Some wedding photographs stay with me because they hold the feeling of a moment before it fully happens. I’m so grateful to share that two of my images were selected as winners in WedAward Collection #129: “An Intimate Umbrella Kiss” and “A Nighttime Kiss Beneath Fireworks.”

For WedAward Collection #129, 2,049 photographs were submitted from 9 countries, with only 92 photographs selected. To have two images from Nicholas Yee Photography awarded in this collection feels deeply meaningful, especially because both photographs reflect the way I love to tell wedding stories.

One image is close, quiet, and tender beneath an umbrella. The other opens into the night, with a couple kissing under a sky filled with fireworks. They feel different in scale, but both come back to the same thing: connection.

The Power of Intimacy in WedAward Collection #129

What I love about “An Intimate Umbrella Kiss” is how close it feels. The couple is tucked beneath an umbrella, sharing a quiet kiss in a frame that brings you right into the softness of the moment.

The umbrella creates gentle layers across the image, adding depth without taking attention away from them. Their faces are close, their lips almost meeting, and the whole photograph feels suspended in that small second before everything else falls away.

It is the kind of image that asks you to slow down. There is no need for a grand gesture. The strength of the photograph comes from tenderness, anticipation, and the way the couple seems completely held within their own little world.

This is something I care about deeply in wedding photography. The most meaningful images often happen in the small pauses, when a couple forgets everything around them and simply feels present together.

A photograph does not need to explain everything to hold emotion.

A Double Win for Nicholas Yee Photography

Having two images selected in WedAward Collection #129 feels especially special because they show two different sides of wedding storytelling. One is intimate and quiet, while the other feels dramatic, celebratory, and full of movement.

In “A Nighttime Kiss Beneath Fireworks,” the couple shares a kiss beneath a dark sky filled with golden bursts of light. The fireworks bring energy and scale to the photograph, but the couple’s embrace keeps the image grounded in something deeply personal.

The scene feels cinematic without losing its warmth. The night gives the image contrast, the fireworks add celebration, and the couple’s closeness gives it heart. At its center, it is still simply two people holding each other in a moment that belongs to them.

For couples planning a wedding in New Jersey or Florida, these two award-winning images are a reminder that your photographs can hold both the intimate and the grand. Your story can feel soft, emotional, cinematic, and completely true to you all at once.

You can see more wedding stories on my Nicholas Yee Photography blog.

The beauty of wedding photography is not in choosing between quiet and dramatic, but in knowing when each one belongs to the story.

A Quick Look at WedAward Collection #129

9 countries worldwide participated
2,049 images were submitted
92 images were awarded
2 images were photographed by Nicholas Yee Photography

I’m honored to have both photographs included in WedAward Collection #129. Recognition like this means a lot, but the heart of the work will always be the couples who trust me with their memories.

Why These WedAward Collection #129 Images Resonate

These two images resonate with me because they show how much feeling can live in completely different kinds of moments. A quiet umbrella kiss. A nighttime portrait beneath fireworks. Two different scenes, but the same emotional thread.

If you’ve ever had one of those moments on a wedding day where everything around you fades and all you notice is each other, that is the feeling I hope these photographs bring back.

“An Intimate Umbrella Kiss” feels private and close. The umbrella adds softness and texture, while the tight framing keeps the focus on the couple’s faces, their anticipation, and the tenderness between them.

“A Nighttime Kiss Beneath Fireworks” feels larger in scale, but it still stays rooted in connection. The wide composition gives the fireworks room to fill the sky, while the couple’s embrace keeps the story centered.

That balance matters to me. I want wedding photographs to feel intentional, but never forced. I want the setting, light, weather, celebration, and movement to support the emotion instead of overpowering it.

The photographs that last are the ones that remember not only where you were, but how it felt to be there together.

Thinking About Working Together?

If you are planning a wedding in New Jersey or Florida and want photographs that feel honest, emotional, and connected to your day, I would love to hear from you. I care about the portraits, the light, and the setting, but I care just as much about the moments that happen quietly in between.

My approach is calm and intentional. I guide when it helps, step back when the moment needs space, and pay attention to the way your day naturally unfolds.

Whether your wedding is taking place in a city venue, a waterfront space, a private estate, a historic location, or somewhere that simply feels like you, I would be honored to tell your story with care.

You can start by visiting my inquiry page. You can also explore my photography portfolio, learn more about wedding photography investment, or read more stories on the Nicholas Yee Photography blog.

You can also follow along on Instagram at @nicholasyeephotography.

At the center of my work is a simple belief: your wedding photographs should feel like memories you can return to, not moments made only for the camera.

FAQ

What is WedAward?

WedAward is an international wedding photography award platform that recognizes selected images from photographers around the world. For this collection, 2,049 photographs were submitted from 9 countries, and only 92 were selected.

How were the images selected?

The selected photographs stood out from thousands of submissions. Images like these are usually recognized for storytelling, timing, composition, emotion, and the way a moment is captured with intention.

Why do you focus on emotion in wedding photography?

I focus on emotion because that is what couples come back to years later. You may not remember every small detail exactly as it was, but you will remember how it felt to hold each other, laugh with your favorite people, and move through the day together.

How do you capture authentic moments?

I start by helping my couples feel comfortable. Sometimes that means giving gentle direction, and sometimes it means stepping back and letting the moment unfold naturally. My goal is never to force a feeling, but to notice what is already there.

How do I book Nicholas Yee Photography?

The best place to start is my Nicholas Yee Photography inquiry page. Share your wedding date, location, and a little about what you are planning. From there, we can connect, talk through your vision, and see if we feel like the right fit for your wedding day.