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Wedding Photos of Surprise

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The following “Surprise” 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 “Surprise” 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 Brookside Gardens Event Center, a guest playfully lifts the bride's dress while she turns to see what's happening, captured in a moment of surprise and amusement during the wedding festivities.
Bride's Surprised Reaction as Guest Lifts Her Dress at Brookside Gardens
momentbrideamusement at weddingsurprisebrides dressplayfulCenter festivities
At a Baltimore, Maryland reception, a woman beams with surprise and joy after catching the bouquet. Her delighted expression captures a wedding tradition.
Woman's Joyful Surprise Lights Up Baltimore Reception
Baltimore wedding receptiontraditionjoybouquet catching momentBaltimore reception joywomansurprising bouquet catch
At The Atrium in Butler County, PA, the bride and groom's little cousin looks surprised as she discovers a piece of debris stuck to her shoe during the wedding.
Little Cousin's Surprise: Wedding Day Discovery at The Atrium, Butler County, PA
celebrationflower girlButler County WeddingeventButler Countylovesurprise
At Gite L'essentiel in Le Haut Breda, the bride and groom share a kiss amidst a colorful display created by surprise smoke bombs set off by their guests.
Bride and Groom Kiss Amid Surprise Smoke Bombs at Gite L'essentiel Wedding in Le Haut Breda Scene
celebrationatmosphereFrancealpine weddinglovevibrantLe Haut Bréda
At the Old Court Wedding Company in Co. Down, Northern Ireland, the bride lets out a scream as a very large spider drops onto her dress during her wedding ceremony with the groom. This unexpected event brings a surprising and memorable twist to the day.
Bride Screams as Large Spider Drops on Dress at Co. Down Wedding, Adding Memorable Ceremony Twist
reactionsurpriseCounty DownCounty Down EventOld Court Wedding CompanygroomNorthern Ireland
At Shangri La Barr Al Jissah in Muscat, Oman, during their haldi ceremony, the bride was taken by surprise when the groom joined her side and playfully applied turmeric to her face.
Groom Playfully Applies Turmeric to Bride's Face During Haldi Ceremony at Shangri La Barr Al Jissah
Shangri La Barr Al JissahHalditurmericritualsurpriseceremonyOman
At Blackstone Rivers Ranch, the bride reacts with surprise and laughter after accidentally kicking away the glass she was meant to step on during the ceremony. This playful mishap adds a memorable and humorous twist to the proceedings.
Bride's Playful Mishap Steals Show at Blackstone Rivers Ranch, Kicking Glass Adds Laughter to Ceremony
celebrationHumorousColorado CharmlovePlayful Mishapsurprisetwist
In the Dordogne Valley, a bridesmaid delivers her speech with a unique twist. She holds a hammer in her hand, adding a touch of humor and surprise to the moment.
Bridesmaid Delivers Unique Speech with Hammer in Hand in Dordogne Valley, Adding Humor and Surprise
festivityfrench weddingscelebrationunique twistDordogne EventDordogne Valley Weddinghammer
In a Cleveland, Ohio hotel room, the bride, with her back to the camera, shares a surprise hidden under her robe with her bridesmaids. Their faces light up with surprise and delight as they react to the unexpected reveal.
In a Cleveland, Ohio hotel room, the bride reveals a surprise under her robe to her bridesmaids, whose faces light up with surprise and delight at the unexpected visuals.
hotel roomFriendshipCleveland weddingpreparationbridesmaidsmomenthappiness
At Domaine de Buzarens, after a wonderful surprise, the emotional bride tenderly kisses her aunt's hand, in a heartfelt moment that highlights their close bond and the love surrounding the celebration.
Bride's Tender Kiss: Heartfelt Moment at Domaine de Buzarens Wedding
affectionHeraultSentimenthandintimacyAssas Bridefamily
At the Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts, guests cover their ears during a loud electrical show happening just before the wedding ceremony, adding an unexpected and memorable twist to the day's events.
Boston Museum Wedding: Guests Cover Ears During Pre-Ceremony Electrical Show
MA weddingMemorableatmosphereElectrical ShowuniqueBoston weddingceremony
During a sunny wedding day in Melbourne, Victoria, AUS, the bride encounters a burst of bubbles right to her face.
On a sunny wedding day in Melbourne, Victoria, AUS, the bride is delightfully surprised by a burst of bubbles to her face.
laughtercelebrationburstjoyfunplayfuloutdoors
At Stowe House, guests react with exploding expressions of joy and surprise upon seeing the bride for the first time. Their animated faces capture the excitement and beauty of the moment, adding to the celebration.
Guests' Animated Reactions Capture Bride's Entrance at Stowe House Celebration
Stowe Houseexpressionssurprisefirst look animated facesBuckinghamshire Wedding PhotographyBuckinghamshirecelebration
At Bel Air Bay Club in Malibu, CA, as the bride and groom begin to pour champagne, the tower unexpectedly falls and crashes, creating a loud and startling moment amid the celebrations, quickly turning into a memorable story for the day.
Champagne Tower Falls at Malibu Wedding, Creating Memorable Moment
CrashesCalifornia - Southernmalibufestivitychampagnechampagne towerhumor
A wedding photograph capturing the moment when children at the Four Seasons Bangkok received surprise red pocket envelopes was recently recognized with a prestigious WPJA Spotlight award.
