Jay + Jordyn, a Stunning White Mesa Engagement

We got to spend one of our first 2022 engagements with long-time sweethearts Jay and Jordan. Going back to one of our favorite little desert locations with these stunners made for the absolute perfect winter evening.

These hunnies first met while they were both students at West Mesa High School here in Albuquerque, NM and have been together ever since. Over the last decade of being in love, Jordan and Jay have not only traveled the world together and started their little life together, they’ve also welcomed their sweet little girl, Sophia, into their family.

We already know that Jordan and Jay’s fall wedding at Old Town Farm will be one for the books, we can’t freaking wait for all the beauty.

Location - New Mexico
Makeup - Jackie Sue Makeup
Photographers - Carissa + Jacqueline A.

Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Wedding Inspo - Top 5 Albuquerque Wedding Venues

Albuquerque has been our number one spot for weddings and elopements over the last ten seasons and let’s just say that the cutie venues here never disappoint. Our sweet little city has some of the dreamiest places to say “I do” and we’re constantly blown away by the magical celebrations we get to capture at each of them.

From tiny little farms to lavender gardens to elegant hotels to quiet gardens, there truly is a venue in Albuquerque for every single couple out there. If you’re more of the classic, romantic type, Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town might be perfect for you, but if you’re more of a quaint, rustic kind of lover, Old Town Farm could be your jam. And if you’re looking for a historic, otherworldly place to elope or have a tiny wedding, the ever stunning Los Poblanos could make your dreams come true.

Every single time we visit these sweet little venues we’re reminded of why we adore Albuquerque so much and special this city really is to us. We can’t wait for even more lovers to tie the knot at these incredible spaces!!!

Featured Venues + Love Stories
Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town - Owen + Amelia and Zach + Coli
Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm - Evan + Jocelyn
Casa Perea Art Space - Ysidro + Celestina
Old Town Farm - Russell + Katie and Brad + Kenna
Casas de Sueños - Zach + Coli

Weddings + Elopements by Alicia, Ashley, Bre, and the ALP Team
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Where to Elope in New Mexico - A Few of Our Fave Venues

In the aftermath of 2020, so many soon-to-be newlyweds are looking towards celebrating just a little bit differently this year. Couples are trading in giant wedding bashes for much smaller, intimate days and we’re so dang here for it. New Mexico is brimming with incredible places to make it last name official, even if its just you and your boo!

From a tiny adobe dwelling in the heart of Old Town to a majestic hacienda high in the mountains of northern New Mexico to a legendary lavender farm, there are so many unique, equally stunning places to finally say “I do” in the Land of Enchantment. We’ve been overwhelmed with inspiration by seeing our couples do the damn thing no matter what and we’ve been dying to share some of the most stellar spots for elopements.

Here’s to all the tiny, unique nuptials out there, we can’t wait to see even more Southwestern elopements!

Featured Love Stories + Venues
Jeremy + Michelle at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Will + Jill at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Zach + Natalie at The Desert Compass
Nate + Symone at Casita de Cacti
Russell + Katie at Old Town Farm
Brad + Kenna at Old Town Farm
Geoff + Jocelyn at Hacienda Doña Andrea
Chris + Emma at Hacienda Doña Andrea

Weddings + Elopements by Alicia, Ashley, Bre, and the ALP Team
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Embracing the Seasons for Your Wedding,

*A guest editorial blog contributed by Kiera Dean*

Sometimes it seems as though everyone has a summer wedding, but booking your wedding around a certain season is not always possible. Not only that, but you may want to plan your wedding based on your own favorite season. If you adore the winter or thrive in the spring, you can still create a gorgeous wedding.

Are you looking for some fun and easy ways to incorporate the seasons into your wedding planning? Read on to discover more.

Spring

A spring wedding can be perfect, though you cannot rely on the weather. It might be dazzling sunshine, a little chilly, or you may even get some snow. Whatever the weather, you can embrace the colors of spring. Pretty pastels will be the order of the day, combined with deeper berry accents to offset the gentleness. You can plan to have your photographs outside, but you probably do not want to organize an outdoor reception at this time of year. Instead, bring some soft floral accents indoors to give that spring fling feeling wherever you are.

