WPPI Conference + Expo 2027

Annual conference and expo focused on wedding, portrait, and social photography, offering education and industry exhibits.

WPPI 2027

WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International) runs February 28–March 4, 2027 at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The conference runs all five days, Sunday to Thursday, and the Expo show floor is open Tuesday through Thursday, March 2–4.

What it is

WPPI is a conference and trade show for portrait and wedding photographers. The organizer says it's for photographers of all genres, including wedding, portrait, boudoir, family, newborn and children, seniors and fashion, and for everyone from new photographers to studio owners. The education program covers technique and the business side, from lighting to pricing strategy and AI tools, with summits, hands-on workshops and photo walks.

On the Expo floor, photography brands and vendors show and demo gear, software and business services. The organizer says photographers have come to Las Vegas for WPPI for over three decades. WPPI is run by Emerald X.

Expo hours

• Tuesday, March 2: 11am–4:30pm
• Wednesday, March 3: 11am–4:30pm
• Thursday, March 4: 11am–3pm (short last day)

The organizer notes that these times may change closer to the show.

Passes and admission rules

Registration comes in two main shapes: a Full Conference Pass, and an Expo Only pass for the show floor. Photo walks, summits and other add-ons are booked separately, and the registration portal for all of them opens in mid-October 2026. Special evening events are open to Full Conference Pass and Party Pass holders with a badge.

On-site registration is available, but it costs more than registering in advance. There are discounts for students, educators and military with approved credentials, and visa invitation letters are generated automatically after you register.

WPPI is a professional trade event. Children under 16, including infants, can't go into conference seminars. They can go on the Expo floor with adult supervision, up to two children per adult.

On the floor

At the 2026 show, the Expo included a Podcast Stage for live interviews with photography podcasters, an Adobe Theater with short Photoshop, Lightroom and AI-workflow sessions, a Canon Print Hub for printing images on site, and styled Studio Bays for hands-on shooting, all in the Rio's Brasilia Ballroom. The Icon Awards print competition, which continues the photo competition WPPI ran until 2023, judges prints live at the convention.