What We Heart About Santa Fe Weddings

Anyone who knows our team has seen how much we adore Santa Fe weddings and all of the amazing little spots where we’ve captured our couples and their love stories. From its vast architecture to it rich culture, Santa Fe is a gem among the Southwest and we feel so dang lucky to spend so much time exploring it.

One of the most iconic locations for weddings is, of course, the Santa Fe Plaza, but what many don’t realize is the vast number of different venues of all shapes and sizes for weddings.

Do you want a huge wedding with a parade around the historic plaza followed by an outdoor reception? There are several hotels including La Fonda on the Plaza, The Inn and Spa at Loretto, and La Posada de Santa Fe that are pros at these celebrations.

Or are you a bit more low-key and want an intimate wedding at a stunning hacienda or tiny inn? Spots like Hacienda Corta Caro and The Inn of the Five Graces are the coziest of wedding nooks.

Maybe you want a venue with an iconic past or one that’s even an art gallery? Places like Peters Projects at Gerald Peters Gallery, SITE Santa Fe, and The Santa Fe Opera are just a few of those unique, art focused spaces.

There’s even two incredibly famous churches right on the plaza, Loretto Chapel and The Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, for more traditional weddings.

And what about places for couples wanting to venture a bit outside of the usual Santa Fe scene for venues nestled among the mountains and vast New Mexican landscape? Venues like La Mesita Ranch Estate, Las Campanas, Hacienda Doña Andrea, and Four Seasons Santa Fe all provide amazing views and details for any and all weddings they host.

Not only does Santa Fe have so many amazing venues, but so many unique New Mexican and Southwestern traditions have stayed in style season after season in The City Different. Every season mariachi parades around the plaza take center stage, tequila donkeys like sweet Conchita make an appearance at receptions, and all the chili, cactus, and skull details accent every inch of weddings. We love how couples from near and far fully embrace all the special little pieces of Santa Fe that we have such a soft spot for. And we can’t help but absolutely love it even more when our lovers from previous wedding seasons continue to visit Santa Fe year after year just to always have a part of the Southwest with them.

In our eyes, any venue in Santa Fe is the perfect venue and every tradition is beyond special. We’ve been so fortunate to capture a huge amount of couples in the most unique locations and honestly, we can’t wait to explore new places with brand new love stories.

Featured Santa Fe Venues
La Fonda on the Plaza
Hacienda Doña Andrea
La Mesita Ranch Estate
La Posada de Santa Fe
Santa Fe Opera
Las Campanas
SITE Santa Fe
Gerald Peters Gallery
Hacienda Corta Caro
Loretto Chapel
Inn and Spa at Loretto
Inn of the Five Graces
Eldorado Hotel and Spa
Four Seasons Santa Fe

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

2019 Wedding Moments

To our 2019 couples,
As the year winds down and we get ready for brand new decade, we cna’t help but reflect on all of 2019’s stellar weddings! From the super intimate, heartfelt days to the incredible bashes full of life and amazing details, this season was truly one for the books.

From Southern New Mexico to Albuquerque to Santa Fe, we’ve been to some pretty incredible places and seen some amazing love stories. We adored each and every one of our couples, from our New York City cuties to our Las Cruces lovers to our stunning Santa Fe babes, this season has been full of love from across the U.S.! We can’t wait for what’s to come and we can’t help but thank these beyond amazing couples for letting us be a little part of their forever! We adore each and every one of you to the moon and back!

