The Powerful Winners of International Wedding Photographer of the Year 2025

Dec 03, 2025

Matt Growcoot

A large, decorated cake is in the foreground indoors, while a young child stands outside looking in through a window. Lush greenery and trees are visible behind the child. — Overall winner and winner of the Single Capture category. Photo by David Scholes

The winners of the 2025 International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards (IWPOTY) have been announced, with U.K. photographer David Scholes awarded the Grand Winner title for his
humorous and beautifully composed capture of a young wedding guest peering curiously at the wedding cake.

Outscoring more than 2,500 submissions from 568 photographers across 61 countries, Scholes’ winning photograph stood out to the judges for its simplicity, storytelling, humour, and beautifully balanced composition.

Scholes explains that he’s always looking for “something interesting that can be part of the story,” which is how this image came to be.

“As soon as I walked in and saw the cake, I quickly noticed a boy charging back and forth outside,” he says. “To me, a photo of a cake is boring, but I thought if I could catch this kid in one of the window frames as he’s running and use the cake as context to frame the shot, that would make a better picture.”

But after switching camera bodies to one that had a 35mm lens attached, the kid suddenly stopped, noticed the cake, and pulled a face. “Moments like this happen at most weddings and are what I’m always looking for and challenging myself to get,” he adds.

Two people walk hand-in-hand up a sandy slope inside a large, sunlit rock arch with dramatic curves and textures against a blue sky. — Overall runner-up was Maddie Mae for this photo taken during a three-day engagement shoot in Utah. With a guide, the group left in a 4×4 before sunrise to get to this sand dune in a cave. Mae rented a 12mm lens just for this shot and was hunched against the back wall while pressing the shutter. The shot also won the Engagement / Non-Wedding category.

A bride and groom walk hand in hand out of a building toward a cheering crowd. An elderly man sits alone inside, watching from the shadows. The scene is in black and white. — Armen Hambardzumian captured this poignant photo of the bride’s grandfather watching the newlyweds leaving the church. ‘For me, wedding photography is about documenting the connections between generations—the emotions and memories that live on through time.’

A bride and groom stand closely together under a veil, embracing at sunrise or sunset, with soft mountains and mist in the background, creating a dreamy, romantic atmosphere. — Adventure and Vow won the Break the Rules category with this mystifying photo taken in the North Cascades. ‘I’m a photographer first, always, because of my desire for creativity and passion for telling stories in a moment.’

A bride and groom embrace on a grassy hill under a dramatic, dark sky. The bride's veil billows in the wind, trailing far behind her, as mountains loom in the background. — Oli and Steph Prince shot this moody photo in the Cuillin Mountains of Scotland. ‘Her veil was ripped into the air, twisting above them like part of the storm itself.’ It won the Couple Portrait category and the Emerging Artist category.

A man in a suit dances energetically at a party, viewed from a low angle between another person's legs, while people around him watch, smile, and clap under warm lighting. — Jeff Tisman won the Dance Floor category with this photo shot through a reveler’s legs.

A bride in a wedding dress and veil stands facing the sea, framed by three stone arches, with cliffs and dramatic clouds in the background. The image is in black and white. — This cinematic shot by Alessandro Biggi won the Epic Location category. It was shot at Porto Venere in Italy. ‘On a summer day, right after the intense passage of a storm, the sky opened to reveal a sublime, almost ethereal light that enveloped the scene in an atmosphere suspended between dream and reality.’

Aerial view of a couple in white standing among dark sand dunes with patches of grass, with rugged mountains and soft sunlight in the background. — Tony Iskra shot this during an elopement to Iceland where the couple first fell in love. It won the From Above category.

A bride in traditional attire sits smiling as two adults, likely her parents, lovingly hold a decorative veil above her, preparing her for a wedding ceremony. — Moment Picture won the I-Do Crew category for this image of a sacred moment between the bride and her parents.

A bride and groom stand together on a rock by the ocean at dusk, holding lanterns that softly illuminate them against the dramatic sunset sky and darkening shoreline. — This creative shot taken during blue hour employs vintage-style lanterns to illuminate the couple. Shot by Sammie and Micah – The Chaffins, it won the Lit! category. ‘During blue hour, the orange lantern light perfectly complemented the deep blues in the sky and ocean, as well as mirroring the orange in the last traces of the sunset.’

A person in a flowing white dress jumps or floats in the air with their back to the camera, set against a misty mountain landscape with brown and green vegetation below. — This chaotic photo by Katy Homan – The Caryls won the Solo Portrait category. ‘We want to capture not just what the day looked like, but what it felt like, too.’

Founded in 2017, the International Wedding Photographer Of The Year Awards showcases the work of incredible wedding photographers worldwide and is open to all photographers, both professional and amateur.