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Wedding Photos of Historic

For Couples / Wedding Photos of Historic

The following “Historic” 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 “Historic” 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.

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Engaged couple poses at Mille Fleurs, one of the historic buildings near Queen’s Park Savannah in Trinidad, their connection highlighted against elegant architecture in this window engagement shoot.
Engaged Couple Posing At Mille Fleurs In Trinidad, Connection Highlighted By Elegant Historic Architecture And Grand Windows
architecturestylish portraitEngagementclassic buildingTrinidadwindow shooturban elegance
In Plovdiv, the groomsmen enthusiastically lift a man up to a wooden balcony as part of a spirited wedding tradition, infusing the celebration with an air of danger, excitement, and bold adventure against the backdrop of historic architecture.
Groomsmen Enthusiastically Lift Man Up To Wooden Balcony In Plovdiv, Infusing The Wedding Celebration With Excitement And Adventure Against A Backdrop Of Historic Architecture
daring actionBulgariaboldwedding celebrationcultural ritualPlovdivhistoric
Couple leans together against weathered porch columns of an abandoned colonial house in Valladolid, Yucatan, evoking a sense of romance amid the timeless, historic architecture.
Couple Leaning Together Against Weathered Porch Columns Of Abandoned Colonial House In Valladolid, Yucatan For Romantic Portrait
abandoned houseromantic portraitporchevocative scenetimeless romancehistoricportrait
Couple standing and sharing a kiss beside stones of an old world building at Cave Brandalize in Monte Belo do Sul, holding glasses of rich red wine.
Couple Kissing Beside Stone Building At Cave Brandalize In Monte Belo
red wineromantic settingOutdoorold worldkissMonte Belo do Sulportrait
A couple dances playfully on a terrace overlooking Florence, with the iconic Duomo visible in the background, capturing their joyful connection against the historic city skyline.
Couple Dancing Playfully On Florence Terrace With Duomo In Background
joyful connectionplayfulnessskylinecityterracecouplehistoric
A couple stands embracing in front of Florence’s historic carousel, center framed, with the Petzval lens creating signature swirly bokeh for a whimsical and romantic black and white portrait.
Couple Embracing Before Florence Carousel, Swirly Petzval Bokeh Black And White
historicFlorenceromantic sceneportraitvintage styleFlorence Engagement Portraitcarousel
At UC Berkeley in Northern California, an engagement portrait captures the couple through old-world stone balusters in the foreground, adding timeless architectural charm to the scene.
Engagement Portrait of a Couple at UC Berkeley With Stone Balusters
stone balustersUC Berkeleyloveforeground framingoutdoor sessioncampushistoric
In Venice, Italy, the couple stands face to face, silhouetted in black and white between urban buildings, creating a striking and romantic city portrait.
Engaged Couple Silhouetted Face to Face in Urban Venice Portrait Session
loveromanticportrait sessionFace to faceItalyArtfulVenice
In Venice, Italy, the couple is beautifully captured with their reflection in a window, set against the backdrop of the city's iconic scenery.
Engaged Couple Reflected in Window With Iconic Venice
cityscapebeautiful backdrophistoricscenictravelurbandestination
In Ephesus Ancient City, Selçuk, Türkiye, the couple stands by their own pillars of a magnificent Old World stone building, both dressed in black for their pre-wedding session.
Standing by Ancient Pillars in Ephesus Pre-Wedding Couple Portrait Session
couplehistoricold worldancient pillarsengageddressed in blackPre Wedding
At Mont Saint Michel, after traveling 500km for their photo session, the couple stands, holding each other and gazing at each other in a striking black-and-white portrait.
Holding Each Other After a 500km Journey at Mont Saint Michel Couple Portrait Session
traveled 500kmengagedromancehistoricloveblack and whitestriking
In Budapest's golden light, the couple stands on the massive stairs of an old world stone castle, a stunning portrait that captures their love and the city's majesty.
Golden Light on Castle Steps in Budapest Couple Portrait Session
coupleBudapestoutdoorsromancestone castlemassive stairsgolden light
La Alhambra, Granada, Spain — The couple is captured in black and white among the old world stone architecture, creating a timeless and romantic wedding portrait at this historic landmark.
In La Alhambra Granada Spain Couple in Stone Architecture Black and White
SpaintimelessGranadaLa Alhambra weddingold world stoneromantic wedding imageGranada Wedding Portrait
A wedding couple stands close together against the rolling Emilia-Romagna hills, creating a romantic portrait at sunset outside the historic Castello del capitano delle artiglierie in Castrocaro, Italy.
Near Castello del Capitano delle Artiglierie Couple Against Rolling Emilia-Romagna Hills
sunsetclose togetherCastello del capitano CastrocaroCastrocaro Wedding PortraitCastello del capitano photographyCastello del Capitano delle Artiglieriecapitano delle artiglierie
Sait Halim Paşa Yalısı, Istanbul — In a symmetrical wedding day portrait, the bride ascends the stairs while the groom walks down and away, positioned lower and center in the frame, creating a dynamic and artistic image at the historic waterfront mansion.
Symmetrical Artistic Wedding Portrait On Stairs At Sait Halim Paşa Yalısı Istanbul Mansion
