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Wedding Photos of Pre ceremony

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The following “Pre ceremony” 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 “Pre ceremony” 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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Bride and bridesmaids in dresses at Palazzo Viviani, Monte Gridolfo, Rimini, Italy, before the wedding.
Viviani Palazzo: Bride and Bridesmaids' Elegant Moment Before a Wedding in Italy
Bride and BridesmaidsEmilia-RomagnaRiminiRimini Wedding PhotographyPalazzo Vivianipre ceremonyMonte Gridolfo
At the bride’s home in London, the photographer captures a tender pre-ceremony moment between the bride and her mother, expertly preserving anticipation, humor, and meaningful connection.
Bride Shares Tender Pre-Ceremony Moment With Mother At Home In London Highlighting Anticipation And Connection
motherLondon weddingbridemomentfamilyTendernesshome
The groom gets a traditional shave from his father at Villa Toskana. This intimate moment of preparation shows a quiet rite of passage full of emotion before the wedding.
A Meaningful Pre-Wedding Ritual: Groom Receives Traditional Shave From Father At Villa Toskana
momentrite of passageemotionVilla Toskanaweddingintimatetraditional shave
Bridesmaids wait to make their entrance at Bonsai Zentrum in Heidelberg, Germany. The quiet moment captures their anticipation and excitement just before the wedding ceremony begins.
Bridesmaids Await Their Entrance At Bonsai Zentrum, Heidelberg: A Quiet Moment Of Anticipation And Excitement
preparationGermanyHeidelbergentrancebridesmaidsWaitinganticipation
At the bride's house in Brescia, a makeup artist works on the bride. The quiet, focused moment of pre-ceremony preparation captures a sense of calm anticipation before the wedding.
A Calm, Focused Moment: Bride Receives Makeup Touches Before Wedding At Her Home In Brescia
pre ceremonyItalyfocusedpreparationCalmweddingbeauty
A bride has her makeup done at home in Feytiat, France. The black-and-white shot, captured in a mirror, shows a quiet and candid moment of preparation before the wedding ceremony.
A Quiet, Candid Black-And-White Image: Bride Has Makeup Done At Home In Feytiat, France
quietFranceat homeintimatecandidblack and whitepreparation
A couple is captured in a Philadelphia park like setting with their fur baby. This sweet portrait showcases their beloved pet before they head to the wedding ceremony.
Couple Shares a Sweet Parkside Portrait With Their Beloved Dog Before Wedding Ceremony in Philadelphia
belovedpre ceremonydoglovePhiladelphiadogsOutdoor
In Vendée, a backlit mist spray enhances photos of the bride's preparations. The ethereal light captures intimate moments before the ceremony, highlighting anticipation and delicate details.
Ethereal Backlighting and Mist Capture Intimate Bridal Preparations and Anticipation in Vendée, France
getting readyetherealmist sprayPreparationsdetailspre ceremonyintimate
At Domaine de Lalane in Occitanie, France, the bride sits in the back of a car on her way to church. She thoughtfully inspects her flowers in a tight, intimate shot.
Bride Thoughtfully Inspects Her Bouquet in Intimate Backseat Moment En Route to Church at Domaine de Lalane
flowerschurchcloseupbrideintimatecarthoughtful
In Schalksmühle, Sauerland, Germany, the bride pauses during her getting ready moments to gently touch her shoulder in a reflective, intimate posture, capturing anticipation and emotion before the ceremony.
Bride Pauses During Getting Ready in Schalksmühle, Sauerland, Germany
Schalksmühleshoulderemotionintimategently touchSauerlandbride
Two groomsmen play shuffleboard at Whispering Rose Ranch in Solvang, Calif. A sign reading "Old Friends" hangs above them. The photo captures a casual moment at the wedding venue.
Groomsmen Enjoy Shuffleboard at Whispering Rose Ranch Wedding in Solvang, California
Solvangwedding day funbarn venuewedding venueCalifornia - CentralGroom Partyold friends
At Whispering Rose Ranch, Solvang, a groomsman reaches to hang his coat on a rodeo statue. The wedding photo shows the moment against the ranch backdrop.
Groomsman Hangs Coat on Rodeo Statue at Whispering Rose Ranch Wedding in Solvang, California
coat hanginggroomsmanGroom Partyranch backdropWhispering Rose Ranchwedding momentRustic Venue
The Lille Nord groom is preparing for his wedding alongside his brother and best man. The image captures a moment of anticipation and camaraderie before the ceremony begins.
Moments of Brotherhood: A Groom's Journey to 'I Do'
Lille brotherly preparationanticipationcamaraderiegroombondLille preparationcapturing brotherhood joy
Outside at Chateau du Sou features a tender moment as the father rides with his daughter, the bride, just before the church ceremony. This intimate car ride captures a mix of anticipation and emotion before the big event.
