Epic Location and Overall Winner: Bettina Vass (2024 International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards)
An Iceland-based photographer’s shot of a couple who married atop a glacier took home top honors in the 2024 International Wedding Photographer of the Year awards.
Now in its eighth year, 450 photographers from 63 countries submitted more than 2,000 entries in the 2024 competition.
Bettina Vass of Iceland won first place for the "Epic Location" category and also was the overall winner.
RELATED: Tornado photographer captures Ohio twister: 'Closer than I ever wanted to be'
"As a photographer, I have had the privilege of capturing some of the most unique and breathtaking moments in people's lives," Vass said in a news release. "But when Mauli and Christian reached out to me with their idea of getting married on top of a glacier in Iceland, I knew this was going to be something truly special.
(2024 International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards)
"The Katla Ice cave, nestled in the stunning surroundings of Vik on the south coast of Iceland, is a place like no other. Named after the volcano beneath the Kötlujökull glacier, this ice cave is a sight to behold. To reach it, you must embark on a hike and descent led by a trained glacier guide. After their photos in the ice cave, we hiked to the top of the glacier where Mauli and Christian exchanged their vows against the backdrop of the setting sun, it was a moment of pure joy and beauty."
RELATED: Photographer's nightmare: Camera equipment and unpublished wedding photos vanish at Denver airport
Vass won more than $6,500 in cash and prizes. This year’s competition was the largest to date, with a 50% increase in the number of photographers who entered and a 25% increase in overall entries.
"The wedding photography industry is just brimming with excitingly talented photographers," Luke Simon, curator of the International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards, said. "(The awards) highlight to us just the tip of the iceberg."
2024 International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards winners:
Here’s a look at this year’s category winners:
Vass, the overall winner, also won this year's Emerging Artist Award, highlighting "the talent of wedding photographers with five or fewer years in the industry."