Announcing WeddingSutra Photography Awards 2026

WeddingSutra Photography Awards
– Jun 10, 2026

We are excited to announce the extremely talented jury for WeddingSutra Photography Awards 2026 – The Largest and The Most Trusted Wedding Photography Awards for Indian Weddings. The submissions open on June 10, 2026 at www.wsengage.com/wpa

WeddingSutra.com, India’s No. 1 Bridal Media Brand launched WeddingSutra Photography Awards in 2017 to inspire and honor the best in wedding photography and filmmaking across the globe. WeddingSutra.com has been shaping the wedding industry for over 25 years and has shined the spotlight on wedding photography for decades making it a covetable profession. The award gives vast exposure, visibility, and opportunity to wedding photographers and filmmakers across the country.

Wedding Photographers and Filmmakers can submit their entries in the following categories:

1.
Wedding Photographer of the Year
The nomination includes a series of up to 15 photos taken at one wedding.

2.
Wedding Filmmaker of the year
The nomination includes a short film no longer than 10 minutes taken at one wedding. Kindly include English subtitles for films in regional languages.

3.
Pre-wedding Photography
This category includes images from engagements and pre-wedding shoots done not on the day of the wedding.

4.
Pre-wedding Films
The nomination includes a short film no longer than 10 minutes shot after the engagement to tell the story of the couple’s love. Kindly include English subtitles for films in regional languages.

5.
Bride Solo
Portraits and candid photos of the bride.

6.
Groom Solo
Portraits and candid photos of the groom.

7.
Couple Portraits/Candids
Portraits and candid photos of the bride and groom together.

8.
Friends and Family
Portraits and candid photos of the bridal party i.e., bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents, siblings and other family members.

9.
Getting Ready
Portraits and candid photos as the bride and groom get ready for the ceremony.

10.
On the Dance Floor
All about the moments captured on the dance floor at sangeet, mehendi, baraat or any other groovy moments from the celebration.

11.
Wedding Ceremony
Creative shots from various wedding ceremonies.

12.
Wedding Details
From the rings and mehndi to décor, mandap, cake, and table settings there are endless elements of a wedding in detail.

13.
Wow Location
Photos that showcase the awe-inspiring location/ venue/ destination of the wedding.

14.
Editorial/Commercial Wedding Photography
Photos from editorial shoots for catalog/ magazines/ campaigns.

15.
Black and White
Wedding photos that play with the dynamic relationship between light, dark and all the tones in between.

16.
Aerial
Aerial wedding/ pre-wedding photos taken using drones, fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, balloons, blimps, rockets, rooftops, ladders, and parachutes.

17.
Kids
The smallest wedding guests can make for endearing wedding images.

18.
Wedding Entry Films
A short film no longer than 1 minute shot to capture the bride/ groom/ couple entry at a wedding. Kindly include English subtitles for films in regional languages.

19.
Visual Poetry
Those special photos from a wedding that are pure art and reflect a mood without the need for words.

20.
Funny Moments/ Bloopers
Laughter and giggles, silliness and oopsie moments, unexpected photo memories from humorous situations.

Visual and Emotional impact, composition, image design, storytelling and technical ability are the key parameters for judging across all categories of the Awards. Experts with a background in photography, design, and filmmaking will come together to decide the best images and films entered into the WeddingSutra Photography Awards.

1. Joey Mathews
Website: https://www.31films.com/

Joey Mathews is the founder of 31Films, an Emmy-winning wedding filmmaking company renowned for emotionally driven, cinematic wedding stories. Starting as a documentary filmmaker in the late 1990s, Joey transitioned into weddings in 2002 and built 31Films into an internationally recognized brand. His work blends cinematic visuals with authentic storytelling, focusing on genuine human connection and emotion rather than staged moments. Today, 31Films films luxury weddings worldwide and is celebrated for creating timeless films that resonate across generations.

2. Alice Mahran
Website: https://www.alicemahran.com/

Alice Mahran is a destination wedding photographer known for her intimate, warm, and timeless approach to storytelling. Working across Europe, Australia, and worldwide, her imagery blends honest emotion with an editorial eye, creating photographs that feel both elegant and deeply personal. Her work has been featured in different countries of Vogue, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and other international publications. Her calm presence and artistic sensitivity have made her a sought-after photographer for weddings, brands, and exclusive events around the world.

