Wedding Photos of Smiling

The following “Smiling” 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 “Smiling” 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.

Recently engaged couple and their furry friend can't stop smiling during their beach engagement session in South Kingstown, RI, sitting on the sand, radiating joy, playfulness, and love.

Beachside Bliss: Engaged Couple and Dog Embrace Happiness in South Kingstown, RI

A beautiful wedding photo taken at Bodrum ruins featuring a happy bride and groom exiting the outdoor ceremony amidst a shower of confetti and flower petals. The couple stands side by side, smiling, and surrounded by their guests.

Joyful Newlyweds: Bodrum Ruins Celebration with Confetti and Flower Petals Surrounding the Happy Couple

joyful Bodrum Outdoor Ceremony guests confetti newlyweds flower ruins

Engagement portrait by a wedding photographer at The Priory in Little Wymondley, capturing a couple embracing, kissing, and smiling under trees in soft afternoon light.

Embracing Love: Engagement Portrait at The Priory, Little Wymondley's Romantic Setting

Couple embracing soft light The Priory in Little Wymondley smiling Hertfordshire Little Wymondley Engagement Photographer under trees

Engagement portrait in Ashridge by a Hertfordshire wedding photographer, capturing a couple embracing and smiling near trees in soft afternoon light.

Ashridge Engagement Portrait with Smiling Couple Among Trees

smiling Hertfordshire Face to face soft light Ashridge park setting Ashridge Engagement Photographer

Couple engagement portrait by a Hertfordshire wedding photographer, captured in a romantic gaze and smiling in the soft afternoon light during a shoot in Ashridge.

Romantic Hertfordshire Duo: Captivating Smiles & Gaze in Soft Light

Ashridge afternoon Light soft light romantic gaze smiling Hertfordshire Engagement Photographer Hertfordshire

A unique wedding scene with a couple smiling behind two kissing llamas, one black and one white, captured at Biodome Esslingen venue during a peaceful outdoor portrait session.

Llamas Love: Couple Smiles Behind Black and White Kissers at Biodome Esslingen Wedding Venue

Baden-Wurttemberg Biodome Esslingen fun Black photo white kissing

A natural wedding image of the couple holding hands and smiling in the golden glow of the sunset at Castello di Valenzano in Arezzo, Italy, beautifully encapsulating the love and romance of their special day.

Sunset Love: Couple Smiling and Holding Hands at Castello Di Valenzano, Arezzo, Italy

sunset affectionate Arezzo couple Golden Arezzo Wedding Portrait smiling

Newlywed couple smiling as they exit Var town hall in France, walking under a shower of confetti outdoors on a sunny day.

French Fête: Newlyweds Bask in Confetti Shower After Var Town Hall Ceremony

smiling confetti Var Town Hall outdoors French Marriage Image Newlywed couple Sunny day

In Eure, at the reception venue, this award-winning image captures the groom lifting the bride, both smiling as they gaze into each other's eyes.

Romantic Love in Eure: Award-Winning Photo of Smiling Bride and Groom

gazing Eure lifting bride bride and groom nature Artful Eure Artistic Portrait

A couple about to get married posed for their engagement portrait session at downtown Columbus, Ohio. With the future groom smiling warmly at his bride, they walked hand in hand on a beautiful Fall day, surrounded by trees displaying vibrant colors.

Love in the Heartland: Embracing Autumn's Splendor in Downtown Columbus

colorful leaves Columbus autumn engagement fall day Columbus Engagement Portrait Strolling Ohio

In a park, this award-winning wedding portrait captures a lovely pose between the brides. They stand back-to-back, holding hands and smiling at each other, with a bouquet of flowers in hand.

A Captivating Back-to-Back Brides' Pose in Nature

bouquets Metz smiling flowers in hand park setting Moselle Metz Artistic Portrait

A WPJA wedding photographer captured a joyful engagement picture featuring a couple walking on Scarborough beach in Maine, laughing and smiling widely, with the black and white image beautifully showcasing the blowing wind

Love Takes Flight: Whimsical Joy on Scarborough Beach, Maine

Scarborough Maine engagement photography beach engagement Maine blowing wind laughing black and white

A wedding photographer from WPJA took engagement pictures of a happy couple walking and smiling at the Wilkes Street Tunnel in Old Town Alexandria, VA

Love Illuminating the Tunnel of Forever: A Captivating Engagement Portrait in Old Town Alexandria

Wilkes Street Tunnel smiling VA Couple Portrait Happy couple Old Town Alexandria

A photographer from WPJA captured an engagement picture session of a couple at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, where they were seen sitting on a bench, smiling and sharing a gaze

Love Takes Center Stage: An Enchanting Engagement at the Kennedy Center

Kennedy Center DC engagement sitting on bench gazing smiling eye contact Washington DC

An engaged couple in Paris, France, stands close, hugging and smiling while being photographed by a skilled wedding photographer. The soft sunlight casts a gentle glow on their faces, and the colors in the photo are light and delicate.

