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.

At the Crystal Gardens Event Center, a heartwarming scene unfolds as the children of the bride and groom share a playful moment while peering in on their parents who are on the verge of exchanging vows.

Children's Peek at the Wedding Bliss at Crystal Gardens Event Center

Emotional moment captured at Malibou Lake Lodge in Agoura Hills, CA, as the parents of the bride and groom wipe away tears during the outdoor wedding ceremony.

Parents' Emotional Moment at Malibou Lake Lodge Outdoor Wedding Ceremony

lodge chairs Malibou Lake Lodge sitting celebration wiping tears Agoura Hills

Emotional black and white wedding image in Belpasso capturing a tender moment between the bride and her parents, frozen in time.

Tender Moment of Bride with Parents: Emotion-filled Black and White at Belpasso

love black and white BW photography special bond tender moment Sentimental bride

Aerial view of the first dance taking place in a charming garden setting at the Bride's parents private house in St Ives, UK, beautifully showcasing the outdoor wooden deck dance floor during a lovely wedding celebration.

Enchanting First Dance in Lush Garden Setting at Private House in St Ives, UK

garden setting floor first dance St Ives Cornwall bride celebration

A heartfelt black and white wedding photo captured at Villa Avanzi in Polpenazze del Garda, showing a tender tea ceremony moment as the newlyweds offer tea to their parents, surrounded by guests in a setting by Garda Lake.

Heartfelt Black and White Wedding Tea Ceremony at Villa Avanzi in Polpenazze Del Garda

Lake Garda Ceremony Photography love heartfelt Italian Lakes Region black and white Polpenazze del Garda newlyweds

A candid moment captured at the Bulgari Hotels & Resorts in Bali, Indonesia, showcasing the bride and her parents engrossed in wedding day preparations with subtle yet emotive body language.

Engrossed in Elegance: Bride and Parents in Bali's Bulgari Hotels & Resorts Wedding Preparations

moment Resorts emotive Hotels candid Preparations parents

A candid shot of a traditional Indian wedding ceremony in Hyderabad, capturing the emotional moment as the bride receives blessings between her parents while the groom waits on the other side of the symbolic purdah veil, a touching wedding image.

Emotional Blessings: Traditional Indian Wedding Ceremony in Hyderabad Captures Bride's Tender Moment

India purdah curtain groom Traditional Hyderabad Wedding Moment curtain wall

In Delden, Netherlands, a heartwarming image captures the bride and groom reflecting in a mirror as parents stand near them, sharing smiles and happiness

Delden's Reflection of Love: A Heartwarming Wedding Day Moment

love reflection Delden smiles mirror image Delden photography Netherlands Overijssel

A joyful moment unfolds at the home of the bride in Ruse, Bulgaria, as she shares a light-hearted joke with her loving parents before her wedding.

Love and Laughter: A Glimpse into a Bulgarian Bride's Joyful Moment

Ruse Documentary Wedding Photography parents joking Ruse laughing Bulgaria

The groomsman's parents are attempting to fix his tie at a wedding venue in Iowa, while he appears disinterested

Distracted Groomsman's Parents Struggle to Tie the Knot in Iowa Wedding Venue

attempting to help parents Iowa Documentary Wedding Photography groomsman fixing tie Iowa

At Bretagne in France, a quiet image of the bride waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her parents to finish getting ready was captured at the reception venue

A bride was photographed at Bretagne, France, waiting at the stairs for her parents

black railing reception venue bride France wedding quietly waiting stairs

At District Winery in Washington DC, the parents gave a toast, captured in a funny moment with the mother making a funny face

At District Winery in DC, the parents gave a toast with humor

DC wedding photography parents toasting District Winery microphone Washington DC

In Kitchener, Ontario, the bride and groom shared a prayer surrounded by their parents in a beautiful outdoor ceremony, with the forest as their backdrop as they bowed their heads

The bride and groom prayed in a picturesque outdoor ceremony, with their parents in attendance and a forest as the backdrop

Kitchener Outdoor Ceremony bowed heads laying hands forest ceremony Kitchener Kitchener Photographer parents

