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Wedding Photos of Playful

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The following “Playful” 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 “Playful” 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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Couple joyfully swings each other around in the Catskills, New York, with hair flying in the wind, capturing a playful and energetic engagement portrait amidst natural, scenic beauty.
Engaged Couple Swinging Each Other Around In The Catskills With Windblown Hair Amidst Scenic Natural Beauty
outdoorsplayfulcoupleenergeticnatural beautywindblownThe Catskills
A couple celebrates joyfully in a marshmallow-themed ball pit in Manhattan, NY, tossing and surrounded by falling fluffy balls, creating a whimsical and playful engagement portrait.
Engaged Couple Celebrating In Marshmallow-Themed Ball Pit In Manhattan Surrounded By Falling Fluffy Balls For Playful Portrait
fluffy ballsIndoor SettingEngagementManhattanmarshmallow themeBall Pitwhimsical
Couple lying together on a picnic table by the coast in Brooklin, Maine, sharing a joyful laugh as the ocean breeze enhance their playful engagement session.
Couple Lying Together On Picnic Table By Brooklin, Maine Coast, Sharing Joyful Laughter In Playful, Breezy Engagement Session
coastal scenepicnic tablelaughterpicnicBrooklinMaine Engagementjoyful laugh
In a hotel in Fujian, China, the bride and groom share a kiss, perfectly reflected in the best man's sunglasses, captured in a black and white image that emphasizes the playful and creative perspective of the wedding day.
Fujian Hotel Kiss Reflected in Best Man’s Sunglasses: A Creative Monochrome Wedding Perspective
playfulFujian wedding photographyshare a kissFujianreflectedsunglassesbw image
At Quinta da Eira in Penafiel, Portugal, children joyfully jump onto their dad’s belly as he lies on his back in the grass during their aunt’s wedding, capturing playful family interactions in the scenic northern Portuguese countryside.
Children Jump Playfully Onto Dad’s Belly In The Grass At Quinta Da Eira During Aunt’s Wedding Festivities, Surrounded By Lush Portuguese Countryside And Joyful Family Interaction
familyinteractiongrasslawnjoyChildrencountryside
In Plovdiv, four young boys playfully gather around a black grand piano during an evening wedding reception, their laughter and curious energy adding a touch of youthful charm and levity to the elegant celebration setting.
Four Young Boys Gather Playfully Around Black Grand Piano At Plovdiv Wedding, Bringing Youthful Charm And Laughter To The Elegant Evening Reception Setting
laughterwedding receptionevening eventpianocelebrationboysBulgaria wedding
At Cinema City in Norwich, UK, a delighted young boy eagerly leans over the cake table beside the bride, ready to stuff a piece of wedding cake into his mouth, capturing pure childhood excitement.
Delighted Young Boy Leans Over Cake Table Beside Bride At Cinema City Norwich UK, Ready To Eat A Piece Of Wedding Cake And Capturing Pure Childhood Excitement During The Celebration
celebrationfun candidexcitementCinema Cityboypure delightNorwich-UK
Couple playfully runs away from the approaching waves on a low wooden pier at Viceroy Mexico Riviera Maya, their laughter and energy set against the ocean’s lively backdrop.
Couple Playfully Running From Waves On Wooden Pier At Viceroy Riviera Maya, Laughter And Energy Against Ocean Backdrop
joyfulOcean viewenergyoceanrunningapproaching waveslively backdrop
At Château de La Salle, la Pacaudière, the bride stands outside with eyes closed, holding scissors overhead to cut ribbons during the bouquet game, surrounded by eager guests hoping to win the prize.
Bride Cuts Ribbons During Bouquet Game Outside Château De La Salle
brideOutdoorplayfulFrancereceptionweddingprize
In Gironde, France, a young boy eagerly snaps pictures of the wedding preparations with a phone, playfully imitating a photographer, capturing the sweet curiosity and excitement of the get-ready atmosphere.
Young Boy Snaps Wedding Preparation Photos With Phone In Gironde France
excitementplayfulchildhoodboyWedding PrepImitationget ready
At Villa Schiarino in Bancole, Mantua, Italy, the bride tosses her bouquet from the staircase. The bouquet hovers humorously between two grand columns, resembling a goal, adding playful energy to the elegant setting.
Bride Tosses Bouquet From Villa Schiarino Staircase In Mantua, Bouquet Hovers Between Columns Playfully Amid Elegant Setting
weddingItalybrideenergycelebrationMantuabouquet toss
At their Budapest reception venue, the couple joyfully distributes playful, syringe-shaped party shots to their guests. Captured with a long lens, their laughter and the festive atmosphere stand out amidst the lively celebration.
Couple Distributes Playful Syringe-Shaped Shots To Guests At Budapest Wedding Reception
laughterfestiveHungaryjoyfullivelyparty shotsplayful
In Bandol, Var, Provence, France, a couple holds hands and jumps by the sea, clicking their heels together in playful, energetic poses for a portrait.
Bandol Engagement Portrait: Couple Jumping and Heel Clicking by the Sea
clicking heelsVarplayfulby the seaFranceBandol PreWedding Photographyjumping
At the wedding ceremony in Shanxi, a little child stood up and played inside the hotel venue, providing a memorable moment.