Romantic Parisian Love: Embracing Eternity in the City of Light

hugging smiling soft sunlight Paris engagement session delicate Paris gentle glow

In Geneva, a couple can be seen sitting and relaxing in a beautiful yellow field. They are both smiling and enjoying each other's company.

Blissful Love Blooms in Geneva's Golden Fields: Enchanting Engagement Portrait Sets Hearts Aglow

sitting in field eye contact smiling Geneva Engagement Portrait Geneva yellow field

In Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, a lifestyle engagement photoshoot took place. The couple stood indoors, against a warm-toned wall, both smiling radiantly, yet subtly distanced from each other. The composition was minimalistic.

Radiant Love Blossoms: A Minimalistic Lifestyle Engagement Portrait in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Minimalistic warm toned wall Coimbatore PreWedding Shoot smiling Coimbatore

Lifestyle portrait of a happy couple at Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, smiling and embracing under a palm tree, holding hands as they enjoy a playful picture session together

Romantic Reflections: Embracing Love amidst Nature's Beauty - A Memorable Costa Rican Engagement Portrait Session

Manuel Antonio Costa Rica smiling holding hands palm tree Manuel Antonio Engagement Photography palm fronds

An engaged couple at Jonzac, Charente-Maritime, France, share a session of love and joy, capturing all-natural white-background portraits while embracing and smiling

Love and Joy in Jonzac: A Blissful Engagement Portrait in Charente-Maritime, France

smiling embracing Jonzac Engagement Photography Jonzac black and white Charente-Maritime

Stanford, a sweet couple, is seen smiling and having a great time posing in front of a vibrant and colorful wall for their engagement portrait

Vibrantly Colorful Engagement Portraits of Stanford Couple in Smiling Bliss

colorful squares smiling bliss engagement portrait sweet couple vibrantly colorful Stanford Engagement Photography posing

A Montpellier couple is depicted in an engagement portrait, sitting on a short fence by the beach, smiling and facing each other.

Romantic Engagement Portrait: Montpellier Couple Smiling on Beach Fence

Montpellier Engagement Session sitting on fence Montpellier smiling beach

The engaged couple walked and smiled during their engagement shoot in Decatur Square, Georgia

Captivating Engagement Shoot in Decatur Square, Georgia: A Picture-Perfect Moment of Love and Smiles

Decatur walking Decatur Square Decatur Engagement Photography Georgia smiling

The couple in Chartres smiling together in an autumn setting, surrounded by fallen leaves on the edge of a forest

Chartres Couple Smiling in Autumn Setting, Surrounded by Fallen Leaves near Forest

forest scene Chartres Engagement Portrait autumn setting Chartres fallen leaves smiling

Engagement Wedding Portrait: Brescia City Couple Smiling in Profile, Captured in B&W Silhouette

light and shadows Brescia Engagement Session silhouette smiling bw portrait Brescia

A lovely photograph featuring a couple smiling and hugging in Parque, Ridley Creek State Park during their engagement photography session

Engagement Photography Session in Ridley Creek State Park, Parque: Couple Smiling and Hugging in Lovely Photograph

Ridley Creek State Park smiling hugging park engagement Pennsylvania Engagement Photography Pennsylvania

A picture capturing a couple in Montpellier, France, as they smile at each other during an engagement wedding photography session

Montpellier, France: Couple Captured Smiling at Each Other During Engagement Wedding Photography Session

Montpellier smiling Montpellier couple portrait eye contact matching clothing

The couple can be seen smiling and enjoying each other's company while posed next to a waterfall in Vogel State Park

Vogel State Park: Smiling Couple Poses Next to Waterfall, Enjoying Each Other's Company

smiling Chattahoochee National Forest Georgia Georgia engagement photography Vogel State Park waterfall

The couple is smiling and embracing while seated on the steps of a door in the city of Metz

Metz City - Smiling Couple Embracing on Door Steps

smiling Metz Engagement Photography door step France Metz red backdrop sitting on steps

The couple was smiling brightly as they posed for their engagement portrait at Garonne Quays in Toulouse

The couple smiled happily at Garonne Quays in Toulouse for their engagement portrait

smiling Toulouse Engagement Portrait bw portrait stairs Garonne Quays Toulouse

A lifestyle portrait session in Montpellier, France, captured a couple's joy that show them running, smiling, and laughing

The engagement portrait captured the couple's love and joy, with them running, smiling, and laughing in Montpellier, France.

smiling Herault Herault Engagement Photography couple running laughing Montpellier

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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.