride in her dress for the first time

The proud parents of the bride were moved to see her in her dress for the first time, preparing for the big day

Lancashire father of bride first look Brosholme Hall Lancashire photographer mother of bride

Bride getting ready with her mom, with dad entering the room and seeing her for the 1st time at the Bar Harbor Grand Hotel, Bar Harbor, Maine

Dad entered the room and saw the Bride getting ready with her mom for the first time in her wedding gown

first look Bar Harbor Maine wedding photographer Maine bride Maine Bar Harbor Grand Hotel

Bridesmaids react joyfully upon seeing the bride in her wedding dress in Olympic Valley, CA

The bridesmaids smiled when they saw the bride in her wedding gown for the first time

first look olympic valley wedding photographer California - Northern bridesmaids Olympic Valley

Outside in the sunshine at home over East Flanders, Flanders, the first look and kids are crying

The groom's first look outside his home was accompanied by the crying children

flanders wedding photographer Belgium East Flanders first look Flanders emotional children

At the Hotel Marinela Sofia, Bulgaria, the Bride and groom after the first look

The bride and groom shared a romantic embrace during their wedding day at the Hotel Marinela Sofia in Bulgaria

Sofia photographer Bulgaria first look Hotel Marinela Sofia Sofia

At The Dawson Hotel in Chicago, the Father of the bride reacts to seeing his daughter in her wedding dress

The Father of the Bride's eyes brimmed with emotion as he beheld his daughter, resplendent in her wedding gown, in a room of the hotel

Sarah Nader Chicago first look The Dawson Hotel father of bride Chicago photographer

Before an IL wedding in Chicago at a church, the grandma sees bride for first time in dress

The grandmother's face sparkled with emotion as she beheld her granddaughter for the first time in her wedding dress at the church

Illinois first look Chicago photographer Chicago grandma chicago bride

At the Hotel in Plymouth, MA it is time for the First look of the bride in her gown with dad

At the hotel the momentous occasion of the Bride's First Look with her beloved father arrived, as she gracefully emerged in her elegant gown

Cape Cod first look Massachusetts Morgan O Neil Plymouth MA MA photographer father of bride

In Utrecht, at the home of the wedding couple, after the first look the bride is greeting her lovely brother

At the home of the newlyweds, after the bride and groom's first look, the bride lovingly touched heads with her brother in a heartwarming embrace

family brother Utrecht photographer first look Thomas Jongbloed Utrecht Netherlands

From the West Midlands Wedding Ceremony Location, it is the first look for father of the bride

Covering his expression with his hand, the father of the bride takes in the sight of his daughter on her wedding day in the first look

father of bride West Midlands first look West Midlands Photographer Herefordshire

The bride and groom shared their first look and the corsage application was captured by the Netherlands photographer, along with the beautiful bouquets and the kids in the background of the wedding photo

The newlyweds can be seen adorning each other with corsages, while the children play in the background

kids Netherlands photographer first look Netherlands corsage application bouquets

In a heartwarming moment at home in Normandy, the father of the bride discovers the first look of his daughter and he is captured in a reflection of a mirror

A heartwarming moment at home is captured in a wedding photograph as the father of the bride discovers the first look of his daughter

Normandy father of bride Oliver Saillard first look Normandy Photographer

New Hampshire photojournalistic wedding photography at Whiteface Hollow showing the American Father of the Bride's 1st look

father of the bride's first look

father of bride Andy Madea New Hampshire photographer first look Whiteface Hollow New Hampshire

World class documentary wedding photography in Netherlands at home during the bride and groom first look

bride and groom first look at home

pool table at home Freek Nagtzaam first look Netherlands Netherlands photographer

The groom, surrounded by his loved ones, was moved as he watched the bride make her grand entrance, captured by a photographer in Manchester, VT

Manchester, Vermont creative documentary wedding photography at Hildene showing The groom, surrounded by his family and friends, watches as he sees the bride come down the stairs in her dress for the first time

Hildene Manchester VT bride descending stairs Vermont photographer Vermont Vermont Groom

Top wedding venue photography from Schloss Diersfordt in Wesel, Germany during Couples First look in the location

first look germany photographer Wesel Wedding Portrait North Rhine-Westphalia Schloss Diersfordt Germany Patrycja Janik

At the Occitanie Bride's house, a first look with her father, he cried a lot and it was very exciting

The Bride's father had an exciting first look with her at her house while getting ready

father of bride Occitanie first look Occitanie wedding photographer

This authentic and emotional France wedding day moment from Domaine de Grand Maison in Oyster Saint Oblas was recorded by a documentary wedding photographer showing The excited groom seeing the bride for the first time

bride France Oyster Saint Oblas documentary weddings motional Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Oyster Saint Oblas Isere

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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.