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 French wedding reportage photographer David Blateyron
Ufuk Sarisen Wedding Photography
Bordeaux, Gironde wedding photography by Pierre Cassagne
Chicago wedding and elopement photography by Milan Lazic of Illinois United States
Wedding and Elopement Photography by Kate Hagerty
Shaun Baker - Wedding Photographer and Couple Portrait Professional
I AM SARAH V Photography - Wedding and Couple Engagement Images
UK wedding reportage and engagement photography by Damion Mower
Mike Cook is a Scotland based creative wedding photographer
A color studio portrait of Santa Catarina wedding photographer Willian Mariot of the Brazil WPJA
Engagements, Weddings and Elopement Photographer Lucy Schultz
Colorado wedding photography and CO couple engagement portraits by Joe Pyle
Wedding photography of real moments by Leah Moyers
France Elopement and Wedding Photographer Hong-Phuc Bui, of Le Comptoir Photo
Rhode Island and Providence wedding and elopement photography by Kathryn Yeaton

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

Sylvain Bouzat, of , is a wedding photographer for
 The room is full of chaos with people getting themselves ready for the ceremony in this award-winning image

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.

Renowned wedding photographer captures an award-winning image of a couple dancing surrounded by elderly groups in Rongxing Garden Park, Taipei. A beautiful moment captured in the heart of the city.
This WPJA awarded image captured by a skilled documentary wedding photographer shows a synchronized dance at a reception venue in Krakow, Poland. The dancers are reflected multiple times in wall-mounted mirrors, adding a beautiful and unique visual effect
Bride at 320 Ranch Wedding in Big Sky, MT, enjoying a drink with the assistance of a female friend from a giant champagne bottle
At Grand Hyatt, Goa: The bride and groom overcome challenges to enjoy their wedding to the fullest, symbolizing the start of their beautiful journey together. A heartfelt moment captured on their special day.
Vercelli Wedding at Castello di Moncrivello, Italy - Groom celebrating with a champagne spray at the cake table while the bride stands beside him
In Georgia Botanical Gardens, the groom joyfully celebrates after the ceremony, yelling out and gesturing with excitement, adding a memorable twist to their special wedding day.
Paris Reception Venue in Île-de-France: The bride being carried by her friends as they celebrate during the lively party
At Le swing, Mondreville: The best man giving a heartfelt speech at the indoor wedding reception, creating a memorable moment for the newlyweds and guests. A beautiful scene capturing love and celebration.

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.

Sweeping the picturesque Colorado landscape, this award-winning wedding portrait captures two grooms embracing in a modern and stylish pose during a serene sunrise, creating a contemporary and heartfelt image.
Wedding photo captures a romantic pose at Bregenz, Vorarlberg, Austria. Silhouetted couple on a boat, hair blowing, against a sunset backdrop with artistic cloud reflections below.
Capturing the essence of love among the bustling streets of Istanbul, this award-winning wedding portrait depicts the blissful couple sitting on a bench as a passing motor scooter adds a touch of whimsical dynamism.
A talented wedding photographer captured this incredible pic at Nanping Park in Fujian. The image highlights the beauty of an indoor wedding during a snowy day, creating an award-winning artistic shot.
Photographer captures a stunning black and white portrait of the bride, groom, and priest at the Church of Beaulon, Allier, France, as they face towards Christ, creating an award-winning wedding day image.
At the Apulian reception venue, the wedding couple strolls across the picturesque lawn amidst vibrant flowers, with dragonflies and bumblebees gracefully hovering above.
Capturing the whimsical spirit of the couple's wedding day, the artistically skilled photographer captured a stunning image as the couple playfully tossed their rings into the air, only for them to land back in their hands.
At Domaine de Belfonds, the wedding photographer creates a beautiful image as the groom playfully dips and kisses his bride, accentuated by the warm golden hour light, evoking joy and love

Diamond Awards - Pre-Wedding Engagement Portraits - February 14th, 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.

Pre-wedding engagement portrait captured in San Francisco, California. This lifestyle couple portrait showcases the couple's love as they pose on a white couch at home, while their adorable furry pet gazes longingly in the foreground.
Lifestyle couple portrait at Albi, France, featuring a couple walking on a side rail over an industrial backdrop. The black and white image showcases a scene of bike racks on the sidewalk, beautifully highlighted by the photographer.
A couple about to get married cozied up at sunset on City Island in Harrisburg, PA, as they posed for their engagement portrait session, capturing the amazing and vibrant colors of the fiery sky.
A couple's lifestyle portrait at Albi, France, showcases their connection as they peer through a fractured window. The photographer's use of blue lighting beautifully highlights the intricate web of cracks.
A creative and lively pre-wedding engagement portrait capturing the joy of a couple in a playful session in downtown Washington DC. The couple takes center stage in a multi-frame composite shot.
Engaged couple in Estes Park, Co, enjoy the serene mountain surroundings as they bond over music, creating a heartfelt scene through an impromptu nature jam session with a guitar.
Lifestyle couple portrait at Bevano River Mouth Sanctuary, Ravenna, Italy. Beautifully highlighted by the photographer, the image captures a sweet candid cuddle in the windy nature sanctuary. It features a tight shot of him hugging her from behind.
Albi, France: An enchanting lifestyle couple portrait showcases a reflection of a kissing couple in the water. The focal point is on their dark pant legs and white shoes, while their faces are seen in a puddle in the foreground.

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 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 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 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 happy couple leaving their civil ceremony in Biarritz, France with their little boy beaming with joy at his parents' marriage, is captured wonderfully in this wedding photo, showing the love from his mother
The tender loving moment of the bride caressing her groom's face during their wedding ceremony at Duino, Trieste, Italy was captured perfectly in the wedding photo
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 captured a beautiful moment at Montlouis sur Loire, as the two mothers of the couple tearfully embraced outdoors