Summer

A popular time to book your wedding, when planning for summer you will want to be outdoors as much as possible. Choose a boho theme and head to the woodlands or fields for an outdoor wedding, hiring a gazebo to combine the best of indoors and outdoors for your reception. Remember that, for summer weddings, cute little touches like having an ice cream van at your reception and serving a lighter meal are a great idea in the warmer weather.

Autumn

Plan to start your autumn wedding earlier in the day if you want to take advantage of those beautiful colours outdoors. You can have fun with the color scheme of an autumn wedding, as nature provides you with such a rich color palette as it is. Either lean into it by accentuating your bridesmaids’ dresses and decorations with rich oranges, plums and reds, or go for a gentler option with soft, more neutral caramels and apricots. This will look lovely as a bouquet, which you can combine with real autumnal foliage for a unique twist.

Winter

A winter wedding might not be at the top of everyone’s list, but if you happen to get that magical winter wonderland with real snow nothing is more enchanting! It’s risky to plan for real snow to fall, but you can opt for an immersive wintery theme that will make guests feel like they’re in Narnia! Go for fully Christmas vibes with rich reds and golds to accent your wedding dress and decorations, or keep it chic with silvery sparkles. You can also get away with serving food that is a little warmer and cozier.

Don’t forget to think about timings – the amount of daylight you get during the winter is drastically reduced, so you need to factor this into your photo schedule.

Feeling the seasonal inspiration? Whatever time of year you decide to tie the knot, you can turn your wedding into a beautiful reflection of you.

Featured Weddings + Elopements
Jawara + Jasmyn at Los Poblanos
Morgan + Mattie at Las Campanas
Brad + Kenna at Old Town Farm
Conner + Laura at Los Poblanos

Weddings + Elopements by Alicia, Ashley, Bre, and the ALP Team
Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Wedding Inspo - Groom Style, 4th Edition

Everyone who knows us already knows that we adore featuring our incredibly gorgeous brides all over the blog, but what about the grooms? Every year, we dedicate a special blog to all of the amazing dudes we get to meet on wedding and elopement days and, of course, take the opportunity feature their killer style.

With all of the changes to weddings in 2020, its no surprise that so many of our grooms opted for unique style choices. Whether it was a pastel blue suit, a simple yet breezy dress shirt paired with slacks, a sleek camel coat with boots, or even a classic black tux, all of the stellar outfit choices these handsome fellas made did not disappoint one bit.

We adore getting to see grooms express their personalities on wedding days, even if its through a simple attire choice, we’re beyond hyped to see what 2021 grooms have in store for us!

Our Favorite Groom Attire Designers + Shops
Bonobos
Ralph Lauren
J. Crew
Limatus Bespoke
Don Morphy
H&M
The Black Tux
Tom James
Men’s Wearhouse
Tommy Hilfiger
Kenneth Cole
Suit Supply
Ted Baker
ASOS
Jos A. Banks
Suits Unlimited

Weddings + Elopements by Alicia, Ashley, Bre, and the ALP Team
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Russell + Katie, an Old Town Farm Elopement

Last September we got to return to one of our favorite little venues hidden right in the heart of Albuquerque, Old Town Farm, for Russell and Katie’s beautiful elopement. Being a part of these lovers’ day was such a gift and we’re beyond grateful for this lovely, quiet evening with them.

Russell and Katie first connected in Columbia, Ohio through a dating app and even though they initially didn’t meet for several months, they immediately hit it off. A few years later, their cutie son Jack was born and five short months after starting their little family together, Russell proposed on Christmas morning of 2018. Katie, of course, said yes and these two started off their engagement by picking out rings together.

