Wedding Photos of River

The following “River” 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 “River” 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.

As golden sunset light bathes the shallow river in Szigetcsúcs, Hungary, a couple walks hand in hand, surrounded by lush green hills that add a poetic touch to their riverside stroll.

Golden Sunset Light Bathes Riverside Stroll In Szigetcsúcs, Hungary As Couple Walks Surrounded By Lush Green Hills

Engagement portrait at Las Cuevas Beach, Trinidad, features the couple standing in the middle of a tranquil river flowing toward the sea behind them, illuminated by golden hour sunlight.

Couple Stands In Tranquil River At Las Cuevas Beach, Trinidad, With Golden Hour Sunlight And Sea In The Background

portrait Las Cuevas Beach river scene backlit portrait couple outdoor setting river

A couple shares an intimate embrace by the river in Florence, captured in black and white with a Petzval lens, creating characteristic swirly bokeh for an artistic, romantic effect.

Couple Embracing By Florence River, Petzval Lens Black And White Swirly Bokeh

Florence swirly riverbank river Florence engagement Petzval lens

Beneath a bridge in the Edmonton river valley, the groom pauses for a portrait, thoughtfully twirling his moustache, with the urban landscape framing his unique style.

Groom Twirls His Moustache for a BW Portrait Beneath a Bridge in Edmonton’s River Valley, Urban Landscape Framing His Style

style river valley portrait urban river Edmonton bridge moustache

A photograph of a wedding reception at Chateau Bouret, featuring long tables set for dining, with the Seine River visible behind, suggesting an outdoor setting

Chateau Bouret Wedding Reception with Seine River Backdrop and Long Dining Tables

outdoor dining setting reception dining river Chateau Bouret Ile-de-France river view tables

Captured in Argenton-sur-Creuse, an engagement session unfolds in the middle of a river. The couple, immersed in nature, shares a serene and romantic kiss together before their wedding.

Romantic River Kiss: A Serene Engagement Session in Argenton-sur-Creuse

river Centre-Val de Loire Argenton sur Creuse Indre Engagement Portrait in nature couple kissing Indre

A WPJA photographer captures a delightful scene at Zbiljsko jezero, Slovenia, where a loving couple is enveloped by graceful swans in the river as they share a tender embrace.

Wedding Photographer Captures Water Scene | Loving Couple Embraced by Graceful Swans

swans Zbiljsko Jezero Slovenia high angle Slovenia Engagement Portrait tender embrace river

Watford, England - Surrounded by the natural beauty of Cassiobury Park, this engaged couple shares a tender embrace as they pose for a portrait session by the river. The bright scene is reflected in the water.

An Engaged Couple's Portrait Session in the Picturesque Cassiobury Park, Watford, England

Watford UK England Cassiobury Park pose for portrait reflection in water river Hertfordshire

In Levi, Finland, a wedding day portrait captures the couple by the river. The ground is blanketed in snow, and ice-covered white branches frame the scene, creating a winter wonderland backdrop.

Levi, Finland Wedding: Couple Portraits Amid Snowy, Icy Winter Wonderland

Finland Levi Finland snow Europe Levi Finland branches snow portrait

Engaged couple embraces in front of the waterfront view outside the Radisson Blue hotel in London, at the Riverside 2 boardwalk railing.

A Romantic Engagement Portrait at Radisson Blue Hotel on London's Waterfront Boardwalk

Riverside 2 boardwalk hotel engagement Radisson Blue London London engagement session river railing

At Pen Ryn River's Edge in Bensalem, PA, a black-and-white portrait captures the bride seen over her groom's shoulder. Her dress is fluffed, creating an elegant scene just before their first look by the river.

Pen Ryn River's Edge: Bride's Elegant First Look Portrait in Black and White

elegant elegant first look PA river Bensalem fluffed dress river Pen Ryn Rivers Edge wedding

During their engagement photo shoot in Morbegno, Italy, the loving couple cuddles by the river, taking a seat on the smooth stones as they bask in each other's affection.

Riverside Romance: Morbegno, Italy Engagement - A Sweet Moment of Love by the Water's Edge

stones river Valtellina Valley Morbegno Engagement Photography Cuddling Lombardy water

A picturesque wedding portrait of the bride and groom taken in the historic village of Clisson, with stunning reflections captured in the river as the couple embraces, creating a unique and captivating composition.