Children's Joy Receiving Red Envelopes at Four Seasons Bangkok Wedding Ceremony
candidBangkokred pocket envelopesWedding PhotographcelebrationBangkok wedding surprisesCultural
A BW photograph, captured at Le Meridiane in Ravenna, Italy, showcases a surprise moment during a Buddhist ceremony in the forest as the groom delicately places the ring on the bride's finger.
Surprise Moment Captured in BW Photograph at Le Meridiane, Ravenna, Italy: Groom Places Ring on Bride's Finger During Buddhist Ceremony in Forest
forestRavennaringceremonyBuddhistLe Meridianesurprise
Love knows no limits as the groom pulled off a spontaneous deep dip with his new bride during their wedding ceremony at Bar Harbor Inn, Maine.
Newlyweds Go Beyond Limits with Spontaneous Big Dip at Bar Harbor Inn, Maine
celebrationbridesurpriseMaineBar Harbor Innwedding ceremonylove
At Leela Palace in Jaipur, the bride's friends playfully surprise her by coloring her teeth yellow, making everyone laugh.
Bride's Friends Playfully Surprise Her by Coloring Her Teeth Yellow, Sparking Laughter at Leela Palace, Jaipur
Jaipurjaipur bridelaughingIndiasurpriseLeela Palacewedding
The bride and groom's witnesses made a splash at La Factory in Thizy les Bourgs, taking a dive into the pool dressed as mermaids to surprise everyone.
Zany Crazy Friends Make a Splash at La Factory Wedding in Thizy les Bourgs as Mermaids
unexpectedbridehumorgroomsplashwitnessesmermaids
As the Yellowstone tourists snapped a quick selfie at the scenic viewpoint, the couple exchanged heartfelt vows surrounded by the breathtaking natural beauty.
Celebrating Love and Nature at Yellowstone | Couple's Vows and Surprise Photobombers
selfiecouples vowsbreathtakingsurprisetouristsnatural beautyphotobombers
At Chequessett Club Boathouse in Wellfleet, MA, the bride and groom are lifted on chairs for the Hora dance, and the groom ducks in surprise to avoid the low ceiling.
Festive Hora at Chequessett Club: Bride and Groom Lifted, Groom Ducks Low Ceiling in Wellfleet, MA
happyfestiveWellfleet wedding venuechairsdancingChequessett Club Boathousehora dance
In Chamonix, France, the bride and groom experience a delightful surprise as they walk near a wandering llama in the picturesque mountain landscape.
Bride and Groom Encounter Wandering Llama in Picturesque Mountain Landscape of Chamonix, France
Francesurprisemountain landscapellamaChamonixChamonix Wedding PortraitFrench Alps
A bride and groom share a joyful nose to nose session at Sprague Lake in Estes Park, Colorado, as a moose makes a surprising appearance in the background.
A Bride and Groom's Joyful Nose-to-Nose Session at Sprague Lake to Include Unexpected Moose Guest
nose to noselakeside portraitsurpriseEstes ParkSprague LakeEstes Park wedding portraitmoose
A romantic surprise unfolded at France's Domaine des marais in Bourgoin Jallieu when a guest caught the bride's bouquet, leading to a heartwarming proposal
Guest's Lucky Catch Leads to Surprise Proposal at Dreamy French Wedding Venue
Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesDomaine des Maraisbouquet catchBourgoin Jallieu Wedding PhotographyBourgoin Jallieusurprisesurprise proposal
At the Poitiers Vienne reception venue, the bride surprises everyone by choosing to toss a pack of beer instead of the traditional bouquet.
Bouquet Upstaged: Bride Throws Pack of Beer at Poitiers Vienne Venue
pack of beersurpriseViennethrowing beerPoitierstossing beerVienne Wedding Photography
Photograph taken at a wedding in Voiron city, France. Groom's father thrown into the air by surprise.
Groom's Father Launched into the Air at Voiron City Wedding Celebration
FranceweddingjoyousVoiron Wedding PhotographycelebrationGrooms fathersurprise
Wedding photo captured in Canéjan, Gironde, France, where the groom breaks a pignata over his friend's head. Unique moment captured at an outdoor wedding event.
French Outdoor Wedding Surprise: Groom Smashes Pignata Over Friend's Head in Canéjan, Gironde Celebration
OutdoorweddingcelebrationGirondepinataunique momentpinata smash
Wedding photo captured at Casa da Figueira in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, featuring the groom removing a box of whiskey – the question lingers, who will receive this special gift?
Mystery Unfolds at Casa da Figueira: Groom Presents Whiskey Box, But Who's the Lucky Recipient?
Porto AlegremenwhiskeyCasa da FigueirathrownguestsPorto Alegre groom
In Blawnox, PA, the bride's niece and flower girl gets a surprise as dirt spills onto the white tablecloth while setting up for the backyard reception.
PA Flower Girl's Dirt Mishap During Backyard Reception in Blawnox
Blawnoxbride niecePAbackyard receptionBlawnox marriage photossurprisesetting up
Breathtaking image capturing the couple's recessional at 2 Penguins in Centennial, CO, USA, as confetti canons surprise and delight them.
Bride and Groom Soar as Confetti Cannons Cap Off I Do's at 2 Penguins
2 Penguins weddingsconfettiDELIGHTColoradosurprisecouple recessional2 Penguins

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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.