SMALL WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | choose love, not fear

Intimate Weddings & Elopement Photography

Since 2002, the WPJA has been connecting couples with the best, most artistic wedding photographers from around the world.

Adventure weddings + mountain engagements and elopement photography by Bonnie Sizer
Var wedding photography by Marion Deletraz of PACA France
Couple engagement photo sessions, wedding and elopement photography by Emre Nesli
BW studio portrait of a French photographer for country weddings - William Desse
Engagement, Wedding and Elopement Photographer for New England, Andy Madea
Navarre wedding photography by Matt Kolf in Spain
Mayenne elopement and documentary wedding photography by Anne Russocki of Isere Pays de la Loire France
Portrait of wedding photographer Sarah Nader
Studio portrait of New England small wedding and elopement photographer Nicole Chan
Ryan Devereux offers reportage wedding photography to couples getting married in Ireland
Elopements by Top Wedding Photographer Justin Edmonds
Joss Denham -- North East Wedding Photographer
Massachusetts Couple Portraits by Wedding Photographer Katie Kaizer
Rob Dodsworth - Wedding Reportage Images
San Antonio wedding photography by Kelly Williams of the Texas WPJA
Couple engagement portrait sessions + wedding and elopement photography by Xiang Qi of Jian Impression
Italy Couple Engagement Sessions Wedding and Elopement Photographer Carlo Bettuolo

Authentic Photography

The WPJA organizes various wedding photography rounds annually, recognizing and honoring exceptionally captivating images.

Take a look at the previous victors by clicking on the links below:

Intimate, Micro Wedding Planning & Elopement Articles

Kobe Vanderzande, of Limburg, is a wedding photographer for

There’s nothing quite like an intimate wedding reception in a tent, with its uniquely informal atmosphere, customized decor and proximity to the elements...

Not everyone has a lagoon or glacier next door, but there's no rule saying you can't have a small wedding in the great outdoors. Take advantage of natural...

The Authenticity of
Wedding Photojournalism

Audrey Dubessay, of Maine-et-Loire (49) , is a wedding photographer for
Shaun Baker, of California, is a wedding photographer for Temecula, California

WPJA Contest Photos - January 19th, 2024

Any wedding photographer is going to want to please their clients — but they also want their work to be appreciated on a broader scale. This is one of the reasons why the Wedding Photojournalist Association members love our regular photography competitions. These popular contests give our photographers the opportunity to submit their best images in hopes of being selected as a winner and being recognized for their creativity and effort. Our contests are judged by a panel of notable and respected working photojournalists and picture editors in the news industry, which adds an element of prestige to our awards.

In this award-winning photo, taken at a cocktail place in Poitiers, Vienne, three friends of the bride are captivated by the sight of the wedding ring. The photographer specializes in documenting priceless moments like these in Vienne.
A guest sprinkles confetti on the bride's head while giving her a hug at Scotties Garage in Seaford, Melbourne. This image won an award from the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA).
A wedding photographer in Nottingham captures a WPJA awarded image at the Walled Garden. In the photo, a singing waiter leads a joyful dance around the marquee, creating a fun moment for the newlyweds.
At Bali, Indonesia. Hotel - The shoe game in after party for bride and groom at night on the grass
The bride's mother embraces her son during a joyful moment on the dance floor at the Whalehead Club in Corolla, NC. This image earned the photographer a prestigious award from WPJA.
At a private home in North Yorkshire, UK, a bride adds a touch of excitement to her wedding day by waving a smoke bomb out of the window of a vibrant red Corvette sports car, while her guests watch in awe.
At Les Jardins de Sophie, Vosges, Grand Est, the bride applies her makeup in her hotel room while the television is turned on.
Milpitas wedding photojournalist captures the bride being playfully ambushed by friends and cousins, as they apply turmeric to her face and neck in preparation for her big day

Artistic Guild - Creative Portraits and Details - January 31st, 2024

The Artistic Guild competitions are distinctly different from our other WPJA contests because this category is specifically for photographers who use their talent to create digitally-enhanced images, staged portraits and dramatic detail images. This competition attracts documentary wedding photographers who also view themselves as artists who are constantly looking to create their next masterpiece.