Love,
The Alicia Lucia Photography Team

Our 2019 Lovers
Trey + Clara Peter Hurd Guest House and a Private Residence in San Patricio, NM
Qwist + Cara at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Patrick + Niki at Enchanted Vine Barn
Geoff + Jocelyn at Hacienda Doña Andrea
Gustav + Jackie at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Garrett + April at Casa Perea Art Space
Carter + Carrie at La Fonda on the Plaza
James + Lauren at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Morgan + Mattie at Las Campanas
Adam + Jill at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Zach + Coli at Hotel Albuquerque and Casas de Suenos
Ashwin + Lauren at Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi and The Inn & Spa at Loretto
Ashwin + Lauren at La Posada de Santa Fe
Ryan + Jennifer at Sarabande Bed and Breakfast
Jake + Angela at Sandia Event Center
Pablo + Alejandrina at Old Town Albuquerque
John + Anna at La Fonda on the Plaza
Chris + Ari at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Jason + Ryan at Ghost Ranch
Ben + Emiliee at Sandia Event Center
Colton + Lindsey at Hyatt Tamaya
Drew + Lauren at La Mesita Ranch Estate
Jason + Natalie at La Fonda on the Plaza
Jordan + KC at Cristo Rey Catholic Church and La Fonda on the Plaza
Suraj + Celina at a Private Residence in Albuquerque, NM
Michael + Sarah at La Fonda on the Plaza (coming to the blog soon)
Bryan + Jennie at Loretto Chapel and Four Seasons Santa Fe
Brad + Kenna at Old Town Farm (coming to the blog soon)
Conner + Laura at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm (coming to the blog soon)

2019 Lead Photographers - Alicia Padilla, Ashley Shaw, Bre Bloomquist, and Brittany Miller
2019 Second Photographers - Cameron Storie, Melanie Montoya, Molly Morgan, and Brianna Archuleta
2019 Assistants - Jaclyn Younger, Cameron Storie, and Taylor DeJong

Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Wedding Inspo - Trumpet Wedding Gowns

Among all of the gorgeous wedding dress designs to choose from today, there’s something so dang stunning about trumpet style bridal gowns. Blurring the lines between chic, minimalist sheath wedding gowns and classic, break taking ballgowns, trumpet dresses are beyond incredibly unique and stunning on every bride.

Although they aren’t as common, these gowns always catch our eyes with their perfect match up of traditional bridal elegance and modern bridal glam. Sleek bodices along flared out trains make trumpet gowns the perfect fit for almost any bride. The trumpet gowns we’ve captured over the last few seasons have been truly unforgettable, from illusion necklines to blush tones to dreamy floral appliqué details, these beauties are still some of our favorite dresses.

Scroll through and find your favorite, we know that its hard not to adore each and every one of them!!!

Bridal Gown Designers
Monique Lhuiller
Paloma Blanca
Rita Vineris
Mia Solano
David’s Bridal
Casa Blanca Bridal
Martina Liana


Bridal Boutiques
Bridal Galleria (San Francisco, CA)
Serendipity Bridal (Austin, TX)
LUV Bridal (Phoenix, AZ)
Julian Gold Bridal ( Austin, TX)
David’s Bridal (Albuquerque, NM)

Weddings by Alicia, Ashley, and Bre of Alicia Lucia Photography
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Vendor Feature - DRS Color Studio

We may not get to work on a ton of weddings with her, but we absolutely adore Diana Rose of DRS Color Studio. From weddings to styled shoots, she always makes our brides look downright stunning! Plus, she’s one of the sweetest, most supportive gals in the industry. We love her work and can’t wait for more pretty days with this talented one!

Hair + MUA - DRS Color Studio

Love Stories + Styled Shoots
Adam + Jill at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Kirk + Taylor at La Fonda on the Plaza + Loretto Chapel
Romantic Rockstar Styled Elopement at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm

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

Guest Blog Feature - Advice for Brides

This week we’re featuring a guest blog from writer Hannah Stevens on mistakes for brides to avoid on their wedding day! We’ve included photos from our brides who went above and beyond to not only avoid these mistakes, but to make their weddings seamless and wonderful. Whether its allocating extra time with their sweethearts, to adding super personal wedding details, to having perfect timelines & being more intentional, these are just a few of the stellar brides that our team constantly thinks of when it comes to helping their weddings flow, while still being what they envisioned for their big day!

Our Brides (and their Grooms) Who Went Above + Beyond
Leanne + Scott at SITE Santa Fe
Taylor + Kirk at Loretto and La Fonda on the Plaza
Niki + Patrick at Enchanted Vine Barn
Coli + Zach in Old Town Albuquerque
Car + Qwist at Los Poblanos
Brigitte + Derek at La Fonda on the Plaza

7 Mistakes a Bride Makes During Her Wedding Week
A Guide for Brides by Hannah Stevens

Wedding days are meant to be special. It is the time where you celebrate your love with your partner – a day to remember for the rest of your life. If everything doesn’t turn out the way you expect, however, you might remember the stress instead of happiness. Although you cannot control everything, there are some common pitfalls you can avoid to make sure that your wedding goes as planned.

