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Wedding Photos of Special day

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The following “Special day” 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 “Special day” 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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At home in Taiyuan, Shanxi, the bride shares a warm embrace with her mother, whose face radiates happiness and pride, capturing a tender bond on this special day.
Bride And Mother Share Warm Embrace At Home In Taiyuan, Shanxi, Mother's Face Radiating Happiness And Pride On Wedding Day
weddingpridespecial dayhappinesslovefamilyhome
At the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, Cleveland, OH, the couple stands together in a moment of sincere prayer during their ceremony, enveloped in a peaceful and reverent atmosphere as they share this meaningful time.
Couple Stands Together In Sincere Prayer During Ceremony At Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, Surrounded By Peaceful And Reverent Atmosphere
loveRenaissance Cleveland Hotelweddingreverentpeacefulvowstogether
At Courteenhall Estate, the bride and her granny share a touching face-to-face embrace, their expressions radiating warmth and affection, highlighting the deep generational bond and love on this special day.
Bride And Granny Share Touching Face-To-Face Embrace At Courteenhall Estate
Courteenhall EstateembracewarmthaffectionloveTogethernessFace to face
At the walls of Montagnana, Padua, Italy, the couple shares a unique kiss over the roof of a vintage car. Surrounded by historic charm, this playful, romantic portrait beautifully blends timeless love with nostalgic elegance on their special day.
Couple Shares a Playful Kiss Over Vintage Car Roof Beside Montagnana’s Historic Walls in Padua, Italy
kissplayfulcouplePaduaspecial dayroofMontagnana
Bride’s dress and shoes hang by window in family home, awaiting her special day in France.
Bride's Dress and Shoes Hang by Window in Family Home, Awaiting Special Day in France
Dress hangingspecial dayanticipationwedding attireFrench HomeBridal Ready
Hilton, Philadelphia: A high, wide-angle view shows the bride and groom serenading their special day, encircled by their cherished crew.
Hilton Philadelphia: Wedding Couple Serenades Cherished Crew
cherished crewbride groomserenadingPhiladelphiawide angleHilton Philadelphiabride
In São Paulo, a low-angle, black and white detail shot captures a massive champagne toast, celebrating the special day.
São Paulo: Massive Champagne Toast in Black and White
black whitelow angleSão Paulomassivespecial dayDetail Shotcelebrating
In Vendée, France, a drone shot captures the bride and groom, both farmers, as they lay together on their field where they just got married, offering a unique and aerial perspective of their special day.
Drone Captures Aerial View of Farmer Couple Laying on Field Wedding Venue in Vendée, France
VendeeweddingVendée field celebrationunique day viewfarmers fieldunique perspectiveVendée France
In the church field at St. Saviour's, Guernsey, the bride and groom enjoy a playful moment on an inflatable helter skelter slide. The joyous ride adds a fun, whimsical touch to their special day.
Bride and Groom Take a Spirited Slide at St. Saviour's
slideinflatablespecial daygroomHelter SkelterlaughterSt Saviours
At The Ponds at Bolton Valley in Bolton, VT, a high-angle shot captures the couple kissing and recessing from the ceremony on the grass. Sunlight bathes the scene, highlighting the joy and natural beauty of their special day.
Couple's Joyful Recessional Kiss at The Ponds at Bolton Valley
recessingsunlightceremonyBolton VTnature embraced celebrationBolton Valleygrass
In Paris, the bride, overcome with emotion, cries in her husband's arms. He wraps his arm around her and tenderly kisses her head, showcasing a moment of deep love and support during their special day.
Bride Cries in Husband's Arms in Paris, Capturing Deep Love and Support on Their Special Day
supportatmospherecryingintimacyParisian Lovefrench weddingdeep love
At the Haven Hotel in Dunmore East, amid the wedding preparations, the bride takes a moment to breastfeed her baby while sitting on a couch. This intimate scene highlights the blend of family, love, and responsibilities on her special day.
Bride Breastfeeds Baby on Couch During Preparations at Haven Hotel, Blending Family and Love on Special Day
familyweddingtenderDunmore EastmotherhoodloveResponsibilities
En route to their reception in Switzerland, the couple is captured traveling by helicopter. This unique mode of transport adds an adventurous and iconic touch to their special day, set against the stunning Swiss landscape.
Couple Makes Grand Entrance to Swiss Wedding Reception Via Helicopter, Embracing an Adventurous Journey
Swiss CelebrationscenicuniqueadventureAerial Eventflycouple
Outside Limoges City Hall, the newlyweds joyfully exit under a shower of confetti, while their loved ones look on with smiles and cheering, celebrating the happy couple's special day.
Limoges Wedding: Couple Exits City Hall to Cheers, Confetti Shower
france weddingFrench traditionnewlywedsloved onesspecial dayexitcelebration
In front of City Hall in Saint-Genis-d'Hiersac, the newlyweds share a loving kiss. This bubble scene captures the joy and romance of their special day.
Newlyweds Share Romantic Kiss Amid Bubbles at Saint-Genis-d'Hiersac City Hall, Capturing Joyful Celebration
City hallmomentCharenteloving kissSaint Genis-dHiersacbubblesFrench charm
At Slot Moermond, the bride is encircled by numerous helping hands as she steps into her wedding dress. This intimate moment captures the loving support and excitement from friends and family as she prepares for her day.
