The 2026 Best of the Best Wedding Photo Contest Rules

Entry into the Best of the Best Wedding Photo Competition constitutes the Entrant's acceptance of these Official Rules and of the photo contest section of Junebug's Terms of Use.

This competition is sponsored by:

• JBW Media, Inc. dba Junebug Weddings ("Junebug"). Contact us at [email protected].
• Wildernis Lab, an Editing Outsourcing Lab for wedding & elopement photographers providing bespoke lightroom editing services by real-life human editors, tailor-made for every style and need.

Entries will be accepted on the following dates:

The competition begins October 28th, 2026 at 12:00 am Central Time (CT) and ends on November 18th, 2026 at 11:59 pm CT for everyone and November 19th, 2026 at 11:59 pm CT for Junebug Vendors*. Entries that are submitted before or after the entry deadline will be disqualified. Junebug may, at its discretion, accept an Entry received shortly after the deadline, or one begun before the deadline and finished later. *A Junebug Vendor is a business with an active Premium listing in Junebug's vendor directory. The entry form recognizes a Junebug Vendor by email address. Find out more about becoming a Junebug Vendor here.

Who can enter:

• The "Entrant" is the photographer who took the photos in an Entry, and an "Entry" is one Entrant's submission to the contest, of up to 20 photos. Each photographer may enter once, so a business of 3 photographers must submit 3 separate Entries, one for each photographer. Junebug's FAQ page has more information.
• Someone else may submit an Entry on a photographer's behalf. That person confirms that the photographer has agreed to the Entry, and these Rules then apply to the photographer as the Entrant.
• The Entrant must be at least 18 years of age or have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry, whichever is older.
• Employees of Junebug and their immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, siblings and their respective spouses, regardless of where they live), parent companies, affiliates and agents of Junebug, and this contest's judges, are not eligible to enter.

By submitting an entry, each Entrant understands and agrees to the following:

• Each submitted photograph must be a work of original material taken by the Entrant in its entirety. By entering the Competition, the Entrant represents, acknowledges, and warrants that (i) each photo is their original work created solely by the Entrant, (ii) no photo infringes on the copyright, trademark, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, (iii) no other party holds any right, title, or claim in the photos, (iv) no photo violates any law or regulation.
• Images using AI to generate elements or embellish reality will not be allowed (ex: adding more flowers, changing the background to showcase elements that were not originally present). However, removing distractions (ex: an exit sign or leaves on the ground) is permitted. Composites using two images taken on the same day are permitted. As part of its judging process, Junebug has the right to ask for the original RAW image to ensure generative AI was not used by the Entrant.
• All photos must have been taken between October 1st, 2025 and November 12th, 2026.
• Photos must depict wedding or elopement day coverage (including, but not limited to, photos documenting getting ready, first look, ceremony, cocktail hour, couple portraits, reception, send off, etc.). No pre-wedding/post-wedding coverage is allowed. No styled shoot or workshop imagery is allowed.
• The Entries will be judged in accordance with the Judging Criteria, as defined below.
• To the extent a photo depicts any individual, the Entrant represents, acknowledges, and warrants that Entrant has obtained permission from each person appearing in the photo or, if that person is a minor, permission from that person’s parent or legal guardian, to grant all of the rights listed in these Official Rules, and can make written copies of such permissions available to Junebug upon request.
• A photo may not be obscene or indecent, it must not contain defamatory statements, it must not include threats to any person, place, business, or group, it must not invade privacy rights or any other rights of any person, business, or group, and it must not name or depict any third party without his/her permission.
• A photo may not depict or encourage any dangerous, life-threatening, or otherwise risky behavior.
• The Entrant retains the copyright to their photos. By entering the contest, the Entrant grants Junebug a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free and perpetual license to copy, publish, display, and use any submitted photo for contest judging and administration, on Junebug's website and social media channels, in print, and in advertising and promotion for Junebug and its contests. Junebug will credit the photographer wherever reasonably practical, and may crop photos or add text to them when using them for promotional purposes. Junebug will not sell submitted photos, license them to third parties, or use them on products for sale. In connection with a submitted photo, Junebug may also publish the photographer's name, business name and website.
• The maximum number of photos in an Entry is twenty (20).
• Entrants are responsible for determining that all intended photos are included in their entry before submitting. Additional photos cannot be added to an entry once submitted.
• Submission fees are $32.00 for up to 15 images for entrants who are not Junebug Vendors and $20 for up to 15 images for Junebug Vendors. Each entry may include an additional 5 images for $5. Junebug Vendors may also choose to submit 3 images for free. A “Junebug Vendor” is a business with an active Premium listing in Junebug’s vendor directory, verified through the email address provided by the Entrant on the entry form. If a Junebug Vendor is charged the standard submission fee, they may contact Junebug at [email protected] to request a refund of the difference.

Refunds:

• Withdrawal before submissions close: If an Entrant requests to withdraw an Entry before submissions close, Junebug refunds the submission fee in full and removes the Entry from the contest.
• Duplicate submissions: If an Entrant accidentally submits the same Entry twice, Junebug refunds the duplicate submission fee in full and removes the duplicate Entry.
• Issues caused by Junebug: If an issue on Junebug’s side affects an Entry, Junebug may issue a full or partial refund. The Entry remains in the contest unless the Entrant requests its removal.
• Rule violations: If an Entry violates these Rules or the Terms of Use, Junebug may remove it without refunding the submission fee, unless Junebug decides otherwise.
• Contest cancellation: If Junebug cancels the contest, all submission fees are refunded in full, and Junebug retains no rights to the Entries.
• Refund method and deadline: All refunds are issued to the original payment card. Submission fees are nonrefundable for withdrawal requests made after submissions close.