Procrastination

Perhaps the biggest mistake brides make is waiting until the last second to finalize the details of their weddings. Always remember that doing so gives you a small window for beauty treatments, spa days, and wedding rehearsals. Make sure to finalize everything as soon as possible to keep everything on track for a smooth wedding day. Consider making a list of tasks to accomplish before the wedding.

Not Having Hair and Makeup Trial Runs

Waiting until the wedding day to try out your makeup and hairstyle might catch you off-guard. Bear in mind that part of a successful wedding day is feeling as confident and beautiful as you can be, after all, which includes having your hairstyle and mascara in sync. In order to avoid disappointment, always do a trial run of your makeup and hairstyle to ensure that you are satisfied with the way you look.

Hiring the Wrong Photographer

Oftentimes, couples fall into the trap of hiring the wrong photographer. When looking for the right fit, it is crucial to look for someone whose work matches your vision for your wedding day. This is not only to ensure that you will be proud of the images when you post them online but also helps make sure that the images stand up for decades to come when you show them to your children or even your grandchildren.

Scheduling Bachelorette Parties during Wedding Week

Bachelorette parties are exciting. After all, it is the last time to go out with your girls as a single lady. It is a good idea to try and schedule bachelorette parties for at least a few weeks before the wedding. Alternatively, you can schedule a bachelorette party during the wedding week – but make sure that it does not involve heavy partying or drinking as both activities can leave you feeling less than your best while walking down the aisle.

Failing To Tie Up Legal Ends

Failure to tie-up legal ends is an expensive problem. So, make a checklist of all the legal paperwork needed before your wedding day. Also, don’t forget to check the local laws and obtain a marriage license within a set timeframe. Keep in mind that laws differ from state to state, too, so you’ll want to either work with a professional or make sure you’re reading regulations for your specific state.

Doing It All

Every bride wants to be in control of their wedding. Unfortunately, not letting others step in and help can prove detrimental to the success of the event. During the wedding week, make sure to step back and delegate tasks like finalizing seating charts. Better yet, you can hire a professional to take care of the little details of the wedding.

Not Getting Enough Rest

In the week of the wedding, it is quite normal for a bride to be anxious, but don’t let it keep you up all night. Lack of sleep often results in exhaustion, a weak immune system, skin problems, and difficulty concentrating. Always stay well-rested and follow a sleep guide to avoid compromising your big day.

Guest Blog by Hannah Stevens
Weddings by Alicia, Ashley, and Bre of Alicia Lucia Photography
Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Real Weddings - Borrowed and Blue

Love stories are by far one of our favorite things on the planet, but what we adore a little extra is the history and love behind the couples we get to capture. Every single wedding brings a new story and lots of exciting touches, especially when it comes to the “somethings” of wedding days. From dainty vintage rings passed down through generations that brides have as their “something old” to stellar veils from a loved one as “something borrowed” to discrete turquoise and navy shoes as “something blue”, our brides never fail to wow us with their extremely personal, unique, and downright beautiful details. We loved the stories behind these amazing little touches as much as we loved seeing them in person!!

Real Love Stories
Chris + Emma at Hacienda Dona Andrea
Scott + Leanne at SITE Santa Fe
Shane + Megan, Private Residence in Albuquerque, NM
Trey + Clara, Private Residence in San Patricio, NM (coming to the blog very soon)
Chris + Alexa at La Fonda on the Plaza
Matthew + Kaya at Paa-ko Ridge Golf Club
Kirk + Taylor at Loretto Chapel and La Fonda on the Plaza
Trenton + Aston at Loretto Inn and Spa
Blake + Jennie at Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs, CO)
Randy + Elizabeth at the Santa Fe Opera
Oriol + Sarah at Gerald Peters Gallery
Ryan + Cristina at Praire Star
Dustin + Ashley at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Tyler + Cassie at La Posada de Santa Fe
Tyler + Meredith at Four Seasons Santa Fe

Weddings by Alicia , Ashley, and Bre of Alicia Lucia Photography
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Fave Weddings: Alicia's Picks

In addition to introducing our little team, we wanted to reflect back on some of our personal favorite moments from last year’s incredible lineup of weddings. Our girl Alicia told us what her fave moments were and why on the blog this week!!

