The Canadian Wedding Photography Awards (CWPA) is a distinguished series of image competitions, offering an exclusive platform for members of Canadian Wedding Photographers to showcase their exceptional talent and creativity.

Canadian Wedding Photographers will host 6 competitions per year.  Members are invited to submit up to 25 images per competition and winners are determined by a public voting system that allows anyone to cast their votes for as long as the session is open.

The 5 images that receive the most votes in each category will be awarded and the photographers will receive points based on the votes received.  At the end of each year we will announce the Canadian Wedding Photographer of the Year based on the photographer who has accumulated the most points in the CWPA.  The photographers who have accumulated the most points in each province or territory will also be awarded the Photographer of the Year for their province/territory.

How to Submit Your Photos

1. Login to Your Account
   • Access the CWPA portal by logging in to your Canadian Wedding Photographers account, ensuring the accuracy of your credentials.
2. Navigate to "Submit Photos"
   • Find the "Submit Photos" section within your account interface, the gateway to entering the competition.
3. Up to 25 Images per Competition
   • Take advantage of the opportunity to showcase your versatility by entering up to 25 images per competition. Each image should not exceed 2MB.
4. Upload Each Image
   • Choose your best shots and upload them one by one.
5. Select Category
   • Categorize each image under one of the diverse categories available. The category you choose will set the context for how it is presented.
6. Select Where It Was Taken
   • Provide information about the location where each photo was taken.
7. Click Submit
   • Finalize your entries by clicking the 'Submit' button. Note that once submitted, an image cannot be removed, so review your selections carefully.  If you do not upload the maximum allowed you can always come back another day and add more images until your 25 entries have been used.

How to Choose a Category

The CWPA offers an array of categories, some images may fall into multiple categories so it is up to you to decide how you would like to categorize your photo.

1. Ceremony
   • Photos that tell the story of a wedding ceremony.
2. Engagement
   • Photos of couples outside of their Wedding Day.
3. International/Destination
   • Encompasses photos taken outside of Canada, celebrating the beauty of destination weddings.
4. Photojournalism
   • Emphasizes unposed, candid moments that authentically tell a story.
5. Reception
   • Highlights the celebration that follows the ceremony, including dinner, speeches, and dance floor moments.
6. Wedding Still Life
   • Captures the intricate details and objects that narrate the story of a wedding day.
7. Couple
   • Photos of the couple on their Wedding Day.
8. Bride
   • Portraits or moments of the Bride.
9. Groom
   • Portraits or moments of the Groom.
10. Wedding Party
    • Portraits or moments of multiple people.  This can include guests and is not limited to a traditional wedding party.

How to Vote

1. Voting Session
   • When a voting session has begun, visit Vote to begin voting.
2. How to Vote
   • You will be presented with 4 images from the same category.  Click this image that you feel is the best and the page will refresh with 4 new images.  You can repeat this process as much as you would like until the voting period is over.
3. Who Can Vote
   • Voting is not limited to members only, anyone can visit the site and cast their votes for the best images.
4. Winners
   • Awarded images receive points based on the following:

                                       1st Place: 10 Points

                                       2nd Place: 8 Points

                                       3rd Place: 7 Points

                                       4th Place: 6 Points

                                       5th Place: 5 Points

At the end of each year, the photographer with the highest points is crowned Canadian Wedding Photographer of the Year. Provincial Photographer of the Year titles are also awarded based on points earned in each province/territory.