Judging Criteria:

• Entries will be judged anonymously based on merit only.
• A Junebug Vendor listing is not required to enter the competition and will not be used to determine winning photos.
• The selection process will consist of multiple rounds of evaluation in which a panel of judges, including The Rose Reflective, Riccardo Pieri, and Shari + Mike, along with the Junebug Team, will act as Judges to collectively and anonymously review the photos, selecting them based on distinctiveness, skill, and artistry.
• The decisions made by the Judges will be final and binding.
• For more information on how entries are evaluated, see our Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Best of the Best Photo Contest Judging Process.
• Entrants are encouraged to review past collections.

How to submit:

• Review the contest details. Visit the 2026 Best of the Best Wedding Photo Contest page for contest details and eligibility requirements.
• Complete the submission form. Submit your photos through Junebug’s official entry form. The form will verify the Entrant’s email address, collect the photos, allow the Entrant to review the Entry, and process payment of the submission fee.
• Meet the file requirements. Each photo must be a JPEG (.jpg) file no larger than 25 MB, with no watermark or logo.
• Combine multi-image compositions. Diptychs, triptychs, and similar photo combinations are allowed but must be combined into a single image file. Each combination counts as one photo.
• Use a verified email address. Entries must be submitted by the person who uses the email address verified through the entry form.
• Review the FAQs. Visit the contest FAQ page for answers to common questions.

How the Winners will be notified:

Winners will be determined and notified by December 6th, 2026. Winners will be notified through the email address verified on their Entry and will also be asked to (i) send a high res version of their image and (ii) approve the caption to be shown in Junebug's 2026 Best of the Best Wedding Photo Collection. At the discretion of Junebug, Winners may be disqualified for any of the following reasons:

• The Winner has not complied with the Official Rules or the Terms of Use
• The Winner has failed to execute and return any required documents or images within the specified time period
• The winner notification is returned as undeliverable

In any of these events, and at Junebug's sole discretion, the Winner will be disqualified and an alternate photo will be selected in his/her place according to the judging criteria set forth above.

What Winners will receive:

• Each of the 50 Winners will receive a Winner's badge to display on their website or blog (“Winner’s Badge”) (total retail value $0 USD).
• The winning photos will be published on junebugweddings.com with the photographer's name, business name and a link to the photographer's website or blog (total retail value $0 USD).

Junebug Weddings' Limitation of Liability:

• By participating, Entrants release, discharge, indemnify, defend and hold harmless Junebug, and each of their respective partners, agents and their employees, officers, and representatives (the “Released Parties”) from any claims, losses, and damages arising out of or relating to (i) Entrant’s participation in this Competition or any Competition-related activities, (ii) the content in Entrant’s Entry, (iii) any technical errors that may prevent Entrant from submitting an Entry, (iv) unauthorized human intervention in the Competition, (v) errors in the administration of the Competition or the processing of Entries, (vi) the receipt, transfer, use, handling, transportation, storage, hosting, posting, or display in any manner of the Entries, (vii) injury, death, or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from Entrant’s participation in the Competition or the acceptance and use, misuse, or possession of any Winner’s Badge provided hereunder. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties’ liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Competition, and in no event shall the Released Parties be liable for attorney’s fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. In addition, Junebug reserves the right to report inappropriate Entries to any applicable law enforcement authorities.
• Junebug assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, or delay in operation or transmission; communications line failure; theft or destruction of or unauthorized access to Competition entries or entry forms; or alteration of entries or entry forms.
• Junebug is not responsible for any problems with or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any email entry to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, human errors of any kind, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to entrants' or any other persons' computers related to or resulting from participation, uploading or downloading of any materials related to this Competition.

General conditions:

• This Competition is void in any country or province where prohibited.
• This Competition is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Certain restrictions may apply.
• Junebug is not responsible for late, lost, stolen, mutilated, incomplete, illegible, or misdirected email. An Entry will be deemed void if the Judges determine the Entry to not be an original, or if the Entries are illegible, incomplete, damaged, irregular, altered, counterfeit, produced in error or obtained through fraud or theft.
• Except where prohibited, Entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Competition or the Winner’s Badge shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in Travis County, Texas, by a judge alone. Entrant and Junebug each give up the right to a jury trial. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, Entrant’s rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of Junebug in connection with the Competition, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of Texas, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of Texas or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than Texas.

Entrants shall:

1. be bound by these Official Rules and the Terms of Use;
2. accept that the decisions of the Judges are final on all matters relating to the Competition; and
3. if the photographer wins, consent that Junebug may publish the winner's name, business name and website with their photo, in any publicity or advertising relating to the Competition or future promotions of the Competition, without compensation.

Junebug's right to cancel the Competition:

If for any reason the Competition is not capable of running as planned, due to infection by computer virus, bugs, worms, trojan horses, denial of service attacks, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of Junebug that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Competition, Junebug reserves the right, at their sole discretion, to disqualify any individual(s) who tamper with the entry process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Competition. If Junebug elects to cancel or terminate the Competition, Junebug will not retain any rights in the Entries and will return the entry fees.