Alicia:
”It's so hard to narrow down "favorites" because I love all of our brides and grooms and they all bring something so completely different and memorable to each wedding day, but here are some stand out weddings/wedding moments: 

Brigitte + Derek: B+D's day was absolutely glorious in every way possible. Jaclyn and I have this joke about how they are the "gift that keeps on giving". Beyond the fact they are a stunning family and all around so laid back and chill, they also were so completely trusting and open to every suggestion and every idea. First look? Sure! Change our ceremony time to a bit earlier so we can sneak off at dusk and take photos? Absolutely! Shoot in a wide open space in the dead of winter with heels and a dress on? Why not?! They were a freaking dream all around. Love you all so much!

Alysia + Matt and Scott + Leanne: Hands down, BEST FIRST DANCE SONGS EVERRRR!! I still hear their song choices and immediately it takes me back to their wedding and their dance and instantly get chills!

Alexa + Chris: Their details were too.die.for and they had such a fun post ceremony mariachi parade! It was a fun way to kick off our summer wedding lineup!

Dustin + Ashley: They had the most heartfelt vows to each other! Still gives me goosies. And their reception was.a.BLAST!

Kaya + Matthew: VIEWS for days!! Loved how in love they are each other, and it made their bride + groom portraits a breeeeze. 

Taylor + Kirk: their lavender toss and the sweet candid post lavender toss shots are forever a favorite.. so freaking beautiful!

Lauren + David: Sweetest groom ever, will never ever forget how intentional he was in soaking up the whole day, absolutely mesmerized by his beautiful bride and thoroughly enjoying and taking in the whole reception! His brother's speech is still one of my all time favorites and makes me tear up! So dang sweet! Also they had the best dance party!! 

Elizabeth + Randy: Basically everything about their day from the sweet hacienda Elizabeth got ready too, to their epic/eclectic/true to them venue choice but the most touching moment of all was Elizabeth's dad's sweet words to his daughter and the way he honored her late mom. It really touched my heart and everyone elses! 

Cassie + Tyler: Loved their fun twist on southwestern decor and how they made the most of their day even though it poured rain all day! 

Ryan and Christina: Most definitely the most fun and down to earth wedding party ever!

Shaun + Jessie: Not even sure where to start with these two. I know every wedding is a new favorite, but they sure have a special place in my heart forever and ever and ever. These two are destined for forever!!

Shelby + Mack: The best way to wrap up 2018! They truly put their all into every detail of the day down to their song choices at the reception! So light hearted, so fun, and the adoration these two have for each other was truly moving to get to witness and photograph!!”

Photos by Alicia + Ashley + Bre of Alicia Lucia Photography
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Groom Reactions

Wedding days are filled with so many emotions from absolute joy to giddy excitement to nervousness, we never really know what each day will bring! However, one of our favorite, heartstring-pulling moments is groom reactions. Those real, authentic looks and tears get to us every single time. and seeing grooms lose it over their brides is something that we never forget. We hope that every single person finds a soulmate that looks like him or her like these lovers do, its one of the most unreal, incredible parts of our jobs.

See all of our favorite moments from the past few years and click on any of the couples listed below to see their entire love story and view their vendors.

Wedding Venues + Real Love Stories
Eldorado Hotel and Spa - Brian + Ashley
La Posada de Santa Fe - Tyler + Cassie, Walker + Addie
Paa-ko Ridge Golf Club - Josh + Delaney
Prairie Star Restaurant and Wine Bar - Ryan + Cristina
Los Pobalnos Historic Inn and Organic Farm - Dustin + Ashley, Crystal + Amy
Noah’s Event Venue - Josue + Brandy
La Fonda on the Plaza - Derek + Brigitte
Four Seasons Santa Fe - Alex + Marcela
Hotel Albuquerque - Dillon + Stephanie
Loretto Chapel - Kirk + Taylor
Angel Fire Resort - Ammera + Nicole

Photos by Alicia + Ashley + Bre + Jen of Alicia Lucia Photography
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Big Wedding Advice

Our little photog team absolutely adores the smaller more intimate weddings, but we’ll never say no to the big, downright fun wedding parties! There’s something so exciting about hanging out with a crew of bridesmaids and groomsmen as they help cheer on their closest friends in the next chapter of their lives. From the more chill, laid back bridal parties to the wildly energizing, down-to-party all night crews, we love getting to hang with some of the most memorable wedding day gangs around!