3. Antonio De Masi
Website: https://www.antoniodemasifilm.com/

Antonio De Masi is an internationally recognized Italian wedding filmmaker, known for his cinematic and emotionally driven storytelling. Originally starting his career as a photographer, he later found his true artistic voice in filmmaking, transforming weddings into visually rich short films inspired by cinema and music. His work blends documentary authenticity with cinematic language, atmosphere, and narrative rhythm. Over the years, Antonio has received multiple international awards, including Best Filmmaker Italy and Best Filmmaker Worldwide 2025, establishing himself as one of the leading voices in modern wedding cinematography.

4. Arina Balerina
Website: https://www.balerinafilms.com/

Arina is the founder of Balerina Films, a documentary-style wedding photography and cinematography studio based in Los Angeles, California.
Originally from a small city in Russia, she built her career internationally in the US. With a background as a popping dance teacher, she brings a strong sense of movement, rhythm, and composition to her work.
Her approach is rooted in documentary storytelling, capturing weddings as they naturally unfold, with a subtle artistic eye. The studio specializes in large-scale Indian weddings worldwide, preserving traditions in a refined, artistic way. She leads a team of 15 professionals and works globally, creating honest, emotional visual stories.
Outside of work, she enjoys snowboarding, traveling, and a good party.

5. Cara Mia
Website: https://www.caramia.photo/

Cara Mia is a luxury destination wedding and elopement photographer based in Utah, USA. With a background in creative writing and a passion for travel, she is renowned for creating emotionally rich, cinematic imagery that feels spontaneous and deeply personal. Her signature style blends film and digital photography, celebrating imperfection, nostalgia, and genuine human connection. Having photographed weddings and adventures across the world, Cara is widely recognized for her artistic vision and storytelling approach. known for her artistic, film-inspired approach that embraces candid moments, motion blur, grain, light leaks, and authentic storytelling. Her work has been featured in publications including Vogue, ELLE Spain, Brides, and Junebug Weddings.

6. Jeremy Chou
Website: https://www.jeremychou.com/

Jeremy Chou is an internationally acclaimed luxury wedding photographer based in Los Angeles, USA. Originally trained as an architect at Cal Poly Pomona, he transitioned into photography in 2009 and has since photographed more than 350 weddings across the globe. Known for his fine-art, editorial approach, Jeremy seamlessly blends architecture, light, and emotion to create timeless imagery. His work has been featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Times, and numerous leading wedding publications. In addition to photographing luxury weddings worldwide, he is a respected educator and speaker within the global wedding photography community.

7. Lev Kuperman
Website: https://www.levkuperman.com/

Lev Kuperman is an internationally recognized luxury wedding photographer based in New York City, known for blending editorial portraiture with emotional, documentary-style storytelling. With over a decade of experience, he photographs sophisticated celebrations across the East Coast and around the world, creating timeless imagery that captures both grand moments and intimate in-between emotions. His work has been featured in publications including Harper’s Bazaar, Brides, People Magazine, and Over The Moon.

8. Nisha Ravji
Website: https://www.nisharavji.com/

Nisha Ravji is an internationally acclaimed destination wedding photographer based between Berlin, Germany, and New Zealand. With over 12 years of experience and more than 500 weddings photographed across 15+ countries, she is renowned for her honest, documentary-led storytelling and artistic approach to capturing human connection. Her work has been featured in publications such as Vogue India, Tatler, Brides USA, and Together Journal. She is also a judge for prestigious industry awards, including International Wedding Photographer of the Year and Junebug Weddings’ Best of the Best.

9. Ana and Pablo
Website: https://www.pablolaguia.com/

Pablo Laguía, led by Ana & Pablo, are internationally acclaimed destination wedding photographers and Canon Ambassadors. With over 15 years of experience, their work is celebrated for its artistic elegance, emotional depth, and refined storytelling. Their photography has been featured in leading publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, and Brides. Before co-founding the studio, Ana worked with renowned fashion houses such as Stella McCartney in New York and Loewe in Madrid, bringing a distinctive editorial sensibility to their work. Known for their handcrafted approach and commitment to excellence, they document a select number of weddings each year for discerning clients across the globe.

