Wedding Photos of Hugs

The following “Hugs” 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 “Hugs” 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 Meridian Banquet Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan, a bride bids farewell to her family following the heartwarming wedding ceremony.

A Bride's Farewell at The Meridian Banquet Center

Beautiful moment of sisterly love as the bride's sister embraces her after helping with the final touches of her dress, at Marriott Metrocenter in Bethesda, MD on the wedding day.

Sisterly Embrace: Bride's Sister Helps with Final Touches at Marriott Metrocenter in Bethesda, MD

Marriott Metrocenter bw Wedding Photo smiles Maryland dress sister embrace

A touching moment in black and white captured at Birkby House in Leesburg, VA, as the groom's mother warmly embraces the bride, welcomed into the family after the ceremony on their wedding day.

Groom's Mother Welcomes Bride, Birkby House, Leesburg, VA, Wedding Day Bliss

touching Virginia Leesburg Wedding Moment bride hugs wedding day Birkby House

A moment captured at Château La Hitte, France on the wedding day, featuring hugs, mirror reflections, and bright smiles in a cozy setting.

Whimsical Wedding Bliss: Hugs, Reflections, and Smiles at Château La Hitte, France

cozy reflections Lavardac Wedding Moment Lavardac hugs women wedding photo

A tender moment was captured at the Moretti Adimari venue, as the bride share heartfelt hugs and toasts in the beautiful outdoor setting following their ceremony.

Heartfelt Hugs and Toasts: A Tender Moment at Moretti Adimari Venue Outdoor Celebration

cherished touching blissful lovely joyful love Piedmont Wedding Moment

In Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France, a touching moment unfolds as a guest embraces the bride with emotion on her special day, captured beautifully outside the venue.

Emotional Guest Embraces Beautiful Bride in Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France Wedding Moment

touching moment venue guest wedding Annecy outside hug

A heartfelt detail shot captured on the couple's wedding day at a charming venue in Lussan, Gers, France, featuring the bride tenderly placing her hands on her husband's head in a touching black and white photograph.

Tender Touch: Bride's Loving Embrace at Enchanting Lussan Venue Captured in Monochrome Majesty

Gers wedding black white heartfelt Lussan husband hug

Grandma lovingly kisses the bride on the cheek against a backdrop of the picturesque Gruyère countryside, in a cherished moment filled with warmth and joy.

Cheek to Cheek: A Kiss from Grandma in Gruyère

warmth Gruyère countryside cheek Gruyère kiss joy flowers

At Château de Barbegal in Arles en Provence, the mother embraces the bride in her arms after a touching ceremony, while the groom looks on.

Embracing Love: A Mother's Blessing at Château de Barbegal

Château de Barbegal weddings hugs Arles weddings Provence Wedding Photographer Provence wedding Arles Provence

In Provence, four individuals share heartfelt embraces during a wedding ceremony, surrounded by the tranquil shade of trees

Capturing Love in Provence: A Blissful Wedding Ceremony Under the Tranquil Shade of Trees

Provence Documentary Wedding Photography heartfelt embraces shaded Provence hugs

In this image captured at Les Terres de Saint-Hilaire in Ollières, Var, France, a groom shares a heartfelt moment of affection with his grandmother during a wedding celebration

Embracing Family Bonds: A Grandson's Tender Love on Les Terres de Saint-Hilaire, Ollières, Var, France

Ollières Documentary Wedding Photography hugs Var grandmother smiles Les Terres de Saint Hilaire groom

A joyful moment unfolds at Bourgogne-Franche-Comte City Hall as the newlyweds celebrate their union, exclaiming, "We are now one family!"

Bound Together: The Joyous Union of Two Hearts at Bourgogne-Franche-Comte City Hall

France documentary wedding photography hugs French City Hall congratulations Bourgogne-Franche-Comte

Groom getting ready outside as a man assists him in tying his bowtie in Nivolas Vermelle, France, resulting in a WPJA Purple award-winning photo

Tying the Knot: Award-Winning Photo of Groom's Bowtie Assistance in Nivolas Vermelle, France

outdoor preparations France Groom getting ready Nivolas Vermelle Wedding Photography Isere Nivolas Vermelle assisting groom

Children embrace the couple in a heartwarming outdoor ceremony surrounded by shade trees at Chateau de Cypierre, Volesvres

A Heartwarming Outdoor Ceremony at Chateau de Cypierre: Children Embrace the Couple in the Shade of Trees

Volesvres Documentary Wedding Photography Saone-et-Loire shaded Volesvres Chateau de Cypierre heartwarming children embrace

The bride's friends discover her at Manoir de la Garde in a heartwarming group hug filled with love and affection

A Heartwarming Group Hug: Friends Discover the Bride at Manoir de la Garde

heartwarming hugs Rhone Wedding Photography manoir de la garde brides friends Porte des Pierres Dorées hugs Rhône

The bride and groom, surrounded by their loved ones, share double hugs to celebrate their civil ceremony at City Hall in Précigné, France

Double Hugs: Love and Joy Abound at Civil Ceremony in Précigné, France

double hugs Précigné Documentary Wedding Photography post ceremony Précigné hugs Pays de la Loire

In this WPJA Honor Award-winning wedding photo, taken at Blois, the bride is embraced by two bridesmaids while the groom signs paperwork with the priest. It captures the emotional moment after the ceremony.

Bride Embraced by Bridesmaids: An Emotional Moment after Blois Wedding Ceremony

Loir-et-Cher Emotional moment hugs priest Blois Documentary Wedding Photography bridesmaids signing paperwork

Bridesmaids embrace in an emotional moment at Mariposa Hotel in Costa Rica before the wedding ceremony

Candid Bridesmaids Embrace at Costa Rican Wedding Venue: A Moving Documentary Photo

Emotional moment Costa Rica hugs preceremony Costa Rica Documentary Wedding Photography Central America Mariposa Hotel

A couple in Centre-Val de Loire smiles and hugs in the sunshine amongst a poppy field

Centre-Val de Loire: Smiling couple embraces in romantic poppy field during sunny day

sunshine smiles Centre-Val de Loire Poppy field Centre Val de Loire Engaged Couple hugs

The Black Stallion in Corolla, NC was the site of a joyous wedding celebration, featuring hugs, singing, and drinks

A joyful wedding was celebrated at The Black Stallion, Corolla, NC with hugs, singing, and drinks

hugs Outer Banks wedding hugs drinks singing wedding celebration wedding singing

At the outdoor wedding in Darmstadt, the bride was surrounded by hugs from her loved ones

The wedding photographer captured the touching moment of the bride being hugged by her loved ones at the outdoor wedding

outdoor wedding loved one Darmstadt Frankfurt Darmstadt wedding photography hugs

This documentary-style wedding picture was taken at the ceremony in Saint Brieuc, Bretagne, and the photographer was based in Rennes, Bretagne

The wedding ceremony hugs in Saint Brieuc, Bretagne was photographed by a Rennes-based photographer

Brittany Saint Brieuc post ceremony Brittany wedding photography hugs bride and groom

This documentary-style wedding picture captures many emotional moments in one frame, with hugs at the end of the ceremony at Domaine de Conseillant in Aquitaine, France

At Domaine de Conseillant in Aquitaine, France, an emotional documentary-style wedding photo is captured of hugs at the end of the ceremony

Domaine de Conseillant Gironde Emotional moments sunshine Aquitaine hugs Gironde Wedding Photography

A guest enjoys a drink as the bride and maid of honor share a heartfelt hug at Dalyan Bungalow in Muğla, Turkey. This award-winning image captures an outdoor wedding celebration.

Cheers and Embrace: A Picture-Perfect Wedding at Dalyan Bungalow, Muğla, Turkey

Dalyan Bungalow Mugla Documentary Wedding Photography Mugla Turkey drinking hugs maid of honor

At La Alhambra in Granada, Spain, couples can enjoy a beautiful pre-wedding outdoor portrait session in a lush tropical garden setting

La Alhambra, Granada: Couple savors pre-wedding portraits in a lush garden

tropical setting couple sitting hugs garden engagement La Alhambra La Alhambra Engagement Photography Granada

Chartres engagement portrait capturing this couple engaged in hugs and smiles

Chartres: Engagement portrait capturing couple's fun hugs and smiles in nature

Chartres in nature smiles hugs Chartres Engagement Session lifting bride to be

The wedding photojournalist captured the tender moment of the bride being embraced by her friend during the outdoor patio reception at Le fou Gascon in Prechac, Gers, France

At Le Fou Gascon in Prechac, Gers, France, a bride was tenderly embraced by her friend during the outdoor patio reception

patio setting umbrellas Prechac tender moment Gers Reception Gers Gers wedding photography

The wedding photojournalist at Fleurance, Gers, France captured a heartwarming moment of the groom embracing his daughter as he prepared for his big day

In Fleurance, Gers, France, a heartwarming moment of the groom embracing his daughter as he readied for his wedding

Gers France groom preparations groom and daughter Fleurance wedding photographer hugs heartwarming

The emotion of the proud parents hugging their son, the groom, as he prepared for his wedding day at House of the Groom in Siderno, Reggio Calabria was so beautiful it was captured as a timeless moment by the photographer

At the house of the groom in Siderno, Reggio Calabria, the beautiful image of proud parents hugging their son, the groom, on his wedding day was captured

Siderno Siderno Wedding Photographer Reggio Calabria emotion timeless proud parents beautiful moment

The brothers' emotional speeches and hugs at the Lobster Factory ceremony in Tournai, Belgium were beautifully captured in the wedding photo

At the Lobster Factory ceremony in Tournai, Belgium, the brothers' emotional speeches and hugs were beautifully captured

hugs Tournai Wedding Photographer Tournai brother La Homarderie Lobster Factory Tournai speech

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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.