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.

Federico Rongaroli wedding reportage photographer in Brescia Italy
Engagement, elopement, and wedding photography by Andrew Morrell
Lifestyle portrait of England wedding photographer Tori Deslauriers
Colorado wedding photography and CO couple engagement portraits by Joe Pyle
Tracey Buyce Wedding Images
Studio portrait of John Ryan, wedding photographer of J&J Studios, LLC
New Delhi documentary-style wedding photographer Shivali Chopra - India WPJA Pro
Boulder wedding and elopement photography by Jason Johnson of the CO WPJA
Italian wedding and elopement photographer - Alessia Bruchi Fotografia
Europe weddings, engagements and elopement pictures by Marco Tartaglia
BW portrait of Mark Wallis, Europe wedding reportage photographer
Color wedding photography by Iris Hu
Portrait of Florent Fauqueux, Photographer for marriage ceremonies and engagement sessions
Timmy Keane Wedding Photography of Timtim Media Weddings

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

Pierrick Roland, of Hauts-de-Seine (92) , is a wedding photographer for
Annie Kheffache, of Dublin, is a wedding photographer for Dublin, Ireland

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 this award-winning photo taken at Estancia El Cholo in Rosario, Argentina, the bride joyfully throws her bouquet. The photographer is known for their expertise in capturing beautiful moments on a couple's wedding day.
At Lipnik Residence, Ruse, Bulgaria, the bride, groom, and bridal party are seen making their way to the ceremony by walking across a stone stepping path over the water.
Friends of the bride and groom jump and rejoice while dancing at Baronesse Tacco in San Floriano del Collio, Gorizia, Italy
At Magnicourt, Granny helps a little girl retrieve her fallen cuddly toy from under the stroller
The couple exits the church at Lourdes, France, under a shower of confetti from their friends and guests
In this photo taken at the old vicarage in Dorset, UK, the Groom and Groomsmen enter the bouncy white room, with the groom struggling to keep his balance
In this award-winning photo, taken at a cocktail place in Poitiers, Vienne, three friends of the bride are captivated by the sight of the wedding ring. The photographer specializes in documenting priceless moments like these in Vienne.
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.

A vintage black and white detail shot at San Galgano Abbey, Siena's Agriturismo San Galgano. An old camera, featuring wedding rings, giving it a timeless, nostalgic vibe.
An award-winning image captures the scene at Richmond Hill Hotel, Surrey, England, where a bridesmaid in a green dress lovingly helps the bride put on her shoes, emphasizing the close bond and attention to detail.
The award-winning wedding photographer captures a close-up shot of the bride's dress hanging elegantly from the balcony at Kolfuschgerhof Mountain Resort in the Dolomites, Colfosco, Italy.
A romantic portrait captured by a creative wedding photographer at the Venue at Malcom Hotel in Canmore, Canada. The couple is silhouetted against a backdrop of colorful lights, creating an award-winning image.
Wedding photo taken at Domaine de Rennepont, Haute-Marne, shows the couple in an intimate embrace, about to share a kiss, with radiant sunlight highlighting the surrounding foliage.
In the remote setting of Camp Hale, CO, the bride and groom pose for a photograph beneath twinkling market lights, surrounded by the serene ambiance of a dusky, dark blue sky.
Capturing the intricate preparations, the award-winning photographer beautifully frames a wedding guest engrossed in painting signs for the enchanting festivities at the Derbyshire Air B N B in Derbyshire, England.
A professional wedding photographer captured an award-winning portrait of a bride and groom dancing in Summit County, Colorado. The image showcases the couple's romantic pose against a backdrop of dramatic sunset clouds.

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.

During their engagement portrait session at the West End in Atlanta, the couple shared a playful and intimate pose in Adirondack chairs on the deck with symmetrical framing capturing their love.
In the Museum of Arts in Brussels, the man and woman gaze into each other's eyes, embracing near stone pillars that look like they come from an ancient time.
While at San Francisco's Historic Sutro Baths, the couple lovingly embraced each other by the ocean pool ruins during their engagement portrait session.
At a photo shoot in San Francisco, CA, the couple in love posed in front of the building ruins, creating a beautiful and lasting memory of their special time together.
At Chamonix, French Alps, a couple in the mountains laughing and holding each other, capturing the love and excitement before their upcoming wedding day.
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 the Rialto Bridge in Venice, a romantic couple in love, who are engaged to be married, share a kiss while passersby walk past them, in a blur of motion.
At Dumbo, NY, a couple dressed in formal clothing face each other with the NYC skyline as their backdrop, illuminated by a subtle strobe light from behind, capturing their love before they say 'I do.'

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 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 Ashton Creek Vineyard in Richmond, Virginia captured a beautiful moment of the bride and bridesmaids tearfully witnessing the groom's heartfelt vows
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 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 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
At a wedding in Bucharest, Romania, the groom lovingly hugged his sister - a beautiful black and white image captured the emotional moment
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
The photographer captured the emotional moment of the bride picking up her friend in a foggy embrace on the dance floor of her Montpellier wedding