After their initial spring wedding was postponed and then cancelled due to COVID, Russell and Katie decided to alter their celebration down to just a tiny elopement. They were able to keep their dreamy little venue, Old Town Farm, for the most beautiful fall evening. Katie’s modern yet elegant bridal style was absolute perfection and we adored how our angel Genica Lee gave this beauty the most glam hair and makeup. We’re also still very obsessed with the dark, yet colorful florals Albuquerque Florist created for this evening (especially those cranberry tones). These two said “I do” during the most perfect golden hour glow alongside their son and two of their closest friends. After their quick nuptials, we got to spend even more time with Russell and Katie as they soaked up those first hours of being married.

We were so inspired these two and so dang honored to be there to capture the next step of their journey. Congrats Katie and Russell, we adore you and your elopement so much!

Vendors
Venue - Old Town Farm
Florals - Albuquerque Florist
Hair + MUA - Genica Lee
Bridal Gown - David’s Bridal
Bride’s Jewelry - BHLDN
Bride’s Shoes - Rothy’s
Groom’s Attire - Men’s Wearhouse
Officiant - Rab Freeman
Photographer - Alicia
Assistant - Jaclyn

Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

2020 - Moments with Alicia Lucia Photography

2020 was by far one of the most challenging years our team has ever faced, yet through all the difficult descisons and make-or-break moments, we still found the light on the other side of it all.

After an intense global pandemic forced our weddings and shoots to a screeching halt, we weren’t sure what to do, but somehow we found a new path and gained a better perspective on our lives, our business, and our community. We found new ways to capture weddings/elopements and support our couples as they navigated this insane year. And we also found even more opportunities to create beauty through styled shoots and portrait sessions. If one thing is sure, 2020 reminded us of why we set out to do what we do in the first place: love. Watching love win over and over and over again this year, despite all of the odds was something to behold. And we once again fell in love with with what we have the immense privilege of doing, capturing those undeniably beautiful moments of pure joy.

The biggest thank you from the bottom of our hearts goes out to every single couple, family, and individual who continually put their trust in us during a year where everything was uncertain, yet everything mattered even more. And to all of our vendor friends, thank you for riding this one out with us, we’ve never had so much faith in the wedding community as we do right here and now.

No year will ever be quite like 2020, and while we’re grateful to see beacons of hope at start of the new year, we’re forever be grateful for the year that gave us all a chance to start anew and to believe in the magic that is love.

Weddings, Elopements, Styled Shoots, and Portrait Sessions by the Alicia Lucia Photography Team
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia

Wedding Inspo - Old Town Weddings and Elopements

If there’s one part of town we love getting to rediscover over and over every season its beautiful little Old Town Albuquerque. Even though wedding season looked a whole lot different this year, we loved every second spent in this enchanting little area capturing tiny nuptials.

Besides being incredibly iconic, Old Town is a place that oozes magic and charm around every single corner. Whether its an intimate wedding at the ever so quaint Old Town Farm, a grand wedding at the historic San Felipe de Neri Church right on the plaza, a quiet elopement at The Desert Compass, or a stunning ceremony at Hotel Albuquerque, we always find something new to love about this special part of town. We love getting to see new little venues thrive and older venue get lots of well-deserved love all in the same part of town.

We’re so excited for more enchanting days in this hidden gem of a place, cheers to many more years of our beloved Old Town!!!

Featured Weddings + Elopements
Zach + Natalie, a Desert Compass Styled Shoot
Rob + Antonette, an Old Town Styled Elopement
Russell + Katie, an Old Town Farm Elopement (coming soon to the blog)
Zach + Coli, a Hotel Albuquerque and Casas de Sueños Wedding
Michael + Caitlin, a San Felipe de Neri Wedding
Brad + Kenna, an Intimate Old Town Farm Wedding
Dillon + Stephanie, a Hotel Albuquerque Wedding

Weddings, Elopements, and Styled Shoots by Alicia, Ashley, Bre, and the ALP Team
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Wedding Inspo - Intimate Weddings Part II

Earlier this year we posted a blog about some of our favorite intimate wedding inspiration, but after about a dozen more tiny weddings just in the past few months, we decided to make a part two!

