Wedding Photos of Tears

The following “Tears” 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 “Tears” 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.

At Baronesse Tacco in San Floriano del Collio, Gorizia, Italy, the bride tenderly tries to dry her brother-in-law’s tears with a fan while he gives his heartfelt speech during the celebration.

With A Fan, The Bride Comforts Her Brother-In-Law During His Speech At San Floriano Del Collio, Gorizia, Italy.

In Gorizia, Italy, the bride is visibly moved as her wedding planner gently wipes away her tears, offering comfort and support during a touching, emotional moment on her special day.

Tears Are Gently Wiped Away By The Wedding Planner In Gorizia, Italy, Offering The Bride Comfort During An Emotional Day.

emotional wedding support Friuli-Venezia Giulia emotion comfort Gorizia wedding venue Gorizia wedding comfort planner

The first kiss at the outdoor wedding in Montmartre, Paris, brings tears to one groom’s eyes, marking an emotional and tender highlight of the celebration.

Tears Mark The First Kiss During Emotional Outdoor Wedding In Montmartre, Paris, As Celebration Peaks With Tenderness.

emotional first kiss tender celebration highlight Paris kiss Montmartre highlight tears

Tears stream down the groom's face at Villa Aurelia in Tuscany, his emotions visible as he stands in the midst of this important and heartfelt outdoor wedding celebration.

Groom Can’t Hold Back Emotions At Villa Aurelia In Tuscany, Italy, Surrounded By Love And Outdoor Beauty.

groom emotional groom love celebration Villa Aurelia venue emotion Tuscany

The bride and groom gently wipe away tears during their vows, emotion filling the ceremony location as they exchange heartfelt promises in front of the tall stained glass windows.

Tears Are Gently Wiped During Vows With Stained Glass As The Backdrop In A Moving Wedding Ceremony Location.

London wedding venue heartfelt promises exchange London glass London wedding ceremony emotion vows

Hampton Court House in Surrey, England, holds a ceremony filled with heartfelt emotion, as guests and the couple are moved to tears by the significance of the moment.

Heartfelt Tears Fill Hampton Court House In Surrey, England, With Guests And The Couple Deeply Moved By The Moment.

couple Surrey significance Emotional wedding moment Hampton Court House venue guests Hampton Court House

Emotion runs high during the secular ceremony at Château de Denonville in France, with the groom hugging his sister while the bride gently wipes away tears in the background.

Emotions Overflow During The Secular Ceremony At Château De Denonville, France, With Hugged Siblings And Tears From The Bride.

sister tears ceremony bride Chateau de Denonville wedding emotional secular marriage Château de Denonville

Tears well up as the bride’s father is swept with emotion during the chooda ceremony at Hyatt Regency in Chandigarh, memories of his daughter’s childhood coming to the forefront.

Eyes Well With Tears As Bride’s Father Remembers Her Childhood During The Chooda Ceremony At Hyatt Regency, Chandigarh, India.

emotion chooda father FOB emotional chooda ceremony father daughter memory Hyatt Regency Chandigarh wedding

A wave of emotion overtakes the groom at Woodland Park, NJ, as he and his aunt share a heartfelt moment, tears reflecting the depth of family bonds.

Tears Reveal The Strength Of Family Bonds As Groom Shares Emotional Moment With His Aunt In Woodland Park, New Jersey.

Woodland Park venue Woodland Park bond groom aunt moment tears emotion emotional bond family

During a lighthearted moment at Zephyr Palace, Villa Caletas Hotel in Jaco, Costa Rica, the bride gives the groom a happy tears handkerchief, leading to shared laughter after the first look.

During Zephyr Palace’s First Look In Jaco, Costa Rica, Bride Gives Groom A Handkerchief, Sparking Tearful Laughter Together.

Zephyr Palace marriage Costa Rica Jaco bride happy tears laughter laughter tears

Seated together outside at Hacienda La Masía in Linares, Jaén, Spain, the groom gently wipes tears from the bride’s face in a peaceful, intimate scene away from the main festivities.

Seated Outside Hacienda La Masía In Jaén, Spain, The Groom Comforts The Bride By Gently Wiping Away Tears.

intimacy Jaén Linares tears comforting bride tears Hacienda La Masía comfort

At Lunch Rock, tears of happiness are shared as the bride and groom wipe their eyes while exchanging heartfelt vows.

Tears Of Happiness Fall As The Couple Wipes Their Eyes Exchanging Vows At Lunch Rock, Colorado.

happy vows tears vows emotional exchange eyes Lunch Rock venue Colorado couple

During speeches at The Bell in Charlbury, Cotswolds, England, both the groom and his father are moved to tears, while the bride kisses her father-in-law and laughter follows.

Tears And Laughter At The Bell In Charlbury, Cotswolds, England, As Family Shares Speeches And The Bride Kisses Her Father-In-Law.

kiss speeches England The Bell in Charlbury bride Bell in Charlbury venue laughter

Emotions run high at Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort in Nathrop, CO, as a single tear rolls down the bride’s cheek while the groom shares his private vows.

Tears Fall At Mt. Princeton Hot Springs, Colorado As A Bride Listens To Private Vows From Her Groom.

tears Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort marriage vows bride Colorado private vows tears groom

At Gut Ahe in Sauerland, NRW, Germany, the groom struggles to hold back tears while the bride reads her vows, the moment filled with sincerity and love.

The Groom Fights Back Tears As The Bride Reads Loving Vows At Gut Ahe In Sauerland, NRW, Germany.

Germany emotional groom sincerity Gut Ahe wedding Gut Ahe couple Sauerland loving vows tears tears

At The Logan in Philadelphia, a mother uses her steady hand to carefully catch her daughter’s tears, protecting her makeup and calming her overflowing heart.

Mother Comforts Bride at The Logan Philadelphia Wedding

The Logan Philadelphia protecting makeup Philadelphia Wedding Moment mother of bride tears

In Kaifeng, Henan, China, the bride and groom deeply bow to the groom's grandmother, who is visibly moved to tears by the respectful gesture.

Bride And Groom Bow To Groom’s Grandmother In Kaifeng Henan China

showing respect Kaifeng Wedding Moment China grandmother ceremonial bow Kaifeng tears

At a hotel in Nanping, Fujian, the bridesmaid sheds heartfelt tears both on and off stage during the wedding ceremony, revealing deep emotion and meaningful connection to the couple.

Bridesmaid Sheds Tears On And Off Stage At Nanping Fujian Hotel Wedding

Nanping Fujian Nanping Wedding Moment bridesmaid hotel tears

In Lyon, France, the bride reads her vows to her husband, who is overcome with emotion and bursts into tears during the ceremony.

Lyon, France Wedding: Bride Reads Vows as Groom Bursts Into Tears

reading vows Lyon Lyon Wedding Moment ceremony emotion tears

At a reception venue in Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the bride breaks down in tears after watching a surprise slideshow, overwhelmed by emotion and love from her family and friends.

Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Reception: Bride Cries After Surprise Slideshow

Nouvelle-Aquitaine tears emotional family and friends Dordogne Dordogne Wedding Moment

In Lake Tahoe, California, the emotional father of the groom stands behind his son during the ceremony, quietly wiping away a single tear in a powerful moment of pride and love.

A Father's Quiet Tear: Pride and Love Behind the Groom in Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe tears Lake Tahoe outdoor ceremony California - Northern powerful moment emotional Father

A documentary photograph captures an emotional moment at a country property in Melbourne, Australia. The image shows the groom and bride wiping tears from their faces under a tree during their ceremony.

Documentary Photograph of A Melbourne Couple Wiping Away Tears Under A Tree

Emotional moment wiping tears countryside Melbourne Wedding Moment under tree Melbourne tears

At the Mairie d’Ardentes in Indre, the photographer captures the groom breaking into tears before the mayor, with the bride by his side, skillfully preserving raw emotion and touching support in a powerful ceremony moment.

Groom Breaks Into Tears Before Mayor At Mairie d’Ardentes Indre With Bride By His Side

Emotional moment support Mairie d’Ardentes Mairie d Ardentes wedding touching moment ceremony

At Hackney Town Hall, the photographer captures the bride wiping tears as she listens to the groom’s vows, expertly freezing raw emotion and heartfelt expression in a beautifully intimate ceremony moment.

Bride Wipes Tears Listening To Groom’s Vows At Hackney Town Hall - Intimate Ceremony Moment

London groom bride intimate ceremony moment emotion Hackney Town Hall expression

At église de Samatan in Gers, a woman gently wipes away tears of happiness in a touching black and white moment. The emotional scene captures pure joy and heartfelt emotion during a meaningful, unforgettable wedding celebration.

A Touching Black-And-White Moment: Woman Wipes Tears Of Joy At Wedding In Église De Samatan, Gers

heartfelt joy celebration unforgettable happiness woman emotion

In South Lake Tahoe, CA, the bride gets emotional during her wedding ceremony. She wipes her eyes in sunlight, capturing a tender moment of the day.

Bride Wipes Tears in Sunlight During an Emotional and Tender Wedding Ceremony in South Lake Tahoe, California

wipes eyes tears moment beautiful tender emotional South Lake Tahoe

At Cescaphe, Philadelphia, a mother and son shed emotional tears during their wedding dance, captured by a WPJA photographer.

Cescaphe PA: Mother and Son's Emotional Wedding Dance

Philadelphia Documentary Wedding Photography Wedding Dance Cescaphe Philadelphia groom and mother dance tears mother emotional tears

In South Lake Tahoe, CA, alone in the woods, the bride reads vows as the groom wipes away tears.

South Lake Tahoe: Emotional Wedding Vows in the Woods

vows groom tears bride in woods woods South Lake Tahoe California

Bochum, Germany: Bride's emotional reaction to seeing her husband for the first time is captured in a tight, black and white balcony shot.

Bochum Wedding: Bride's Emotional First Look at Husband, Captured in Black and White

Bochum emotion tight shot Bochum Wedding Photography Germany first look black and white

At a Bola de Neve, Barra Velha, SC ceremony, the pastor spoke about the couple's life, bringing them to tears.

Bola de Neve Wedding: Pastor's Words About Couple's Life Bring Tears During Ceremony in Barra Velha, SC

tears ceremony Barra Velha Wedding Photography emotional ceremony black and white Bola de Neve Emotional couple

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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.