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Sonoma Wedding Photographers

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Sonoma Wedding Photographers

Our Sonoma photographers also provide documentary-style coverage in: Napa, Petaluma, American Canyon, Rohnert Park, Novato, Vallejo, Roseland, Santa Rosa, Hercules, Pinole, San Rafael, San Anselmo, Fairfield, Suisun City, Benicia

Sonoma Wedding Photography, Engagement Photo Sessions + Elopements

Intimate Wedding Photography in Sonoma - Capturing the Joy of Small Celebrations - Discover the best Sonoma photographers specializing in intimate marriages. Couples are embracing the trend of smaller, more meaningful celebrations. Let our talented photographers capture the joy and intimacy of your wedding day.

By planning a simple Sonoma elopement, couples are able to stay present in the moment and fully absorb the impact of their wedding day. Given the fact that many couples feel more natural and at ease in intimate settings, it's no surprise that some of the most breathtaking wedding images come from elopements.

The WPJA has an abundance of top-ranked, Sonoma documentary wedding photographers available right now who understand that some weddings and elopements can’t wait. Find yours today!
Recent WPJA WedElope Story Awards
The newlyweds embrace for a gentle kiss under arches at the hotel just before their wedding ceremony
Kevin Heslin
Outdoor wedding ceremony image from the woods | The bride and groom shared a laugh
Ambre Peyrotty
The bride and her wedding party floated down the river inside a boat, enjoying the beautiful scenery and the intimate atmosphere of the small wedding
Boz Green

Sonoma Photographers for Large or Small Weddings

Shooting an elopement or small Sonoma wedding event is a wedding photojournalist’s dream: a fairly open schedule with lots of breathing space for creativity – it’s just the photographer, the couple, the officiant, and perhaps a few select companions.

California - Northern WPJA members are ready to document any meadow, fast, remote, or elopement wedding, even if it is a Monday-Thursday ceremony. Search for the “Can Shoot Weddings on Short Notice!” message on the listings below.

View Award-Winning Pictures from Sonoma Wedding Venues

WPJA Venue Images

4 Sonoma Wedding Photographers...

Studio portrait of wedding photographer Tanushree Vaidya

Tanushree Vaidya, a skilled wedding photojournalist and artistic portrait photographer, has a background in commerce, hair artistry, portrait photography, and graphic design. Traveling across 14 countries, she specializes in capturing destination weddings and engagement...

Tanushree Vaidya

Hayward in California, US *Now booking Sonoma weddings.
24
61
4000 (USD)
Weddings by Chris Shum, Life Photographer

Chris Shum has been passionate about art since he was a young boy. At age 15, he received his first camera and has been the designated photographer ever since. Chris became a professional photographer in 2007 and provides beautiful, story-telling photography of destination...

Chris Shum

Sunnyvale in California, US *Now booking Sonoma weddings.
134
7
459
4500 (USD)
Capture beautiful moments on your special day with the talented wedding photographer Chris Werner in Northern California's stunning Lake Tahoe.

Chris Werner is a Lake Tahoe wedding photojournalist, engagement portrait photographer, and an artistic wedding portrait photographer with over 25 years of professional experience. He started his career by studying black and white film in 1994 and has since developed a fine...

Chris Werner

Truckee in California, US *Now booking Sonoma weddings.
49
3
32
3850 (USD)
Studio portrait of San Francisco wedding photographer Lisa Stone of the N California Wedding Photojournalist Association.

Lisa Stone is a wedding photographer with a Masters Degree in Photography, specializing in black and white documentary and abstract fine art. With over 300 weddings shot, she enjoys problem-solving and creating art with light. Outside of work, she loves film photography,...

Lisa Stone

San Francisco in California, US *Now booking Sonoma weddings.
4500 (USD)

Map of Wedding Photojournalists Serving Sonoma Couples

Wedding Venue Pictures by Sonoma Wedding Photographers

Please select a venue below to view all associated contest-winning Sonoma wedding photos.

Sonoma Wedding, Elopement and Engagement Images by WPJA Photographers

Below are some Sonoma wedding photography samples from the world’s best wedding photographers of the WPJA. Some of these Sonoma marriage pictures might be artistic portraits, details, or documentary-style images that have come from getting ready sessions, wedding ceremonies, reception venues, or Sonoma engagement portrait sessions with couples.