Romantic Wedding Portrait in Historic Clisson Village: Bride and Groom Embracing by River Reflections

village Pays de la Loire river venue reception embraces Loire-Atlantique picturesque

A Bozeman wedding photographer captures a couple in a river, wading in water and embracing. This image is a fine art portrait that beautifully showcases the couple's love and connection in a natural setting.

Embracing Love: River Romantics in Bozeman Engagement Portrait

natural setting wading in river river Bozeman Engagement Photographer low angle Bozeman

A Minneapolis, MN couple posing on a rock with a cityscape in the background during their engagement photo shoot

Minneapolis Couple Captures Urban Love Story: Picture Perfect Engagement Shoot Embraces City Skyline Setting

standing on rock Minnesota Engagement Photography urban portrait Minneapolis bridge city skyline river

A couple stands together on a low water level of the river in Downtown West Bend, Wisconsin during an engagement photo shoot, with the picturesque bridge in the background

Love's Reflection: An Engaged Journey by the Riverside

low water West Bend Engagement Photography West Bend river bridge Wisconsin

The couple hugging by a river in Hettange Grande, France, for engagement portraits

Hettange Grande, France: Engaging Couple Hugging by the River for Beautiful Portraits

Moselle engagement portrait Moselle hug Hettange Grande river

The couple posed for an engagement portrait in Ardèche, France, near a river with a striking natural bridge in the background

The couple posed for an engagement portrait near a river in Ardèche, France, with a beautiful natural bridge in the background

river couple posing Natural Bridge Ardeche Love Session Ardeche

A couple in Ariège, France, are looking forward to their upcoming wedding as they lay together on rocks overlooking the river

In Ariège, France, a loving couple lay on rocks embracing, dreaming of their wedding day and the river below

river Ariege Love Session rocks Ariège kiss Occitanie France

In Harrisburg, PA, the couple, silhouetted against the river at sunset, is eagerly anticipating their upcoming wedding

In Harrisburg, PA, the engaged couple basks in love, silhouetted against the river at sunset

river sunset portrait Pennsylvania orange Silhouetted couple touching chin Harrisburg

A stunning wedding portrait at Kananaskis, AB, Canada, looking out at the lake from the mountain, the glowing white dress standing out in beautiful contrast

Kananaskis, AB: A glowing white dress stands out in contrast against the landscape and lake

stunning wedding portrait Lookout Kananaskis beautiful landscape Alberta river Calgary

Chicago Riverwalk engagement announcement photo idea showing a couple standing under a bridge during sunset

Sarah Nader river sunset portrait Chicago Riverwalk standing under bridge Chicago photographer

Cazorla, Jaén engagement photo session on the hiking a view trail along the river

walking trail river Jaén Jaen photographer Cazorla hiking

Ardèche post proposal portraits from a France couple engagement session Next to the river

Jerome Villard Ardeche France sitting on rocks Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes France photographer river

Paris post proposal portrait photos of a happy France couple Captured during sunset, as Paris has a mesmerizing sunset

France river eiffel tower Paris Sunset Portrait Paris bridge

A Colorado Wedding, Elopement, and Engagement Photographer created this artistic, adventurous portrait of this Fort Collins couple illustrating the couple sitting on a branch close to a river

colorado wedding photographer Fort Collins couple Mark Creery tree branch Fort Collins river

Great wedding photography of this Loveland, Colorado couple standing on a rock by a river at Sylvan Dale Ranch

Loveland Mark Creery Sylvan Dale Ranch weddings standing CO wedding photography Sylvan Dale Ranch Colorado couple

Scenic Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado engagement image created as the Couple hugs during the sunset next to a river in a valley of the park

park Colorado couple Mark Creery Colorado engagement river sunset hugs

Laporte, Colorado couple pre-wed portrait of a couple that was truly enjoying themselves as they are sharing a laugh by a river

laugh Laporte Colorado couple river Colorado engagement photography Mark Creery Colorado

A pre-wedding he Stockade, Schenectady, New York engagement session with a young couple embracing and looking at each other lovingly on the shore of a river as the sunsets behind them

NY shore Couple embracing sunset NY wedding photography Danielle Gardner river

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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.