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.

Studio portrait of San Jose wedding photographer Eric Le of the Northern California WPJA
Indra Simons - iSi weddings - Dutch wedding and elopement photographer
Casey Fatchett Wedding Photography
Pro documentary-style wedding photography by Bradley Hanson
Hauts-de-Seine wedding photography by Benjamin Hoffmann of the Île-de-France WPJA
Song Johns wedding and elopement photography of Blooming Dreams Photo
BW studio portrait of Rome wedding photographer Enrico Giansanti of the Italy Lazio WPJA
Northern California wedding photography by Drew Bird - Creative Storytelling
Documentary wedding photography by Rebecca Aranda
Wedding, engagement and elopement photography by Nilufer Nalbantoglu
Engagement shoots + wedding photography and elopements by Luan Nguyen of France
California wedding and elopement photographer Annie Bang
PNW Wedding and Elopement Photography by Brianna Parks
Lifestyle portrait of England wedding photographer Tori Deslauriers
Palermo wedding photography by Debora Corvaia of Sicily, Italy

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

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...

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...

The Authenticity of
Wedding Photojournalism

Hong Phuc Bui, of Cotes-d'Armor (22) , is a wedding photographer for
Siliang Wang, of California, is a wedding photographer for

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.

At the wedding venue, the bride's mother waits for a bus to take her to the reception as all the cars are already full. An urban scene captured on the wedding day.
At the Havenhuis Etten-Leur ceremony and reception location, this photo captures the bride and groom pouring champagne into the top glasses of a stunning champagne tower. A toast to their happily ever after!
At Hasselt, Limburg, the bride and her bridal party, accompanied by little girls, are getting ready at home. The photo captures the beautiful scene on the patio deck.
A wedding photographer in Bristol, RI captures a joyful moment as a bride and groom share a laugh during a speech by the best men at Mount Hope Farm, resulting in an award-winning image.
California Wedding Dance Party: Groomsmen having a blast in the 'photo booth', spicing up the celebration with party hats and fun photo props
In a joyful Chicago wedding reception, an excited tattooed bride reacts to a heartfelt speech from her maid of honor. This image has been recognized and awarded by the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA).
Lyon Rhône Church Exit: Guests and the bride and groom celebrate their wedding day with a burst of color and joy, as they play with smoke bombs outside the church after the ceremony.
Father of the bride kisses her daughter's hand at a private residence on Nantucket, MA, before heading to the wedding ceremony

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.

An award-winning image captures the vibrant aftermath of a joyous celebration at Woolas Barn, as colorful confetti adorns the floor, alongside the elegant footwear and the bride's pristine white dress.
In this award-winning image captured by an artistic wedding photographer with a modern and stylish approach, the bridal dress is elegantly safeguarded, hanging near a window in Île-de-France before the ceremony in Paris.
A wedding photo taken at the beautiful Finca Machoenia. The groom awaits his wife for a portrait session - a black and white shot with a vintage touch.
Wedding portrait captures the sweet and intimate bond of a newlywed couple in the serene setting outside of a San Francisco California reception venue.
An award-winning wedding photographer captured this stunning black-and-white portrait of the groom in the driver's seat of a convertible sports car at Hammond Castle in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The image was shot through the reflective front windshield.
Bride flaunts her stylish custom Jordan shoes amidst the backdrop of Sterling Ridge Resort in Vermont, captured by the award-winning artistic wedding day photographer.
London-based wedding photographer captures a stunning bridal portrait at the iconic Blue Rooms. With perfect light during sunset, the artist captures the bride bathed in golden light, creating a slightly dramatic effect. Low angle adds to the effect.
At a Wedding Farm in Assis Chateaubriand/PR, an artistic photographer captures a mesmerizing close-up showcasing the bride lifting her muddy dress, revealing her white sneakers.

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.

Soft window light brightens a cozy indoor cuddle session in Lyon, capturing the love between this couple in an intimate and romantic engagement portrait.
In a monochromatic portrait session in Rosemary Beach, Florida, the bride proudly displays her new engagement ring, evoking a vintage feel.
A romantic couple in Sarzana, Italy, share an intimate session in ruins, seen through a shattered window. A vintage black-and-white portrait captures their love beautifully.
Capturing the romance of their love, this engagement portrait features a couple sitting on a cliff by the water at île du Grand Gaou in Six-Four-les-Plages, Var, France.
In an idyllic setting of vineyards in Brignoles, a couple shares a sweet embrace as the sun sets, capturing the beauty of their love.
In this engagement portrait, a couple in Nice-Côte d'Azur is captured about to kiss, with sunbeams and a bright blue sky adding a backdrop to their joy, playfulness, and fun.
In the peaceful Pentland Hills of Edinburgh, Scotland, a soon-to-be-wed couple enjoys a relaxed evening portrait session in a romantic natural setting.
In a stunning sunflower field in Bourg-lès-Valence, France, this couple shares a tender kiss, capturing pure romance bathed in warm sunlight.

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
The tears of joy from the groom and ring bearer as the bride walked down the aisle at the Westin Playa Conchal in Guanacaste, Costa Rica were captured beautifully in the wedding photo
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
At the stunning Mont La Salle in Napa, CA, the moment a bridesmaid holding flowers ran to hug the bride was truly a beautiful and emotional one that the wedding photographer was able to capture
The wedding photo taken at West Haven, Connecticut captured a touching moment of a groom shedding tears as his mother lovingly does his hair for the big day
The photographer at Ashton Creek Vineyard in Richmond, Virginia captured a beautiful moment of the bride and bridesmaids tearfully witnessing the groom's heartfelt vows
The photographer captured a beautiful moment at Montlouis sur Loire, as the two mothers of the couple tearfully embraced outdoors