This week, we are putting the spotlight on wedding portraits and their cool details—like stunning location backdrops and gorgeous florals—by Marin Filipcic, Bailee Ward, Maria Francesca Nitti and Uliana Yarets. View the featured images below and get the back story on how each one was executed.

Croatian destination photographer Marin Filipcic of MF Weddings says he was brave enough to follow his dreams and now he says he does what he loves best—photographing weddings. “My main goal is to capture raw emotions and all those tiny details that make your heart warm,” he explains. “I love to travel and explore new destinations which is why I love my job even more.”

How did the image above come about? “We stopped the car so that one part was in the forest and the other part was directly in the sun,” Filipcic explains. “The sun shone beautifully on her face and reflected off the white cloth inside the car. I saw that everything felt cinematic and I had to take a photo because it was all so beautiful.” We love the dreaminess of the overall image as well as how some of the important details—like the bride’s expression, dress and jewelry—also shine through.

Colorado elopement photographer Bailee Ward of Alpine Vows says that couple Meghan and Matt (above) had an incredibly intimate micro wedding in Breckenridge, Colorado on a few weeks ago. “Seventeen of their loved ones joined them for their ceremony and wedding festivities,” she explains, “and afterwards, the three of us went to one of my favorite locations in Colorado for their wedding portraits. Normally it is pretty windy at this spot because it sits at 11,834 feet, but when we pulled into the parking lot, the wind was slight, the temperature was perfect, and the lighting was beautiful. I have never experienced this level of calm and still at this location before; it was absolutely perfect.”

[Read: Six Tips for Taking Incredible Forest Portraits]

Towards the end of their session, the photographer had the couple walk on the other side of the lake while she stood opposite of them to really get the scale of how large the mountains are at this spot. “When I got into position and started snapping away, the slight breeze we had totally stopped and left the most incredible mountain reflection on the lake. I asked them to join me on that side of the lake so I could get them perfectly positioned with the mountains, lake, and reflection. I was super intentional about their placement and wanted to make sure that their heads were going to show against the lake but not cover the mountain reflection. I also wanted to follow the ridge line of the mountain in the reflection. The couple is the main focus, but the mountain scene behind them tells the story of their location and day in a unique way.”

Maria Francesca Nitti is an Italian destination wedding photographer who has been working in the world of events for more than ten years. “For me, she says, one of the things that has always been so important
is my choice of lens.”

Nitti recently shot this wedding (above) almost entirely with her “new love”, the Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 ZE Canon. “What can I say, love everything about it…in particular, how it makes you feel like you are right inside the scene. It’s so cinematographic and fun to work with.”

[Read: Wedding Photos and Portraits of the Week]

Ukrainian photographer Uliana Yarets of Yarets Studio took this image below of a beautiful bride admiring the sun from the balcony of her hotel room in Barcelona, Spain.

“The light perfectly highlighted the silhouette of the bride and the architecture,” Yarets explains.

For this image taken in Antibes, France, also by Uliana Yarets, she says she likes “the lightness of the shadows, which emphasizes the beauty of the flowers even more.”

Dig into our Photo of the Day archives for even more eye-catching portraits and photos that incorporate unique compositions and cool photo techniques. Submit your wedding portraits, editorial, documentary and commercial image submissions here:  jacqueline.tobin@emeraldx.com