A wedding photographer captures the bride and groom celebrating their special day by popping champagne at The Hotel Hershey in Pennsylvania. The stunning image showcases their joy against a beautiful deep blue painted brick wall, beautifully illuminated.
Wedding photo captured at Palazzo Valenti Gonzaga in Mantua, Italy. Detail of groom's shoes covered in rice after the traditional rice throwing ceremony.
A creative wedding day portrait captured at Sheepscot Harbour Resort Village, Maine. The couple strikes their signature pose, enveloped in a romantic atmosphere with white washed tones and a soft color palette.
Capturing the essence of love, this award-winning wedding day portrait exudes artistic flair. Against the enchanting backdrop of Suwanee, Georgia, the couple shines beneath a mesmerizing canvas of vibrant blue lines.
Captured against the rustic backdrop of the Barn at Raccoon Creek in Littleton, Colorado, this award-winning wedding portrait showcases the couple's love and the groom's passion for vintage car restoration.
A stunning wedding photo captured at Domaine de la Poudié, Tarn, France. The couple is elegantly framed through a chandelier on a balcony, creating a beautiful and intimate portrait.
An award-winning photographer captures a modern wedding couple at Highland Farms in Scarborough, ME. The image portrays the couple, holding drinks, sharing a romantic kiss at the end of the night.
An award-winning wedding photo captured at Villa Semenza in Lecco, Italy. The picture highlights the beautiful details of the imperial table, with the bride and groom embracing in the background.

Diamond Awards - Pre-Wedding Engagement Portraits - April 8th, 2024

Couples who are searching for a wedding photographer often want a pre-wedding engagement portrait session as well as wedding day photography services. Engagement photographers need to rely on their skill and expertise in order to help their couples select a meaningful location for their portrait session. These awards allow engagement photographers to submit their most moving engagement images in hopes of being recognized for their creativity and skill.

In Olmsted Park, Brookline, MA, a happy couple shares a minute of joy on a park bench near their home, captured in a sweet engagement portrait.
In the charming Beijing Wudaoying Hutong, this engaged couple showcased joy and playfulness while walking through the narrow alleyways for their portrait session.
In the heart of São Paulo's historical downtown, a playful and quirky engagement portrait captures the couple's love in Anhangabau square.
A pre-wedding shoot in the Netherlands, capturing a couple walking hand in hand among trees with a beautiful reflection of the sky beneath them.
In an enchanting setting at Castello di Gorizia Village, Italy, a lovely couple is captured in a romantic portrait session while sitting on the castle walls, basking in the sun.
Capturing a couple's pre-wedding session in Cappadocia, Turkey, as they stand in formal attire amidst launching balloons against a dark blue sky.
A beautiful silhouette of a couple's close profile faces at the iconic Pont du Gard, capturing their love amidst the ancient Roman aqueduct.
A romantic engagement portrait capturing a couple's love at Boston Mills Visitor Center in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, as they gaze into each other's eyes under the concrete interstate overpass.

TLC - True Love Captured - March 3rd, 2023

This WPJA photography competition is focused on the emotions that are on display throughout any wedding event. The images showcase the powerful emotions that the couple are experiencing, and any of the feelings that any wedding guests may go through. The TLC contests follow a long-standing WPJA category tradition of capturing raw emotions.

The brothers' emotional speeches and hugs at the Lobster Factory ceremony in Tournai, Belgium were beautifully captured in the wedding photo
The photographer captured a beautiful moment of double happiness, with the bride giving a sweet touch on the cheek and a loving hug from behind at Strabrechtse Hoeve Mierlo
The bride's tearful joy and the groom's humorous charm were beautifully captured in a wedding photo at Snowmass, Aspen Colorado with a backdrop of fall colored trees during their outdoor ceremony
The wedding photojournalist captured the tender moment of the bride being embraced by her friend during the outdoor patio reception at Le fou Gascon in Prechac, Gers, France
The photographer captured the beautiful moment of a wedding guest giving the bride a big hug and a kiss on the cheek at the Private Home in Congham, Norfolk, UK
The photographer captured a beautiful moment of the bride embracing one of her great friends during the getting ready process at Cote How, The Lake District
At a wedding in Bucharest, Romania, the groom lovingly hugged his sister - a beautiful black and white image captured the emotional moment
The bride and her father shared an emotional moment as he kissed her head in the back of the limo just before the ceremony, captured perfectly in their wedding photo from Trieste, Italy