10. Roman Ivanov
Website: https://www.roman-ivanov.com/

Roman Ivanov is an internationally recognized luxury wedding and editorial photographer based in Lake Como, Italy. Known for his refined blend of timeless wedding photography and high-fashion aesthetics, Roman creates elegant imagery that combines authentic emotion with sophisticated editorial style. He photographs luxury weddings across Europe, the USA, the Middle East, and destinations worldwide. His work has been recognized by leading wedding industry publications and directories, including Wezoree, WedVibes, and The Wed.

11. Romeo Mihail Photography
Website: https://www.instagram.com/romeo_mihail_photography/

Meet Romeo Mihail Udrea, one of the top Wedding Photographers in Romania and here’s what he says about his creative process.
“We are created to create! We are not here just to observe; we are here to create through our way of seeing. Let’s not stop creating, for fear of making mistakes. Mistakes are part of the journey, they teach us, they shape us to be present to follow the light, the shapes, the colors, the textures.
All of these help us to create.
CREAT ,PATIENCE , EVOLVE and GIVE
The ultimate goal is not just the image, the ultimate goal is to share this gift and inspire others to discover their own way of creating.
We are created to create and when we give, art has meaning!
The photography is part of the creation.”

12. Sergio and Uliana
Website: https://www.saturnfilms.it/

Saturn Films is an award-winning destination wedding filmmaking studio based in Italy, led by husband-and-wife team Sergio and Uliana. Renowned for their cinematic yet deeply authentic storytelling, they specialize in creating emotional wedding films that focus on real connections rather than staged moments. Their work has taken them across Italy and internationally, documenting luxury celebrations in destinations such as Tuscany, Lake Como, Amalfi Coast, Puglia, Spain, France, Switzerland, and beyond.

13. Thierry Joubert
Website: https://www.www.thierryjoubert.com/

Thierry Joubert is one of the world’s most acclaimed destination wedding photographers, recognized by Harper’s Bazaar as one of the top wedding photographers globally. Based in France and available worldwide, he is celebrated for creating emotionally powerful, fashion-inspired imagery that blends storytelling, sensuality, and editorial elegance. His work has been featured in leading publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Times, ELLE, Brides, and People Magazine.
Before becoming a full-time photographer, Thierry spent 18 years in the French Army. He later transitioned into wedding photography, quickly gaining international recognition and being named one of Rangefinder’s 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography.

14. Andra Lesmana
Website: https://www.thelimitlessmoment.com/

Andra Lesmana is the founder of The Limitless Moment, a Bali-based wedding photography studio documenting celebrations around the world. With over 14 years of experience, his work is rooted in genuine moments, human connection, and the stories that unfold naturally throughout a wedding day. Rather than chasing perfection, Andra is drawn to the in-between moments—the laughter, the chaos, the quiet emotions, and everything that makes a celebration uniquely personal. His approach blends documentary storytelling with a cinematic perspective, creating photographs that feel honest, timeless, and deeply human.

15. Vikram Bawa
Website: https://www.vikrambawa.com/

Fashion Photographer, Film Director & Photo Artist, Vikram Bawa is well known for his editorial work for Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, L’Officiel, Hello!, HI! Blitz, Marie Claire, Verve, and Vogue, with more than 300 covers to date. His client portfolio exceeds 500, including BBC Worldwide Media, Better Homes & Gardens, CEAT, Coca Cola, Channel V, Dove, Falguni & Shane Peacock, Godrej, ITC, L’Oreal, MTV, Reebok, Skoda India Auto Ltd., Sony Electronics, and TBZ. Vikram has won multiple awards from the Masters Cup, Prix de la Photographie Paris, The International Color Awards, The Spider Awards, Asian Photography Most Influential Photographer Award, PIEA Award, and many more. Luerzer’s Archive honored him as one of the 200 Best Advertising Photographers for the year 2010-2011.

2026 KEY DATES
Submissions Open: 10th June 2026
Competition Closes: 30th June 2026
Shortlist announced: 5th August 2026

Winners will be announced at the WeddingSutra Photography Awards Gala on 19th August 2026 at Taj Lands End, Mumbai.
For all press inquiries, please contact: editor@weddingsutra.com

ENTRY TO THE AWARDS GALA IS BY INVITATION ONLY.

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