Shanxi Wedding Ceremony: The Delightful Moment a Child Played Inside the Hotel Venue
Shanxi Hotel Venueplayfulmemorable momentShanxi Wedding MomentchildShanxi
Bridal party portrait on the lawn at Foxie House in Sandwich, MA, styled with playful energy and creative composition, showcasing unique perspectives and joyful celebration.
Playful Creative Wedding Bridal Party Portrait On Lawn At Foxie House Sandwich MA Showcasing Joyful Celebration
Sandwich MA Wedding Photographyunique perspectiveSandwich MAbridal partyMassachusettsFoxie Houselawn
In Grenoble, France, a woman stands on a park sculpture to reach up and kiss her partner for a playful couple’s portrait.
Grenoble Engagement Portrait: Woman Kissing Partner While Standing on Park Sculpture
reaching upkissingpark settingGrenobleGrenoble PreWedding Photographyplayful
In Tulum, a woman smiles as she rides on her partner’s back for a playful, black-and-white portrait at the beach, set against a minimal backdrop of open sky.
Beach Laughter in Tulum—Playful Black-and-White Engagement Portrait with Piggyback Ride
Minimalisticopen skyTulum PreWedding Portraitbeachplayfulbw portraitsmiles
At Vaughn Woods in Hallowell, Maine, a man playfully lifts his partner over his shoulder as they both laugh for a lighthearted portrait.
Vaughn Woods Laughter—Playful Engagement Portrait with Shoulder Lift in Maine
laughingplayfulKennebec CountyHallowell Engagement SessionMaineHallowellVaughn Woods
In Boston, MA, the couple celebrates at the water’s edge, framed by city lights in an urban night shot illuminated by the photographer’s lighting.
Couple Portrait Session by Boston’s City Lights as He Playfully Lifts Her
urban nightcity lightsMassachusettscoupleOutdoorportrait sessionromance
At Cypress Grove in Mendocino, CA, the couple joyfully runs down the center of the street, the yellow painted lines leading the eye straight toward their laughter and energy.
Engaged Couple Running Down the Street at Cypress Grove in Mendocino
yellow street linesrunningMendocinodynamicsceniclaughterplayful
Beneath the timeless arches of Philadelphia City Hall, the couple shares a joyful, urban dip—full of playful style and grace—where their forever begins.
A Joyful Urban Dip Beneath the Arches of Philadelphia City Hall in a Pre-Wedding Portrait Session
Philadelphia City HallPhiladelphiajoyfulGracecityurban dipForever
In Göreme, Nevşehir, Turkey, a Cappadocia pre-wedding photo session captures the couple playing in the snow, wearing beanies, sharing a playful and romantic dip.
Playful Snowy Dip in Cappadocia Pre-Wedding Couple Portrait Session
funwinterloveTurkeyNevsehirPre Weddingengaged
At Playa del Faro de Trafalgar, Cádiz, Spain, a pre-wedding photo captures the couple sharing a playful and romantic dip on the rocks at the edge of the sea.
Playful Romantic Dip on Seaside Rocks in Playa del Faro de Trafalgar Couple Portrait Session
CadizcoastalengagedSpainromanceportrait sessionrocks
In Vejer de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain, a pre-wedding photo shows the couple holding hands and smiling in sunglasses as they peek around a village alleyway corner, framed by Old World stone structures.
Peeking Around a Stone Alley Corner With Sunglasses in Vejer de la Frontera Couple Portrait Session
Old World stone structuresloveromancePre WeddingSpanish villagecoupleSpain
At Playa del Faro de Trafalgar, Cádiz, Spain, a pre-wedding photo captures the couple joyfully jumping together, both suspended mid-air against a minimalist, all-blue sky.
Jumping for Joy Beneath a Blue Sky in Playa del Faro de Trafalgar Pre-Wedding Couple Portrait Session
coupleplayfulsuspendedjumpingCadizportrait sessionlove
At Guarujá, Brasil, the couple dashes through shallow water, holding hands and their shoes, capturing a playful and spontaneous beach scene.
Playful Run Through Shallow Water in Guarujá Beach Couple Portrait Session
Brazilcouplerunningholding handsGuarujáfunplayful
At Firlingerhof in Scharten, Austria, young men have fun on the kids' swings during the reception, their feet meeting mid-air under the trees on the grass. The scene captures carefree joy and playful celebration.
Young Men Play On Swings At Firlingerhof In Scharten Austria Reception
Firlingerhof Wedding MomentswingingFirlingerhofoutdoor receptionSchartenplayfulAustria
At L’héritage in Poliénas, Isère, France, guests get competitive during a lively wedding game, with playful energy turning into a spirited fight and laughter.
Competitive Wedding Game Sparks Laughter At L’Héritage Poliénas Isère France
fightcompetitiveIserePoliénasL HéritagelaughterIsere Wedding Moment
This striking portrait at La Pierre Percée, France, shows a couple silhouetted on a giant rock, playing a game of catch as she reaches down her hand and he reaches up, symbolizing connection and excitement.
Silhouetted Playful Reach at La Pierre Percée Couple Portrait Session
IserePre Weddinggiant rockreaching handsexcitementgame of catchportrait session
Captured between train cars in Budapest, this joyous portrait shows the couple dancing and smiling, with a shallow depth of field focusing on their playful, loving connection.
Dancing and Smiling Between Train Cars in Budapest Couple Portrait Session
shallow depth of fieldloving connectionHungarytrain carsfunurbanPre Wedding

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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.