historicSait Halim Paşa Yalısı weddinggroom walks downartistic wedding imagesymmetricalSait Halim Paşa Yalısı photographyIstanbul
Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Türkiye — Indoors in low light, the bride and groom pose cheek to cheek, softly illuminated by the photographer, creating an intimate and romantic wedding day portrait amid the historic setting.
Intimate Romantic Wedding Portrait Indoors At Blue Mosque Istanbul Turkey Cheek To Cheek
blue mosqueintimatelow light weddingIstanbulcheek to cheekBlue Mosque photographyBlue Mosque wedding
At the historic Église de Saint-Saturnin, France, a bride walks calmly through a storm of confetti and petals. The award-winning photograph highlights the photographer's skill at documenting the joyous moments of a wedding.
The Couple Walks Through Confetti And Petals At Église de Saint-Saturnin France Capturing Wedding Joy
Saint SaturninhistoricCalmpetalsÉglise de Saint-Saturnincelebrationjoyous moment
At the Château de Boucq in France, newlyweds share their first dance in the vaulted cellar. The award-winning photo highlights the photographer’s skill at documenting intimate, romantic moments in a unique and historic setting.
Newlyweds Share First Dance in Vaulted Cellar at Château de Boucq, France Historic Venue
historicChâteau de Boucqfirst danceChâteau de Boucq weddingvaulteduniqueromance
In Sintra, Portugal, a couple poses in the entrance of a ruined church. The dramatic backdrop of the historic ruins creates a striking and romantic portrait.
Couple Poses in the Entrance of a Ruined Old World Church for a Striking Scene in Sintra, Portugal
portraitbackdropweddingcoupleromanticarchitectureruined church
At Piazza del Campo in Siena, Tuscany, the couple is captured in a romantic portrait beside an old stone-carved wall, accented with iron rings mounted above, blending timeless charm with the city’s historic elegance.
Couple Poses Romantically Beside Stone Wall With Iron Rings at Historic Piazza del Campo, Siena, Tuscany
romanticurban weddingcitySienaTuscanyhistoricold world
In Istanbul, Turkey, the couple is bathed in sunlight, standing against an old-world building. Arched shadows add a graceful element, highlighting the architecture's historic charm.
Sunlit Promise: Arched Shadows Enhance Historic Charm in Istanbul's Timeless Romance
historicarchitectural charmarched shadowsbathed in sunlightIstanbul wedding portraitOld World BuildingTurkey
Bathed in warm sunlight, a couple stands separately with their backs to a historic tall stone building in San Francisco, CA, evoking a cinematic and nostalgic feel.
Sunlit Couple Parted by Historic Stone Building in San Francisco
portraitnostalgic vibecinematic feelbuildingWarm sunlightEngagementhistoric
Austin proposes to Olivia in Jaén, Andalucía, Spain, after traveling from Chicago, capturing their joyous surprise amidst historic architecture and scenic Spanish landscapes.
Austin's Joyful Moment with Olivia in Jaén's Historic and Scenic Spanish Setting
joyousJaénconnectiontravelportraithistoriclandscape
A timeless embrace at Castello di Badia Berardenga—dressed in elegant formal wear, a couple stands before a historic red brick building, as he lovingly wraps his hands around her waist.
Timeless Embrace Before Red Brick Building at Castello di Badia Berardenga, Elegantly Dressed
styleRed brickintimatehistoricromancesophisticationgraceful
In Balat, Istanbul, Türkiye, a couple enjoys a pre-wedding photo session under vibrant colorful umbrellas, adding whimsy and charm to the historic city's backdrop.
Pre-Wedding Portrait Under Colorful Umbrellas in Balat's Historic Charm, Istanbul, Türkiye
Istanbulplayfullivelyjoycharmumbrellashappy
Pre-wedding photo session in Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey, with the couple walking hand-in-hand down an arid urban street, capturing the essence of the city’s historic charm.
Couple's Pre-Wedding Walk Down Sultanahmet's Arid Streets Captures Istanbul's Timeless Charm
Turkeyurbantravelpedestrianpavedhistoricprewedding
A couple stands in front of the traditional Fujian Tulou, capturing the unique architecture and cultural heritage of the region.
Cultural Heritage: Couple Posing Before Traditional Fujian Tulou's Unique Architecture
ornatedetailedcultural heritageentrywaytexturedearth buildingFujian Tulou
A romantic scene of a couple under the rain at Drimnagh Castle, Dublin, as they share a quiet laugh together amidst the castle's historic charm.
Couple's Quiet Laughter Amidst Historic Charm of Drimnagh Castle, Dublin
Engagementconnectionjoyfullaughterportraitsrainhistoric
At Empire Mine State Historic Park, Grass Valley, CA, a couple cuddles on the steps, enjoying a tender session together amidst the park's historic and tranquil setting.
Cuddling Couple on Steps in Empire Mine's Historic Tranquility, Grass Valley, CA
intimacytogetherhistoricembraceCaliforniaGentlecuddle
In Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey, a couple's engagement photo session captures them standing apart at an arch of an Old World building. The sunlight illuminates the scene, highlighting the historic architecture and adding a touch of timeless elegance.
Engagement Session in Sultanahmet, Istanbul | Couple Stands Apart at Arch of Old World Building | Sunlight Highlights Historic Architecture and Timeless Elegance
sultanahmettimelesshistoricarchold worldromanticsunlight

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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.