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.

Wedding and elopement Photographer Carl Bower
Shaun Baker - Wedding Photographer and Couple Portrait Professional
BW studio portrait of adventure wedding photographer Eliza Slobodzian
A black and white portrait of wedding photographer Lacey Butler
Engagement, elopement, and wedding photography by Andrew Morrell
Lyon wedding photography by Mallory Davies of the Rhone Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes France
Texas wedding and elopement photography by Kristin Bednarz
Portrait of Wedding Photographer David Butler II
Portrait of Wedding Photographer Sarah Priestap
Bulgaria Wedding Photography by Ognyan Stoynev, of Sofia
Lisbon wedding and elopement photography by Pedro Vilela of Portugal
Engagement Portraits by top Wedding and Elopement Photographer Sylvain Bouzat
Canada Wedding Reportage Photography by Colleen Johnson
Ufuk Sarisen Wedding Photography
Lyon Wedding Photography by Elise Julliard of Rhone, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France
Deanna Johnson wedding photography
Wedding photography of marriage ceremonies and receptions by Inbal Sivan

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

Sergio Cueto, of Madrid, is a wedding photographer for Madrid
Henri Deroche, of , is a wedding photographer for
Sanne De Block, of Antwerpen, 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.

In a room at Chateau de la Brigourdiere, the bride's best friend helps her with her dress as her father naps and her sister chats on the phone
Reception venue in Paris, Île-de-France - the father of the bride giving a speech, captured in a minimalist shot with palm trees silhouetted in the background
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!
A documentary wedding photographer captures the sweet moment of flower girls preparing for the big day in Atlanta, Georgia. They can be seen checking their makeup in a mirror. This image has won the prestigious WPJA award.
Two guests sitting in fancy chairs by a small table on the grass at a wedding venue in Alenquer, Portugal, captured by a talented Portugal wedding photographer
Wedding ceremony at Sofia's Church of the Nativity of Christ captures the moment when a priest in a red cape holds a cross while the bride holds a single candle
At the non-religious ceremony in the parents' garden of the newlyweds in the town of Vaugneray, a Franco/Anglo/German wedding takes place with a Senegal theme, as it is where they live. While the couple exchange their vows, a boy is getting impatient.
In Winchester, Virginia, a heartwarming moment unfolds as the bride presents a gift to her flower girl before the wedding ceremony. The precious expression on the little girl's face captures the love and anticipation in the air.

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.

Gently caressed against the stunning backdrop of Emerald Lake in Crested Butte, Colorado, a devoted groom affectionately embraces his wife, their love illuminated by the rim light, as they face each other on their wedding day.
In this award-winning wedding image at Union Station in Chicago, IL, a couple basks in their love, framed by vibrant tall columns.
At the city hall in Isere, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the couple's love is immortalized as they passionately kiss beside a striking modern statue - a memorable wedding portrait.
In the heart of Viterbo's historic old town, this captivating wedding shot captures the pure joy and love shared between the newlyweds, framed against the picturesque backdrop of an ivy-covered well.
Capturing their love amidst the golden embrace of a wheat field in historic Via Labicana, Rome, this award-winning portrait exudes an ethereal beauty, with the groom gently gazing at his radiant bride.
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.
In a Parisian wine cellar, the groom and his friends share a laugh, illuminated by a single lamp. Laughter and friendship fill the air in this award-winning wedding day portrait.
Wedding photo taken in Zermatt, Switzerland at Hotel Hemizeus & Iremia Spa. Groom is thrown into the air by his male friends with the Matterhorn and sunset as a stunning backdrop.

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.

A pre-wedding portrait of a couple taken at La Alhambra in Granada, Spain, features a black background and soft lighting highlighting their faces, creating a vintage monochromatic look.
In a monochromatic portrait session in Rosemary Beach, Florida, the bride proudly displays her new engagement ring, evoking a vintage feel.
Capturing the joy and playfulness of a couple in Beijing's Wudaoying Hutong, this engagement portrait session in a Chinese courtyard exudes fun and happiness.
Captured in the heart of Beijing's Wudaoying Hutong, this engagement portrait exudes the joy of Chinese red and Fu characters. The couple embraces indoors, with reflections in the glass, creating a romantic and intimate setting.
An engagement portrait captures their love and playfulness as the bride-to-be covers her fiance's eyes with red paper letters against the backdrop of the iconic Bund in Shanghai, China.
Capturing the essence of romance in Venice, Italy, this engagement portrait focuses on the intricate detail of the engagement ring, with profiled faces on the verge of a kiss. The high key, high contrast monochromatic tones exude a vintage feel.
At the Bund in Shanghai, China, a couple gazes into the future, with urban streets as backdrop. A romantic portrait session capturing their love story.
In a picturesque setting in La Rochelle on the Atlantic Coast of France, a couple toast champagne in a rustic picnic setting at sunset in a dry field.

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, emotional moment between the bride and groom after they exchanged their rings in Trieste, Italy
The wedding photojournalist captured the beautiful and emotional moment of the Bride as she reads her heartfelt vows in the sunshine beneath the trees at Hardy Farm in Fryeburg, Maine
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 of the bride joyously embracing her best friend on the dance floor of her San Francisco wedding reception
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 photographer captured a beautiful moment at Montlouis sur Loire, as the two mothers of the couple tearfully embraced outdoors
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 captured a beautiful moment of the bride embracing one of her great friends during the getting ready process at Cote How, The Lake District