The parents of the bride took a crazy photo in the photobooth that they show during the reception at Brasserie Zeven in Ouddorp

The parents of the bride showed off their fun side by taking a crazy photo in the photobooth to share with friends and family

Ouddorp Brasserie Zeven bride Ouddrop Wedding Photographer parents laughing sharing photo

The bride was overcome with emotion as her parents gave her heartfelt hugs outside the reception, making the Mas de la Plume Herault the perfect backdrop for their speeches of love and congratulations

The bride was overcome with emotion after being hugged by her parents outside the reception

Herault bride parent hugs heartfelt hugs hugs outdoor reception emotion

After the wedding ceremony in Chengdu, Sichuan, the newlyweds and their parents are toasting the guests at the venue

At the venue in Chengdu, Sichuan, the newlyweds and their parents are toasting the guests

Sichuan newlyweds Chengdu Photographer parents Chengdu toasting guests

In Shanghai China at home, the couple feeds parents sweet porridge

The couple performs traditional tea ceremony rituals at home and feeds their parents sweet porridge

Shanghai Wedding Photographer Shanghai parents Chinese ceremony riturals Chinese tea ceremony sweet porridge China

The bride, her parents and the grand tent were captured in a striking photograph as they waited for the wedding ceremony in Chengdu, Sichuan

In Chengdu, Sichuan, a striking BW photo captured the bride, her parents and grand tent waiting for the wedding ceremony

tent Sichuan bw portrait parents Chengdu Sichuan photographer

In LaGrange Park, IL, the parents and bride leave their home for the wedding ceremony

The parents and bride left their home, descending the front steps to the outdoor wedding ceremony

bride descending steps parents LaGrange Park chicago wedding photographer Illinois

The bride walks down the aisle with her parents outside at Willowdale Estate - Massachusetts

The bride walked arm-in-arm with her parents down the aisle of the estate wedding venue, surrounded by sunshine and the loving gaze of family and friends

Willowdale Estate down aisle massachusetts wedding photographer MA family and friends arm in arm Massachusetts Topsfield MA

A top featured image from Acadia National Park in Maine among the best wedding photography showing A groom and bride hug their parents and parents in law after their wedding ceremony

parents Acadia National Park weddings Maine wedding photography parents in law Maine Groom and bride outdoor wedding ceremony

Best Flanders documentary wedding photojournalism image created during the first dance with parents

parents Sven Soetens Belgium Flanders documentary weddings first dance Flanders

Best Maryland documentary wedding picture from the Howard County Conservancy showing the Parents of the bride during a long day

long day Maryland documentary weddings Anastasiia Polyakov bride Howard County Conservancy venue Howard County Conservancy parents

Best Leadville wedding photojournalism picture from Colorado showing Parents of couple getting emotional during the outdoor ceremony

emotional Colorado parents Leadville wedding photojournalism Leadville Colorado ceremony Mike Kory

An exceptional Ferme des Oiseaux wedding image by a pro Frévent photographer exhibiting the Parents embracing the couple after the speeches

Pas de Calais embracing French Couple bride and groom Hauts-de-France Frévent photographer Oliver Saillard

A Vermont wedding photojournalist captured this moment at the Mountain Top Inn in Chittenden showing The groom watches the bride and her parents walk through a set of doors and down the aisle

outdoor ceremony Vermont photographer walking trees Vermont aisle

A top documentary wedding photographer from California created this image showing the Newlywed couple bowed deeply to thank their parents

CA Photographer California wedding image Newlywed couple parents CA documentary weddings bowed

A top Netherlands wedding photojournalism example from the groom's home in IJsselstein showing his parents watching as he prepares himself in the mirror

parents Hollandse IJssel home Thomas Jongbloed IJsselstein weddings prepares watching

View this vital moment wedding picture in the Rocky Mountain National Park of the Parents of the bride and groom watching as their children elope during an outdoor adventure vow exchange

adventure elope vow exchange Colorado Outdoor Children watching

World's most innovative and best Liaoning wedding day portrait of the groom and his parents at home near a window

Portrait of the groom China Liaoning wedding window bw silhouette at home

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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.