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a dozen times, we ADORE intimate weddings. Everything about these little weddings is absolute perfection, from being able to spend more time with your guests to having a less limited budget due to overall lower costs to even just being able to enjoy more moments soaking up those first few hours of marriage. Over the past few months, we’ve been absolutely blown away by how our couples have taken intimate weddings to the next freaking level. Backyard weddings with all the pretty garden details, stoop weddings followed by mini parades, and the most adorable little farm weddings have just been the beginning of a whole new era of micro-weddings.

We’re not sure when giant weddings will be a consistent possibility in the coming months, but dang are we thankful for these beautiful, heartfelt, downright incredible intimate weddings. We can’t wait to share even more of these gorgeous days still to come!

Real Love Stories + Styled Shoots
Ysidro + Celestina at Casa Pera Art Space (coming soon to the blog)
Andrew + Deanna at Hotel Andaluz (coming soon to the blog)
Kenny + Molly at a Private Estate in Santa Fe (coming soon to the blog)
Eric + Lauren at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm (coming soon to the blog)
Angie + Brittany at a Private Home in Nob Hill
Gates + C.C. at a Private Estate in New Mexico
Matt + Allie at a Private Home in Santa Fe
Nate + Cait in Downtown Denver, CO
Brad + Kenna at Old Town Farm
Stuart + Kelly at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Zach + Natalie at The Desert Compass
Andrew + Shay at a Private Home in Albuquerque (coming soon to the blog)
Jawara + Jazz at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Ryan + Jennifer at Sarabande Bed and Breakfast
Zach + Coli at Hotel Albuquerque and Casas de Sueños
Paul + Carolyn at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm

Weddings + Styled Shoots by Alicia, Ashley, Bre, and the ALP Team
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Wedding Inspo - Intimate Weddings

As 2020 progresses, it feels like there are different possibilities for weddings on a daily basis. And while big weddings, especially in New Mexico, might not be a reality for a little bit, we adore that intimate weddings are starting to become a bigger staple in the wedding industry.

For clarity, intimate weddings and elopements might seem similar, but they’re actually quite different. In a typical elopement, usually just the couple, the officiant, and the photographer are present. However, in an intimate wedding, usually both sets of parents of the couple, the officiant, a few close friends/family members, and the photographer are present. Sometimes, when there’s not a pandemic taking place, an intimate wedding can even look something like 15-45 guests, usually just a short list of the most important people in the couple’s life.

So far this year, we captured one of the sweetest intimate weddings here in Albuquerque at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm, but in the past we’ve captured a handful of tiny weddings that have filled our hearts with absolute joy. Some of the bonuses of intimate weddings aren’t just cost related (or in 2020’s case, health related), sometimes the best things about smaller weddings involved being able to spend quality time with pretty much every single guest. Another factor is even being able to allow moments of the day to feel less hectic such as making timelines that have less rushed portraits and ceremonies with smaller weddings parties (which means a lot less stress too).

While big weddings will someday be a possibility again, having intimate weddings in their place until we can all gather together safely again might just be the next best thing. Here’s to finding new ways to celebrate and never ever giving up on love, no matter what the universe throws our way!!

Featured Intimate Weddings + Styled Shoots
Brad + Kenna at Old Town Farm
Paul + Carolyn for Rocky Mountain Bride at Los Poblanos
Ben + Katy at The Inn of the Five Graces and Hacienda Corta Caro
Zach + Coli at Hotel Albuquerque and Casas de Sueños
Stuart + Kelly at Los Poblanos
Ryan + Jennifer at Sarabande Bed and Breakfast
Daniel + Natzidielly at Los Poblanos
Ryan + Jason at Ghost Ranch
Daniel + Rebecca at Eldorado Hotel and Neptune Art Space
Oriol + Sarah at Gerald Peters Gallery
Angelo + Rocio at Los Poblanos

Weddings + Styled Shoots by Alicia, Ashley, Bre, and the ALP Team
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography