Wedding Photos of Tradition

The following “Tradition” 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 “Tradition” 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 an outdoor ceremony location in San Francisco, California, a young ring bearer walks down the grassy aisle carrying a pillow. The moment captures childhood charm and a sweet tradition on the wedding day.

Young Ring Bearer Walks Aisle With Pillow At San Francisco Outdoor Ceremony

Inside the bridal suite at the Shangri-La Hotel, Pudong, Shanghai, the bride and groomsmen share laughs as they play traditional wedding door games, capturing lively energy and joyful traditions before the ceremony.

Bride And Groomsmen Play Wedding Door Games At Shangri-La Hotel Pudong Shanghai

Shangri La Hotel Pudong tradition door games laughing Shanghai Pudong Wedding Moment bridal suite

At 100 Barrington in Brixton, a lively party scene unfolds as a shoe flies over the groom’s head while guests partake in the playful tradition of drinking from the shoe, capturing the wild spirit of the celebration.

Shoe Flies Over Groom’s Head At 100 Barrington Brixton Party

lively wild spirit tradition Brixton Wedding Moment flying shoe party scene 100 Barrington

At Domaine de la Grangette in Montagnac, guests eagerly gather for the bouquet toss, capturing a lively and anticipated wedding tradition full of excitement and energy.

Guests Gather For Bouquet Toss At Domaine De La Grangette Montagnac

Montagnac Bride Montagnac tradition Herault bouquet toss energy Domaine de la Grangette

At Château Marith in Lot-et-Garonne, France, the newlyweds exit their secular ceremony beneath an honor guard arch of sabres and military uniforms, celebrating tradition and union.

Château Marith, Lot-et-Garonne Wedding: Newlyweds Exit Under Sabre Guard Arch

exiting ceremony Château Marith Lot et Garonne Wedding Moment Lot-et-Garonne honor guard tradition sabres

Huilai, China — A wedding photojournalist captures a powerful moment of tradition as newlyweds kneel to kowtow at an ancestral hall, honoring their heritage.

Wedding Photojournalist Captures Poignant Moment of Tradition at Ancestral Hall

kowtow ancestral hall powerful moment honoring heritage Guangdong tradition Huilai Wedding Photography

At Lizeray, the photographer captures the newlyweds launching the cocktail hour by pouring a tower of glasses, expertly freezing the festive spirit and sparkling excitement of this celebratory tradition.

Newlyweds Pour Tower Of Glasses To Launch Cocktail Hour At Lizeray Festive Celebration

glasses celebration festive Spirit Lizeray wedding tower tradition

At Domaine des Plaines, France, the photographer captures guests passing balls of yarn to weave a collective web after the ceremony, expertly highlighting unity, creativity, and a poignant shared moment.

Guests Weave Collective Web With Yarn Balls After Ceremony At Domaine Des Plaines France Highlighting Unity

guests sharing Domaine des Plaines wedding collective unity tradition Puy-de-Dôme ceremony

At Greystone at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, a bride feeds her groom sweets during a Kansar Bhakshan ritual. The award-winning photo documents this Hindu wedding tradition, symbolizing their first meal as a married couple.

Bride Feeds Groom Sweets During Kansar Bhakshan Ritual At Greystone Piedmont Park Atlanta Hindu Wedding

Kansar Bhakshan Hindu bride ceremony Piedmont Park groom tradition

At the Taipei Marriott Hotel, a bride, her sister, and her mother all cry during a traditional farewell ceremony. The winning photograph highlights the photographer's skill at capturing the raw, unscripted emotions of a wedding day.

Bride, Sister And Mother Cry During Farewell - At Taipei Marriott Hotel Capturing Raw Emotion

farewell ceremony crying farewell Marriott Hotel bride mother sister

At the Sanguinet town hall, the bride and groom are surrounded by members of a hockey club. They walk through an arch of sticks, capturing a joyous community celebration in Landes, France.

Bride and Groom Walk Through Hockey Stick Arch in Joyful Sanguinet Town Hall Celebration, Landes, France

tradition sports arch of sticks groom france wedding hockey club festive

At Villa Malliana in Almenno San Bartolomeo, Bergamo, Italy, the bride joyfully tosses her bouquet under a vivid blue sky. Surrounded by enthusiastic friends, the moment radiates excitement, fun, and anticipation during this beloved wedding tradition.

Bride Joyfully Tosses Her Bouquet Beneath Blue Skies, Surrounded by Excited Friends at Villa Malliana, Bergamo

bride excitement Almenno San Bartolomeo Italy enthusiastic friends tradition festive

In Malcantone, Mantova, Italy, the newlyweds embrace joyfully as they exit the ceremony. Surrounded by friends and family, they are showered with a final burst of rice.

Newlyweds Embrace Amid a Joyful Shower of Rice Surrounded by Loved Ones in Malcantone, Mantova

festive friends rice family moment Mantua Italy

At Alicante Cathedral in Spain, the groom gently removes the bride’s veil during the wedding ceremony, capturing a poignant and intimate moment of love and anticipation before they are pronounced husband and wife.

Groom Gently Lifts Bride’s Veil in an Intimate, Anticipatory Moment at Alicante Cathedral in Spain

Spain groom tradition Veil removal wedding ceremony intimate poignant

A couple’s elegant engagement portrait in Philadelphia, blending love and tradition beautifully together.

Elegant Philadelphia Engagement Portrait Blends Love, Tradition, and Timeless Romance for the Couple

Philadelphia Engagement Portrait Philadelphia art room Elegance beauty tradition

In Pocklington, England, during a garden wedding ceremony, guests participate in a handfasting ritual. This symbolic act beautifully highlights unity and tradition amidst the natural, serene setting.

Guests Embrace Tradition with Handfasting Ritual at Pocklington Garden Wedding Ceremony

natural setting Yorkshire Wolds tradition garden Ceremony Pocklington hand fasting ritual Pocklington Wedding Photography

Thénac, Dordogne, France - The Chartreuse: Guests enthusiastically vie for the bridal bouquet during a lively toss. A moment of joyful chaos and tradition.

Thénac Wedding: Guests Enthusiastically Compete Outdoors for Bridal Bouquet Toss at The Chartreuse, Dordogne, France

Dordogne The Chartreuse Thénac chaos bridal bouquet lively toss bouquet toss

At Browsholme Hall and the Tithe Barn, the couple sits surrounded by friends and family during the "Fishing the Ring" tradition.

Couple Enjoys Fishing the Ring Tradition at Browsholme Hall and Tithe Barn Wedding

tradition Browsholme Hall and the Tithe Barn lancashire wedding photography Clitheroe Lancashire Fishing the Ring surrounded by friends

At Boettcher Mansion in Golden, Colorado, an almost-married couple exchanges heartfelt notes behind a door, maintaining the tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony.

Couple Secretly Exchanges Notes at Boettcher Mansion

tradition Golden CO Wedding Photography Colorado golden co exchanging notes Boettcher Mansion

At StoneTree Estate in Novato, California, a couple dressed in traditional red formal attire takes a romantic walk among the graceful willow trees and grass.

Couple in Traditional Red Formal Attire Strolls Among Graceful Willows at StoneTree Estate, Novato, California

Novato CA California - Northern Californian willow romance vibrant capturing romantic tradition trail walking

In Teton National Park, the bride and groom stand on opposite corners of a log cabin, privately reading letters before the ceremony, preserving the tradition of not seeing each other beforehand.

Bride and Groom Share Touching Moments Apart in Teton National Park

emotional tradition Teton National Park tradition secluded Teton romance Wyoming privacy cabin

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

tradition delighted expression captured wedding bouquet bride bouquet catching moment surprise

At Castello Bevilacqua in Verona, Italy, single ladies excitedly gather under a large tree on the grass, reaching for the tossed bouquet. The outdoor scene is filled with anticipation and joy.

Excitement Blooms Under Tree at Castello Bevilacqua

castello bevilacqua excitement grass anticipation bouquet celebration gathering

At Villa Foscarini Cornaro in Gorgo Al Monticano, Treviso, Italy, single ladies eagerly gather on the grass during the blue hour, reaching for the tossed bouquet. The scene captures their excitement against the twilight backdrop.

Excited Bouquet Chase at Villa Foscarini Cornaro

grass excitement Villa Foscarini Cornaro Twilight Bouquet Capture outdoors Treviso Blue Hour bouquet

At Basilica di Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Rome, the priest looks out, checking if the groom and his sister are ready to enter the church. This anticipatory moment underscores the solemnity and excitement of the occasion.

tradition priest anticipation Basilica di Santi Giovanni e Paolo entrance excitement moment

At a reception venue in Paris, Île-de-France, the boyfriend of the girl who caught the bouquet playfully attempts to get rid of it. This humorous moment adds levity to the traditional wedding festivities.

Boyfriend's Playful Bouquet Toss Adds Humor to Wedding Festivities at Paris Reception Venue

boyfriend celebration reception Paris amusement Parisian scene playful

In Istanbul, Turkey, the groom's cousins share a sweet dance, a boy and girl holding hands and spinning in joyful circles. This endearing scene captures the warmth and familial spirit of the celebration.

Groom's Cousins Share Sweet Dance, Capturing Familial Warmth at Istanbul Wedding Celebration Scene

Wedding Dance Turkey festivity cousins family Istanbul ceremony celebration

In Istanbul, Turkey, a sideline shot beautifully captures the moment as numerous women reach upwards, arms outstretched, to catch the bouquet. The image reflects the excitement and camaraderie of this wedding tradition.

Women Reach for Bouquet in Exciting Bouquet Toss at Istanbul Wedding, Capturing Tradition and Camaraderie

excitement camaraderie Unity bouquet toss Istanbul Flower Toss wedding Istanbul

At Mairie de Luçon in Vendée, the newlyweds exit the ceremony, with the groom in military dress. They walk through a gauntlet of military men holding hats in an arch, surrounded by flying bubbles, creating a festive and honorable exit.

Newlyweds Exit Mairie de Luçon Ceremony Through Military Arch Amid Bubbles, Celebrating Festive Honor in Vendée

Vendee French ceremony festive Vendée Event Flying Bubbles Vendée Wedding celebration

At a reception in Fribourg, Switzerland, the bride engages in a ribbon-cutting tradition involving her bouquet, while single girls circle around her. This lively and interactive moment adds a unique twist to the festivities.

Bride Engages in Ribbon-Cutting Bouquet Tradition with Single Girls at Fribourg Reception, Adding Interactive Twist

Fribourg joy bouquet Festivities Fribourg Tradition interactive Swiss Event

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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.