Bride Surrounded by Helping Hands While Dressing at Slot Moermond, Embracing Supportive Pre-Wedding Moment
netherlands weddingZeeland CelebrationsupportDutch Brideexcitementspecial dayHelping hands
At Chateau Bouret, the bride, her grandma, and guests gather around a table, sharing an emotional moment as they all cry together, united by the deep feelings of love and joy surrounding the special day.
Grandma, Bride, Guests Share Tearful Joy at Chateau Bouret Wedding
Chateau BouretSeine-PortjoyTogethernessSeine-et-Marnefrance weddingEmotional moment
At a wedding in Villa Bria, Gassino Torinese, Italy, the surroundings set a romantic stage as guests gather to celebrate the couple's special day, enjoying the beautiful architecture and lush gardens that provide an enchanting backdrop.
Villa Bria Wedding: Italian Romance, Lush Gardens, and Celebration
Villa Bria Weddingspecial dayGassino Torinesecelebrationlush gardensenchanting backdroplove
At a home in Hauts-de-France, the bride is overwhelmed with emotion, capturing the excitement and anticipation of seeing her partner on their special day.
Bride's Joy Overflows at Hauts-de-France Home Wedding
France BrideoverwhelmedpreparationjoyHauts-de-FranceSeeing Partneratmosphere
In Jodhpur, India, a festive party atmosphere fills the air as friends gather around the bride, surrounded by vibrant colors and joyful laughter, celebrating her special day with lively energy and cultural richness.
Jodhpur Bride Celebrated With Vibrant Colors, Joyful Friends
JodhpurrichnesscolorfulCulturalJodhpur bridecelebratingTraditional
At Capilla San Juan Maria Vianney, the bride and groom walk bathed in sunlight streaming through the church window. In the otherwise dark room, a spot of light creates a glowing effect that beautifully highlights their joy and love on this special day.
Sunlight Highlights Joyful Couple's Wedding at Capilla San Juan Maria Vianney
Capilla San Juan Maria VianneysunlightradiantbeautifulArgentinaintimatelove
The wedding couple embrace in a beautiful Icelandic flower field, with a traditional church in the background, on their special wedding day in Snaefellsnes, Iceland.
Couple's Embrace in Flower Field by Church in Snaefellsnes
Beautiful Flower FieldIcelandpicturesque settingLove in Naturewedding coupleembraceTraditional Church
A joyful wedding celebration at Villa di Lorenzo in Palermo, Italy. The bride and guests joyfully dance and spin napkins overhead, adding to the festivities of the special day.
Joyful Dancing and Napkin Waves at Villa di Lorenzo Wedding
Palermobridevibrant atmospherecelebrationSpin NapkinsVilla di Lorenzospecial day
The groom getting ready for his special day in Lille, Nord. With the help of a friend, the pair works in the sunlight.
Sunlit Preparations: Groom Ready with Friend's Help in Lille
friendFriendshipgroom preparationgetting readyspecial daywedding dayhelp
The joy of a bride as she laughs with her female guests at an after party at Wahoo Grille. A moment to remember on her special day.
Bride Shares Memorable After Party Moments at Wahoo Grille
party funcelebrationafter partyWahoo Grille VenueBrides JoyGeorgia VenueMemorable
A Dutch wedding at Loonse en Drunense Druinen. This beautiful photo features a couple framed by stunning trees on their special day.
Nature's Frame: Couple's Enchanting Wedding Photo at Loonse en Drunense Duinen
DutchbwLoonse en Drunense DruinenNoord Brabantframed by naturebeautiful photonatures beauty
The bride, with the backdrop of Mendocino Land Trust and MacCallum House in Mendocino, California, takes a moment to sit and reflect on her special day after all the guests have departed from the wedding site.
Solitude and Reflection: A Bride's Quiet Moment in Mendocino
special dayMendocinobridebridesreflectionsolitudeMendocino Land Trust
At the Chateau de Poudenas in France, a captivating black and white photo captures the groom preparing for his special day in front of a window, with the sky and clouds reflected in the glass, earning the photographer a WPJA Spotlight award.
Reflections of Anticipation: Groom's Preparation at Chateau de Poudenas
window preparationatmospheric weddingblack and white elegancewindowcaptivatingreflected sky sceneclouds
A Pyrenees-Atlantiques BW image captures the joy and anticipation of a bride getting ready for her special day, as she is surrounded by beaming bridesmaids in a beautifully adorned room.
Graceful Anticipation: A Bride's Moment in Pyrenees-Atlantiques
bridejoysupportivebeaming bridesmaidsspecial daypreparationAtmospheric Setting
An image of a newlywed couple dancing in front of the iconic Chateau de Fleury in France, captured during a sunset, has been awarded the WPJA Spotlight for its romantic and enchanting portrayal of the couple's special day.
Sunset Serenade: Enchanting Dance at Chateau de Fleury
dancingfrance newlywedsenchantingChateau de FleurySeine-et-Marneiconicspecial day

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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.