Father Rides with Bride at Chateau du Sou, Capturing Tender Pre-Ceremony Moment
Lacenasemotionloveintimateautocaratmosphere
At a church in Loiret, Centre-Val de Loire, guests enjoy a refreshing moment before the wedding ceremony. A small bar set up in front of the church invites them to relax with a beer, adding a casual touch to the day's festivities.
Guests Relax with Drinks at Pop-Up Bar Outside Loiret Church, Enjoying a Refreshing Pre-Ceremony
Loiret ChurchCentre Val De LoirerelaxLoiret Bridefrance weddingRefreshing Momentguests
At Saint Jean de Chépy, France, a black-and-white detail shot captures the bride alongside her dress, both elegantly displayed in an architectural opening, highlighting the gown's intricate design and the bride.
Bride and Gown Captured in Timeless Black-and-White at Saint Jean de Chépy, France
gownweddingDetail Shotelegantbridebridalcandid
In Remscheid, Germany, the groom's brother wipes sweat from his forehead, feeling nervous shortly before the church wedding.
Groom's Brother Wipes Sweat from Groom's Forehead, Preparing for Church Wedding in Remscheid, Germany
anticipationemotionsweatingpreparationPreWedding NervesChurch weddingforehead
Surrounded by love, the bride eagerly awaits her special day with the help of her devoted bridesmaids at Gîte L'essentiel.
Bride's Big Day Prep at Gîte L'essentiel: A Loving Journey with Dedicated Bridesmaids
IsereIsere Bridebridesmaidsspecial daygownpre ceremonycandid
In Pau, the bride calmly prepares for her special day, eagerly anticipating the final touch of her wedding attire.
Pau Bride: Excited for the Final Touch in Her Quiet Prep Room
preparinganticipationattirecandidbridalFrancePau bride
At the church in Fressies, North of France, two kids eagerly wait for their cue to start their entrance for the ceremony.
Eager Anticipation in Fressies: Two Kids Await Entrance Cue at Church Ceremony, Northern France
cueeagerlyFranceimpatiententrancekidscute
At the church in Cambrai, North of France, two minutes before the entrance, the bride is getting ready while the groom shares a moment with his mother.
Tender Moments in Cambrai: Bride Prepares as Groom Shares Time with Mother Before Ceremony
familymothergroomsupportweddingentranceNord
As they make their way to the ceremony in Hauts-de-France, the groom and wedding witness share a lighthearted moment trying to navigate the challenging old vehicle.
Adventures in an Old Red Car: Groom and Witness Head to Hauts-de-France Ceremony
groomsmenwitnesscandidHumorouslightheartedpre ceremonyFrance
The bride as she prepared for her special day at the reception venue in England.
Bride Gets Ready for Big Day in English Reception Venue
England Reception venuecandidloveelegantEnglandpre ceremonyjoyful
In Stirlingshire, Scotland, at the bride's house, the women get ready in perfect sync.
Elegant Preparation in Stirlingshire: Women Seamlessly Get Ready at Bride's House, Scotland
familyScotlandhousehappycandidcoordinatedcelebration
At Beijing Everburg Winery, during the busy wedding preparations, mothers are seen making beds, adding to the bustling atmosphere.
Bustling Preparations at Beijing Everburg Winery: Mothers Make Beds Amid Wedding Hustle
ChinaBeijing Everburg Wineryhelpmaking bedsgetting readybeijing wedding preparationschores
Groomsmen gather before wedding ceremony at Woodland Weddings in England.
Groomsmen share a moment before the ceremony at enchanting Woodland Weddings, England
WoodlandUnited KingdomEnglandgroomsmenpre ceremonyEngland wedding photographyoutdoor ceremony
WPJA photographer captures a wedding portrait in Paris, showing the bride, groom, and their wedding party at the home's grand doors and windows before the ceremony.
Wedding Party Portrait in the Grand Doors and Windows - Paris
celebrationpre ceremonylovewindowsWPJA Photographerwedding portraitParis
A picture of a wedding scene at Grassfield Hall in Harrogate, with a bridesmaid preparing a sandwich for the bride in a kitchen.
Bridesmaid Prepares Sandwich for Bride in Grassfield Hall Kitchen, Harrogate
pre ceremonykitchenHarrogatesandwichNorth YorkshireGrassfield Hallbridesmaid
At a venue in Isere, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the bride's parents gaze with emotion as they see her for the first time in her wedding dress.
Bride's Parents Gaze Emotionally at Her First Wedding Dress Reveal in Isere Venue, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
special momentgazelovepre ceremonyemotionalfamilybrides parents
In Pamplona, Spain, the bride's uncle looks in apparent amazement as he examines one of her shoes.
Bride's Uncle Looks Amazed Examining Her Shoe at Wedding in Pamplona, Spain
getting readyclose upNavarrecuriousshoePamplonaSpain

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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.