Bettina Vass, Overall Winner & Winner, Epic Location & Emerging Talent.
“In August 2024, I photographed Mauli and Christian during their elopement inside a small, blue ice tunnel on Katla Glacier. Despite recent flooding, we were lucky to have a clear day to hike to this location, we were guided safely through the glacier's challenging terrain by their wedding officiant and guide.
The tunnel's icy floor and narrow space made it difficult for the couple to pose and for me to shoot with two cameras hanging from my shoulders and a 12 kg backpack. Yet, the vibrant blue glow of the ice and its natural backlighting provided a stunning visual for an amazing shot.
I had less than 5 minutes to create photos and videos of the couple, as one hiking group was just leaving the tunnel and another was approaching us. I asked Christian to sway Mauli slightly, capturing her ponytail in motion to add a subtle element of movement to the photo, all while they were surrounded by thousands of years of glacier ice. There is a volcano beneath Katla Glacier that typically erupts every 20-80 years. It has been over 100 years since its last major eruption, which always makes it thrilling to hike there, knowing the power that rests just below the surface.”
Hungarian wedding photographer Bettina Vass swept up at the 2024 International Wedding Photographer of the Year competition. Vass, who is now based in Iceland, not only won the Epic Location and Emerging Talent categories but was also the overall winner for her stunning portrait of a couple inside the Katla Glacier.
Vass' evocative image beat out more than 2,000 wedding photographs submitted by 450 photographers in 63 countries. In her winning image, she captures the couple's intrepid spirit, as they had to hike through the glacier after eloping in order to arrive at the location. Once there, Vass only had minutes for the photo and video shoot before the group had to clear out for others. It's a testament to her skill and professionalism that Vass was able to execute such a memorable photo even within these constraints.
Twelve category awards, which cover everything from engagement photos to images of the wedding party, were also handed out. Standouts include Ewelina Puk, whose moody photo of a couple on the dance floor, won the Dance Floor category and was the runner-up in the overall competition. Ted Kim‘s artistic wedding photography won the Breaking the Rules category, not only for its artistry but also for its ability to transmit the bond between the couple.
“The wedding photography industry is just brimming with excitingly talented photographers,” shares contest curator Luke Simon. “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.”
Scroll down to see all of the winners and then head over to the official website to check out the full winners and finalists gallery.
Here are the beautiful winning photos from the 2024 International Wedding Photographer of the Year awards.
Ewelina Puk, Overall Runner-Up & Winner, Dance Floor / Party Time.
“The couple was the obvious star of the frame, but the room deserved its moment, too. One half of the shot was alive – music, smoke, dancing. The other half – calm and candlelit, like nothing could disturb it. I used a 35mm lens to let both sides tell their story.”
Ted Kim, Winner, Break the Rules.
“While photographing this couple's wedding, I noticed their deep love for nature and how they found comfort in constant touch—holding hands, hugging, and simply being close. Their connection taught me an important lesson about capturing meaningful moments: focusing on touch and intimacy.
I aimed to reflect their unique bond—their love for nature and their tender gestures—in a single photograph. My goal was to tell their story authentically, creating an image that truly embodies the love they share.”
Andri Tei, Winner, Couple Portrait.
“The photograph was taken at teamLab Future World at Singapore Art Science Museum. Those who have been to this gallery knows that it's extremely difficult to get a clean shot here with all the crowd, and to top that off the timing of the lighting has to be just right to have all the right element fall in place to create that magic. I was glad to be able to make it happen on that special day with this memorable couple.”
Tinted Photography, Winner, Engagement Category / Pre-Wedding.
“We had been adventuring with our couple all day for their engagement shoot, and they invited us to join them for a BBQ and a few beers. A ‘few' beers later, the stars were out, and we all thought it would be fun to take some shots with the night sky to complete their engagement adventure with us. To get away from the street lights, we set up near the edge of the town where we were staying, incidentally, by the side of a long highway. Off in the distance, we could see a bright light heading our way, so we set up for this shot and waited for the truck to roll on past! 30-second exposure, with one off-camera flash.”
Angel Yamil Calderon Tellitud, Winner, From Above.
“The place is a hotel boutique in the middle of the forest, the couple love Asian culture so it was the perfect spot for them.”
Kemran Shiraliev, Winner, Lit!
“I was shooting the bride's gathering and the groom was running late, so we had plenty of time to experiment. Knowing how to work with light sources is one of the most important skills of a photographer. I shot this shot at a slow shutter speed using a “mixed light” technique where I use both constant light and flash.”
Kemran Shiraliev, Winner, B&W
“I shot the bride with her grandmother and took some casual photos. I always think about keeping the photography interesting not only for my clients, but also impressing other photographers, so that it can be considered art. My vision made this shot possible, the hands of an elderly grandmother on the young face of the bride. There is something symbolic about it.”
Now in its eighth year, the contest celebrates the artistry of wedding photography.
Hollie Mateer, Winner, Solo Portrait.
“The bride transforms the scene, filling the ordinary street with her energy, her style. Capturing it was all about anticipating what was happening, running ahead into the road (the road was usually quiet), getting into position and waiting for the moment to develop, waiting for the wind to catch the dress. It all happened naturally, in a second or two.”
Hollie Mateer, Winner, Single Capture.
“I used perspective and scale to tell a joke with this photograph – waiting for the exact moment I needed to bring the different elements together. Whenever I’ve shown this image to other people, they’ve always laughed. So I knew this was an image that resonated – but to win this, it’s mind-blowing. To win the Single Capture category is especially meaningful. The Single Capture category celebrates documentary photography and that’s exactly what I specialize in.”
Chris Perkins, Winner, I-Do-Crew.
“When Alex and Bridget approached me to be their Wedding Photographer, they told me about this cute old theatre they had found in a small town called Dungog in the Hunter Region of NSW that they had fallen in love with. They straight away had the idea to use the theatre for their Wedding and to create a day and experience for their guests that was totally unique. They already had the idea for a group photo straight after their ceremony with everybody wearing 3D glasses and them eating popcorn but just weren't sure how well it would photograph technically in such a dark space. When I arrived at the theatre, I found that the little light that was available was obviously pointing towards the stage and so wouldn't illuminate the guests. I decided to place two flashes at the back of the auditorium to add some theatrical ‘pop', to separate the subjects from the background and to enable me to get more of the guests evenly lit and in focus. I was really happy with the way it came out. The day was full of interesting little elements, revolving around theatre and the movies and if you look closely at the image you might be able to spot a few famous faces in the crowd!”
Gabrielle Fox – The Foxes Photography, Runner-Up, Couple Portrait.
Salien Van Hauwaert, Runner-Up, Dance Floor / Party Time & Emerging Talent.
Tinted Photography, Runner-Up, Epic Location.
Justyna Bedford, Runner-Up, Solo Portrait.
More than 2,000 wedding photographs were submitted by 450 photographers in 63 countries.
Megan Kelly, Third Place, From Above.
Vlad Solomon, Runner-Up, Single Capture.
Divyam Mehrotra, Runner-Up, Break the Rules
June Richards, Runner-Up, From Above
Taylor Dawning, Runner-Up, Engagement Category / Pre-Wedding.
Daniel Kuang, Runner-Up, Lit!
Ben Connolly, Runner-Up, I-Do-Crew.
Ankita Asthana, Runner-Up, B&W