At Viansa Winery in Sonoma, California, bridesmaids gather around to assist the bride as she slips into her shoes inside the rustic charm of a winery barrel room. This intimate moment exudes camaraderie and support amidst the ambiance of wine country.
The engagement portrait was taken at Ledson Winery in Kenwood, Sonoma, capturing the couple within the vineyard's stunning arches, while the groom-to-be delightedly observed his partner twirling with joy
In a Sonoma engagement portrait, the couple exudes comfort and love as he gazes affectionately at her, while unbeknownst to the viewer, he playfully tickles her
A couple was captured in a warm embrace during a lifestyle photoshoot in Sonoma, California, surrounded by a frame of yellow spring tones on a cloudy day in the famous wine country
The couple at their prewedding photoshoot in Gundlach Bundschu, Sonoma, California were beaming with joy at a picnic after the proposal; their arms creating beautiful leading lines between them
The couple was glowing with joy at their prewedding photoshoot in Sonoma California, captured right after he had surprised her with a romantic proposal and a beautiful diamond ring
The engaged couple enjoyed a pre-wedding photoshoot in the beautiful Sonoma winery grounds, running joyfully through the immaculate gardens
As they picnic by the lake in Sonoma California, he cracked a joke and she couldn't resist laughing out loud
The newly engaged bride to be is grinning mischieviously in a pre wedding lifestyle couple portrait in Sonoma, California
A top featured image from Sonoma, California among the best wedding photography showing the Bride and groom enjoying their first dance on the outdoor landing of a winery
Ramekins Culinary School, Events & Inn, Sonoma fine art wedding detail photography picture showing the Hurrying to get changed
Sonoma bridesmaid smile as they see the bride before the wedding

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can couples find Sonoma photographers for pre-wedding engagement portraits?
A: The WPJA issues Diamond Awards for Sonoma wedding photographers to showcase their best engagement photography work. These awards are given to photographers who prove that they have an ability to be creative, artistic, and intuitive while working on-location with couples who are newly engaged.
Q: Can a wedding photojournalist create artistic portraits on my Sonoma wedding day?
A: While wedding photojournalists strive to capture candid moments on the wedding day, our photographers also are skilled artists who can compose powerful portraits. If you have a specific vision of what types of images you want from your wedding day, look at the top-ranked Sonoma wedding photographers who have earned Artistic Guild awards for portrait and detail images.
Q: How can couples find reviews of Sonoma wedding photographers?
A: We call them Client Letters. At the WPJA, we decided more than 20 years ago to avoid incorporating those third-person testimonials and endorsements that are found all too often in advertisements. Instead, we elevated our listings with the use of Client Letters, which represent the actual words and feelings of the clients who booked those Sonoma wedding photographers for their own wedding.
WPJA Communiqué: Featured Wedding Photography Articles
Small Weddings - How to Budget and Save
Traditionally speaking, often times it is the couple’s families who help pay for their wedding. However, unfortunately that’s just not possible for everyone, especially these days when the cost of weddings can quickly and easily get out of control. Some couples find...Read more
Clean background in this photo of the bride walking into her mountain ceremony.
Adventure Wedding Elopements
Some couples, as they begin planning for their weddings, might think that they are limited to the classic locations: churches, gardens, beaches, or even Las Vegas. But in doing so they’re missing out on a multitude of unique options that might suit their personalities much...Read more
Vows, Crowds, and Nerves: Avoid Stress with a Small Wedding
While some of us were fortunate enough to be born as extroverts, not everyone feels the same way. For a good chunk of the population, any number of the typical wedding day traditions can inspire anxiety and existential dread. This day is all about you, yes, but does that...Read more

WPJA Communiqué: Viewpoints
Elopements: Traditional and Modern
The oldsters among the WPJA ranks no doubt remember when 'to elope' meant, in Merriam-Webster’s definition, “to run away secretly with the intention of getting married, usually without parental consent.” Many wedding photographers have gone on the lam with couples who did just that. However, even Merriam-Webster now acknowledges that “elope appears to have become shorthand for ‘ small destination weddings ,’ a ‘ wedding that is not financially insane ,’ or a ‘ wedding that allows us to not invite all the people we would rather not invite .’” Smaller Weddings are... Read more
What is Reportage?
On Instagram and elsewhere, one can see images labeled as #photojournalism or #reportage when they are, in fact, merely photos. I say "merely," even though photography has been my career's great passion. But it's because of that passion and my respect for the work of actual photojournalists that I am particularly bothered to see wedding photographers call their work "reportage." That word properly used actually means something important beyond just a stylistic conceit. By contrast, however, I'm the lead cheerleader for those practitioners of #weddingphotojournalism ... Read more

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.