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.

United Kingdom wedding reportage photography by Andrew Heeley
Studio portrait of French wedding reportage photographer David Blateyron
Deanna Johnson wedding photography
Timmy Keane Wedding Photography of Timtim Media Weddings
Portrait of Wedding and Elopement Photographer Megan Hannah
Tracey Buyce Wedding Images
Studio portrait wedding photographer Mike Greener
Wedding Photographer Chanarthip Cheingthong, for Thailand
Portrait of Nottinghamshire elopement and wedding photographer Martin Makowski, of United Kingdom England East Midlands
BW Portrait of Wedding Photographer Ruth Blamire-Brown
Bordeaux, Gironde wedding photography by Pierre Cassagne
Studio portrait of wedding and elopement photographer Erica Dietz
New Delhi documentary-style wedding photographer Shivali Chopra - India WPJA Pro
Ufuk Sarisen Wedding Photography
Shaun Baker - Wedding Photographer and Couple Portrait Professional

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

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The Authenticity of
Wedding Photojournalism

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.

Newlyweds laugh together during a fun time of their outdoor ceremony on the lawn in Udine, Italy captured by a wedding photojournalist
Amsterdam Noord Holland wedding picture: Guests at the party venue show their love for the couple, serenading them on the dance floor under vibrant purple lighting, each holding a sheet of paper with the lyrics to sing along.
At Coulibri Ridge - Soufriere, Dominica, the bride's sister gives a heartfelt toast during the intimate and joyous wedding reception captured by the wedding photojournalist
Fort Collins, Colorado: A serene moment captured as a new father soothes his baby during the wedding ceremony, strolling beneath the shade of the majestic pine trees
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.
A guest at Glewstone Court Country House in Herefordshire, UK, succumbs to the post-dinner slump on a wedding day. The tranquil ambiance and food made for a memorable celebration.
Istanbul, Turkey: This heartwarming image captures the bride's emotional reaction upon seeing the groom for the first time following their heartfelt vows
A professional wedding photographer in Beaver, PA captures the heartfelt moment when the bride's sister-in-law delicately applies makeup to her daughter, the flower girl, in preparation for the special day. This image was recognized by the WPJA.

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.

Newlyweds strike a pose near the rustic brick wall at Residence House, Ruse, Bulgaria. This award-winning artistic portrait captures their joyful smiles and love for one another in black and white.
The talented wedding photographer captured a stunning black and white portrait of grooms holding hands near the windows at a venue in a hotel in Minnesota.
Embracing the rustic charm, this award-winning portrait captures the couple's love and connection as they lean against the red brick wall, admiring each other and her beautiful wedding bouquet at Residence House, Ruse, Bulgaria.
A couple stands against the backdrop of Chateau de la Ligne in Gironde, enveloped by the lush green leaves of ivy, as the bride lovingly hugs her partner from behind in this captivating portrait.
Bathed in the glow of twilight, the award-winning photographer captures a tender embrace between the Bride and Groom at the scenic Cain Manor Hampshire reception venue, adorned with vibrant bursts of color.
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.
In Denver, Colorado, the wedding ceremony takes place in a spacious venue. The photo captures the couple exchanging vows, seen from the back of the venue.
In Banff, Canada, an award-winning wedding photographer captures a mesmerizing image at the Banff Gondola. The picture showcases a romantic winter ceremony with the breathtaking Rocky Mountains and a reflection in the scene.

Diamond Awards - Pre-Wedding Engagement Portraits - May 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 New York City's Dumbo neighborhood, a couple stands together on a street corner, bathed in the afternoon light, posing for their engagement portrait.
At Richmond, London, the bride and groom to be sit and laugh on stairs on a windy winter day in their engagement portrait session before their upcoming wedding.
During their engagement session in Tregastel, Brittany, France, the couple captures their shared excitement as she is framed by two round large boulders, while he jumps off one, spreading his arms like wings against the blue sky.
At Pembroke Lodge in Richmond, the couple posed sitting together on a fallen tree and near the grass for their pre-wedding photos.
In Red Feather Lakes, Colorado, a couple in love takes a break during their engagement photo session, sitting on a stone by an old burned juniper bush, creating memories before their wedding.
In St Albans city centre, Hertfordshire, the bride & groom-to-be, found refuge in a tudor alley, their silhouettes capturing a romantic scene amidst a sudden downpour during their engagement shoot.
Photographer takes a picture of the couple standing in a symmetrical way on the steps of the Old Post Office in Istanbul, capturing a beautiful portrait for their upcoming wedding.
In Labenne, France, silhouettes on the dune captured in a minimalist black and white shot show the couple in a tender embrace, preparing for their upcoming wedding.

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 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 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
At a wedding in Bucharest, Romania, the groom lovingly hugged his sister - a beautiful black and white image captured the emotional moment
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 emotion of the proud parents hugging their son, the groom, as he prepared for his wedding day at House of the Groom in Siderno, Reggio Calabria was so beautiful it was captured as a timeless moment by the photographer
The groom's touching encouragement of his witnesses to make a speech at his outdoor ceremony at Les tables de Crespin, the reception venue in Tarn, France, was captured beautifully in this wedding photo
The wedding photographer captured a timeless moment of love and joy as the bride's grandparents danced in an embrace at the Mountain Top Inn in Vermont
The photographer at the W Hotel in Chicago, IL captured a beautiful moment of the bride kissing her grandma right before walking down the aisle