Cool Ice Cave Portrait Wins Wedding Photography Of The Year Awards

Dec 16, 2024

Matty Graham

A couple stands in an embrace inside a stunning ice cave. The walls are smooth and glistening, illuminated by soft light filtering through the ice, creating an enchanting, otherworldly atmosphere. The couple appears silhouetted against the icy backdrop. — Grand winner of IWPOTY. Image credit by Bettina Vass

The winning and highly-commended images from the eighth International Wedding Photography Of The Year Awards have been announced with the impressive finalists showcasing the very best from this demanding photography genre.

2024’s edition drew over 2,000 entries submitted by 450 photographers from 63 countries and the awards state that the competition exists to “support, reward, celebrate and promote exceptional wedding photography worldwide”.

A couple dances intimately on a fog-covered dance floor, surrounded by hanging lanterns and twinkling lights. Soft beams of light accentuate the romantic atmosphere at the wedding reception. — Runner-up in the IWPOTY awards. Image credit: Ewelina Puk/IWPOTY

Photographers could enter imagery over ten categories and the awards featured an international judging panel with experts from Italy, Indonesia, Germany, and the United States on the panel. 2024’s Grand Winner was announced as Bettina Vass, who took top honors for a mesmerizing portrait of a happy couple at the Katla Ice Cave in Iceland. Along with the prestige of the title, Bettina also takes home more than $6,500 in cash and prizes from the competition’s sponsors.

Aerial view of a couple lying in the center of an elaborate circular maze, surrounded by greenery. The bride is in a white dress, and the groom is in a suit, creating a romantic and striking contrast at the heart of the maze. — The From Above category was won by Angel Yamil Calderon Tellitud. Image Credit: Angel Yamil Calderon Tellitud/IWPOTY

A woman in a vintage hat and dress looks directly at the camera. Her face is framed by two elderly hands, creating a dramatic contrast between youthful and aged features in black and white. — Winning image from the Black and White category. Image Credit: Kerman Shiraliev/IWPOTY

This image was a finalist in the Emerging Artist category. Image credit: Tim Demski/IWPOTY

This image placed in both the Emerging Artist and Epic Location categories. Image Credit: David Conaty/IWPOTY

A couple walks along a black sand beach at sunset, with the sun creating a warm glow. Two tall rock formations rise from the ocean near the shore, and gentle waves lapping the beach. The sky is clear, enhancing the serene atmosphere. — This sunkissed entry was a finalist in the Epic Locations category. Image Credit: Salien Van Hauwaert/IWPOTY

2024’s competition saw a big spike in interest, with Luke Simon, International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards Curator, commenting; “The wedding photography industry is just brimming with excitingly talented photographers. The 8th International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards highlights to us just the tip of the iceberg. We’re grateful that this year is the largest to date and we had a 50% increase in the number of photographers submitting entries, and a 25% increase in the number of entries overall.”

A couple embraces under a starry sky. Long exposure light trails create horizontal streaks of red, orange, and yellow across the scene, adding a dramatic contrast to the dark night. — The winning shot from the Engagement Session category. Image Credit: Tinted Photography/IWPOTY

A black and white artistic collage of a couple on their wedding day. They stand facing each other, holding hands, with the bride holding a bouquet. One portrait shows them in close-up, and another depicts them in the distance outdoors. — Winning image from the Break The Rules category. Image Credit: Ted Kim/IWPOTY

This year’s competition also announced a new title – the Emerging Artist award, which Simon explained also went to the 2024 Grand Winner Bettina Vass; “Created to highlight the talent of wedding photographers with 5 or fewer years in the industry. Our aim is always to support the industry and operating a small business is tough at the best of times, but especially tough in those first few years. So we expect this award recognition will help.”

A joyful bride wearing a flowing white dress and silver heels runs across a city street. She's holding a bouquet and a purse, with a backdrop of colorful buildings and trees. The scene captures a sense of excitement and movement. — Winning image from the Solo Portrait category. Image credit: Hollie Mateer/IWPOTY

A couple in wedding attire stands on a rocky mountain ridge with jagged peaks in the background. The sky is overcast, adding dramatic lighting to the scene. The bride's dress flows gracefully behind her. — A Highly Commended image from the Epic Location category of the awards. Image Credit: Tinted Photography/IWPOTY

A group of men outdoors at an event with a tent in the background. One man in the foreground is limbo dancing under a macrame bar while holding a beer bottle. The sky is blue with a few clouds. — This fun frame took top honors in the Single Capture category. Image credit: Hollie Mateer/IWPOTY

Other categories in the eighth International Wedding Photography Of The Year Awards included the aerial “From Above” genre, along with “Black and White”, “Break The Rules” and the appropriately named “Epic Location”.

A bride and groom share a lively dance at their wedding reception, surrounded by cheering guests. The groom lifts the bride, who wears a white lace gown. Onlookers captured the moment with their phones, in a warmly lit venue with chandeliers. — Another frame from the Dance Floor category. Image Credit: Salien Van Hauwaert/IWPOTY

Two silhouetted figures stand in a mesmerizing light installation with blue lights and patterns surrounding them. The scene has a futuristic and dreamy atmosphere. — Winning image from the Couple Portrait category. Image credit: Andri Tei/IWPOTY

A couple sits by a tree under a starry night sky, illuminated by warm light in the distance. The silhouette of trees frames the scene, and the Milky Way is visible above. Lavender fields stretch out in front, glowing under the starlight. — A celestial approach to a Couple Portrait. Image Credit: Jesse La Plante

This perfectly-timed capture featured in the Couple Portrait category. Image Credit: Chris Denner/IWPOTY

A stylized, double-exposed image of a woman and a man in vintage clothing, standing under a starry night sky with a moon above. The image has a glitch effect with red and blue hues. — An unusual portrait featured in the Break The Rules category. Image Credit: Darren Hendry/IWPOTY

A graceful figure in a flowing dress and veil poses artistically with one hand covering part of their face. The monochrome image captures the elegance and movement of the fabric against a blurred dark background. — A finalist from the Black and White category. Image credit: Minas Ghazaryan/IWPOTY

A gallery of the winning and highly commended images from all of the categories can be seen on the IWPOTY website, with the images also shared via the competition’s Instagram.