One of our amazing brides, Lauren, answered a few questions on the advantages of hosting a big(ger) wedding as the start to your happily ever after. Check out her answers and scroll through the blog to see a few of our fave wedding day peeps!

  • On why Lauren and her boo for life, David, chose to have a large wedding:
    ”We decided we had to have a bigger wedding than we initially wanted because there are so many important people in our lives that we wanted to witness us becoming husband and wife, and we wanted to have a big party!”

  • Their favorite part(s) of having a big wedding
    ”The best part of having a big wedding was having people from different parts of our lives come together for one event to celebrate us! It was so interesting and sometimes funny to watch our family and friends intermingle with each other. (Ex: My dad actually becoming  good friends/ dance partners with some of Dave’s friends to the point he now keeps in touch with them! Or at least makes sure to send messages via me or Dave!)”

  • Lauren’s advice for brides + grooms planning a big wedding
    ” My advice when planning a larger wedding is to go for it, even if you are apprehensive like I was. I thought I just wanted to have our parents/ couple of best friends there, but after realizing it was one of our only chances to get so many people from all over the country- and even the world together- it clicked!   It’s so special to see a large group of your favorite people come together for one night (or a weekend like our case) in a magical city they might not have ever thought to visit! I still have people telling me how much they loved Santa Fe and can’t wait to go back!”

Wedding Venues
La Fonda on the Plaza
Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town
Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
La Posada de Santa Fe
Four Seasons Santa Fe
Loretto Chapel + The Inn and Spa at Loretto

Photos by Alicia + Ashley + Bre + Jen of Alicia Lucia Photography
Blog/Interview + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Kirk + Taylor, a La Fonda and Loretto Chapel Wedding

Kirk and Taylor met many years ago by chance through mutual friends at a bar in Midland, Texas. Taylor was out celebrating a a friend’s graduation from college and Kirk just happened to be tagging along with their mutual friend Stephen. At the time, Taylor thought Kirk was really handsome, but because he had a girlfriend, she forgot about him (for the moment) .

Jumping forward five years and Taylor was back in her (amazing) hometown of Austin, TX and, as fate would have it, Kirk had recently moved back to that same little city after completing his masters in New York City at Columbia University. One summer evening in 2015, Taylor and her family were downtown celebrating her brother’s 21st birthday when, like so many years ago, Kirk tagged along with Stephen for the celebrations. Kirk and Taylor, aka future Mr. and Mrs. Logan, absolutely hit it off when Kirk ended up partying with Taylor’s family all night!

These lovers wanted a classic, yet beautiful ceremony at the historic Loretto Chapel in downtown Santa Fe followed up by an incredible party at one of our homes away from home, La Fonda on the Plaza. From their dreamy stationary designed by a family friend to the sweetest little first look to a post ceremony lavender toss on the steps of Loretto to not one, but two unreal cakes by Chocolate Maven Bakery, this August day was seriously amazing. We’re forever wishing that we could relive it over and over again, congrats to the Logans, we love y’all so much!

Vendors
Venues - Loretto Chapel , La Fonda on the Plaza
Florals - Santa Fe Floral
Invitations - Letterpress Made
Cakes - Chocolate Maven
Hair - Diana Rose Color Studio
MUA - Monica Stark Makeup
Bridal Gown - Rita Vineris
Bridal Boutique - Julian Gold
Bride’s Shoes - Stuart Weitzman
Band - Diamond Empire Band
Videography - Box Light Films

Photos by Alicia Padilla of Alicia Lucia Photography
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn Younger of Alicia Lucia Photography