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Wedding Photos of Parents

For Couples / Wedding Photos of Parents

The following “Parents” 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 “Parents” 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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In a heartfelt embrace at Merion Tribute House, Philadelphia, a bride lovingly holds her parents close, honoring the two hearts that have always supported her.
Bride Shares A Heartfelt Embrace With Her Parents At Merion Tribute House In Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Philadelphia embracebwparentsembraceheartfelt parental embraceMerion Tribute Housebride supported parents
In Maryland, at the wedding reception, the groom is visibly moved as he sees the memorial table dedicated to his parents for the first time, honoring their memory during the celebration.
In Maryland, The Groom Is Moved Upon Seeing The Memorial Table For His Parents During The Wedding Reception.
parentsmemorial table weddingreceptionhonoremotiongroomMaryland wedding venue
At a reception venue in Brittany, parents playfully bring out their files, and fathers appear in disguise, delighting wedding guests with humor and surprises.
Parents And Disguised Fathers Bring Humor And Surprises To Guests At A Lively Brittany Reception
Brittany receptionguestslivelyBrittanysurprisesparentshumor
The bride’s parents escort her into the outdoor, sunny wedding ceremony in Houlton, Maine, radiating pride and happiness as she enters to begin this significant moment in her life.
Bride’s Parents Beam With Pride Escorting Her Outdoors To The Ceremony In Sunny Houlton, Maine, United States.
escortHoulton wedding venuebrideMaineHoulton MEhappinessceremony
During a heartfelt bow to their parents at home in Shandong, China, the couple’s loyal dog gently looks on, sharing in the significance of the family ritual.
Couple Bows To Parents As Their Dog Looks On At Home In Shandong, China
parents bow ritualShandong bowShandong weddingredritualbowgently
The bride’s parents at Trident, Mumbai, become tearful as the emotional significance and closeness of their family shines through every wedding day moment.
Tears Flow At Trident, Mumbai, As The Bride’s Parents Experience Deep Emotion And Family Bond Throughout The Wedding Day
closenessTridentbondsignificanceemotionparentsTrident Mumbai ceremony
In Guangdong, four generations unite in the groom’s ancestral home as the groom’s parents and grandmother gently guide his great-grandfather for a meaningful family portrait, marking a treasured moment.
Four Generations Gather For A Meaningful Family Portrait In The Groom’s Ancestral Home In Guangdong, China
guidegenerationsfamilygrandmotherhomeGuangdong weddingunite
During the outside ceremony at The Mount in Lenox, Massachusetts, a guest offers a thumbs up to the groom’s parents as they take their seats, sharing encouragement and excitement for the special day.
Guest Offers Thumbs Up To Groom’s Parents Before The Ceremony Begins At The Mount In Lenox, Massachusetts
dayexcitementLenox MAThe Mount LenoxMount Lenox ceremonyguestthumbs up
At Heavenly Ski Resort in South Lake Tahoe, California, a child peeks playfully from a stairwell, giggling with her parents.
Child Peeks Playfully From Stairwell, Sharing Giggles With Parents At Heavenly Ski Resort In South Lake Tahoe, California
Heavenly Ski Resort weddingkidSouth Lake TahoeHeavenlypeekgirlshare
Emotional embraces are exchanged at Domaine de Pleneselve in Bon-Encontre as parents hug their children at the end of heartfelt wedding speeches, reinforcing family bonds.
Emotional Embraces Conclude Heartfelt Speeches At Domaine De Pleneselve, Bon-Encontre, Where Parents Reaffirm Family Bonds Through Warm Hugs.
speechbondsChildrenBon Encontreparentsfamilyembraces
The bride’s parents walk lovingly at her side, accompanying her to the wedding ceremony at the venue in Taian, Shandong, showing their support and happiness on her big day.
The Bride’s Parents Supportively Walk Beside Her In Taian, Shandong, Escorting Her To The Big Ceremony.
bride escorted parentsbridesupportsideTaian WeddingTaianwalk
In Kaifeng, Henan, the bride enters, walking past her parents. Her father and mother gaze at her intently, their eyes filled with love and pride as she proceeds down the aisle.
Bride Walks Past Parents In Kaifeng, Henan As They Gaze Lovingly, Proudly Watching Her Proceed Down The Aisle
Chinaemotionaltraditiongazeprideparentsceremony
At Kasteel van Rhoon in the Netherlands, the bride is overcome with emotion when her divorced parents greet each other during the ceremony, creating a powerful, heartfelt family moment.
Overwhelmed With Emotion At Kasteel Van Rhoon, Netherlands, The Bride Watches Her Divorced Parents Share A Heartfelt Ceremony Greeting.
brideheartfelt parent greetingKasteel van RhoongreetingNetherlandsfamilyemotional ceremony moment
At Harveys Point Hotel in County Donegal, the couple makes a grand entrance to the reception room, welcomed by cheering guests and proud parents in the foreground.
The Couple Makes A Grand Entrance To Their Reception At Harveys Point Hotel In County Donegal Ireland
cheering couple entrancegrand entrance receptionreceptioncheeringHarveys Point HotelCounty Donegalentrance
Chuanmenzi Contemporary Dining in Taoyuan, Taiwan, is filled with emotion as the bride’s parents entrust her to the groom, whose eyes fill with tears at the moving gesture.
Parents Entrust Their Daughter To The Groom At Chuanmenzi Contemporary Dining In Taoyuan Taiwan
brideentrustTaoyuan Taiwanchuanmenzi diningmovegroomTaoyuan
An elegant details photograph captured at Schloss Ehreshoven in Engelskirchen, Germany, shows the intertwined hands of the parents holding their daughter's hand during the wedding ceremony.
Elegant Wedding Ceremony Detail Of Parents Holding Daughters Hand At Schloss Ehreshoven Germany
intertwined hands loveSchloss EhreshovenEngelskirchen ceremonyelegantparents daughter connectionceremonyEngelskirchen
Deeply emotional double hugs are shared between the bride and her parents following a touching speech during the wedding ceremony held at the elegant Château de Montplaisant in Montagnat.
Bride Shares Deeply Emotional Double Hugs With Her Parents After A Touching Speech In France
connectionemotional family embraceMontagnattearslovepost speech momentemotion
At Eglise d'Urrugne in Pyrénées Atlantiques, France, the photographer captures a moving low-angle black-and-white shot as the groom embraces his parents outside the church, expertly highlighting deep emotion and familial connection.
Groom Embraces Parents Outside Eglise d'Urrugne Pyrénées Atlantiques In Moving Low-Angle Black-And-White Shot
emotionlow angleemotional embraceFrancefamilygroomPyrénées-Atlantiques
In Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, the parents of the bride embrace their daughter and her new husband during the reception dinner. The winning photograph highlights the photographer's ability to document the genuine, heartfelt emotions of the day.
Bride’s Parents Embrace Couple At Reception Dinner In Ille-et-Vilaine Brittany - Heartfelt Emotion
reception embracemomentheartfeltheartfelt emotionreceptionIlle-et-Vilaineembrace
In Philadelphia, the bride's parents lovingly assist her in perfecting her wedding dress. The tender moment captures their support and care before the ceremony.
Bride’s Parents Lovingly Help Perfect Her Wedding Dress in a Tender Moment Before Ceremony in Philadelphia
preparationbridefamilycareintimatetender momentgetting ready
After an emotional speech at wedding venue Buitenplaats Sparrendaal, the bride and groom warmly embrace their parents in a heartfelt group hug.
Bride and Groom Warmly Embrace Their Parents After Emotional Speech at Buitenplaats Sparrendaal Utrecht
brideparentsembracegroomgroupUtrechtBuitenplaats Sparrendaal
Family group hug during wedding evening at Domaine de la Dame Blanche, Gironde: two brothers, sister, mom, and dad embrace tenderly.
Heartfelt Group Hug at Domaine de la Dame Blanche, Gironde
Brotherssisterfamily lovegroup hugFamily HugparentsGironde Documentary Wedding Photography
Witnesses adjust groom's collar as the parents watch at Monticelli Brusati, Parrocchia dei Santi Tirso e Emiliano.
Witnesses Adjust Groom's Collar as Parents Watch at Parrocchia dei Santi Tirso e Emiliano
helping groomParrocchia dei Santi Tirso e EmilianoMonticelli Brusatipre ceremony momentBrescia wedding photographyparentsBrescia
Moments before the ceremony at Zen, Greenville, the bride and her brother share a joyful, heartfelt group hug with their parents.
Zen Ceremony Warmth: Bride and Brother Share Joyful Hug with Parents in Greenville
pre ceremony momentparentsGreenville Documentary Wedding PhotographyZen GreenvilleGreenvilleSouth CarolinaFamily Hug
In Weinan City, Shaanxi Province, China, during the wedding ceremony, the couple respectfully genuflects to their parents, honoring the tradition of elder respect.
Couple Genuflects to Parents at Weinan City Wedding
eldertraditionceremonygenuflectcouple shot weinan cityrespectShaanxi
At Clonabreany House, Co Meath, Ireland, a boy smiles happily as he watches his parents exchange rings, celebrating their union.
Boy Watches Parents Exchange Rings at Clonabreany House
Clonabreany HouseMeathhappilygroomringscelebrateboy
At the reception venue in Le Val d'Azergues, France, the bride's daughter beams with happiness. Her joy is evident as she watches her parents exchange rings, capturing a heartfelt family moment.
Bride's Daughter Beams with Happiness Watching Parents Exchange Rings at Le Val d'Azergues
ringscelebrationfamilyRhônehappinesssmilesgirl
A bride's parents lovingly prepare her hotel room for the wedding night, carefully arranging the bedding.
Love's First Nest: Parents Tenderly Arrange the Wedding Night Bed
roomNanping parentswedding night bedNanping Hotelhotellovebed
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
touchingsignificantCrooked Willow first lookfather daughter bondfirst lookLarkspurdaughter
At the Inn at the Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield, VT, the bride walks on the grass with her parents toward the ceremony. They are outside in the sunlight.
Bride Walks with Parents Toward Ceremony at Inn at the Round Barn Farm, Waitsfield, VT - Sunlit Outdoor Wedding
ceremonybrideWaitsfield VTparentsInn at the Round Barn FarmgrassVermont

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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.