Wedding Inspo - 5 Albuquerque Venues to Fall in Love With

Even though the past few wedding seasons have been filled with the most magical destinations both near and far from our beloved New Mexico, there’s nothing quite like The Land of Enchantment, especially our sweet little hometown of Albuquerque.

While we do spend a huge amount of time up north in Santa Fe, we never say no to enchanting celebrations in the city where everything started for us over a decade ago. On the surface, Albuquerque may not seem like a typical wedding destination, but if you you peek around all of its little corners you’ll be absolutely astonished with the divine wedding venues hidden in our quaint city. From heavenly lavender farms to epic historical landmarks to tranquil gardens, Albuquerque is truly a haven for wedding nuptials.

We couldn’t resist the chance to feature just a glimpse of a few of the Albuquerque wedding venues that continually take our breath away, season after season. Our hearts beat just a little faster every time we get to capture love at these incredibly special locations and we’re forever crossing our fingers for even more “I dos” at a few of our favorite gems.

Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Venue - National Hispanic Cultural Center
Located right near downtown Albuquerque, this historic location is known for its grandiose performing arts center, unique architecture, and rich history. However, one of the many details we love so much about National Hispanic Culture Center is the way that it also makes for the most perfect of wedding locations. Its blend of soft garden touches and stunning southwestern flair makes it truly the best of both worlds.

Venue - Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm

While this world renowned lavender farm needs no introduction, we simply can’t help falling madly in love with it time and time again. With its downright bewitching grounds (including an endless lavender field, iconic silos, and countless gardens) this beauty is a place we are always able to find a little bit more charm in every single time we visit. We can’t wait for more of our darling couples to become as spellbound with Los Poblanos as we have been for all of these years.

Venue - Casas de Sueños + San Isidro de Capilla
We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to feature one of the most entrancing wedding location combination we’ve ever laid eyes upon. The pure white, non-denomination beauty of San Isidro de Capilla makes for the perfect blank canvas for any couple desiring a classic wedding chic feeling that still lends perfectly to the even the most modern of fêtes. And truthfully, we think that one of the most delightful ways to follow up a ceremony in this Albuquerque staple is with an al fresco celebration at Casas de Sueños, a tiny garden known for its irresistible beauty. This little spot is close enough to the stunning bosque, yet far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the city, making it the most quaint location.

Venue - Old Town Farm
Perfectly tucked away right near Old Town Albuquerque, this darling little venue is truly the most peaceful of locations. From its stellar red barn to its tiny corn field to vast grounds, Old Town Farm is captivating beyond belief. And if its charming features weren’t enough, this alluring little spot perfectly reflects all of New Mexico’s seasons with its constantly changing foliage.

Venue - Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town
Last, but never least is one of our all time favorites and one of the first venues we ever photographed. Hotel Albuquerque is known for its incomparable beauty, from its Spanish-inspired ceremony pavilion to its stunning, open-air garden, to its famous architecture. We adore this space and the way that couples have continually loved it year after year. We couldn’t dream up a more romantic setting to make if official in the heart of Albuquerque.

Wedding Inspo - Groom Style Third Edition

While its true that we have a huge affinity for stellar bridal style on the blog, we can’t help but share a little bit of love with our stylish, dapper, and downright handsome grooms! Not only are these guys total on-camera knockouts, they’re also some of the kindest, most personable dudes you could ever ask for on wedding days!

We love a sleek, traditional black suit or tux, so how do grooms elevate this classic style? Our grooms have tapped into everything, from incorporating Southwestern flair with bolo ties or designer cowboy boots to adding personal touches like a cool pair of sunglasses or a surprise pop of color in their boutonniere or suit jacket lining!

And we’ve had plenty of grooms chose other colors for their wedding days suits as well including blue, grey, tan, and even mix-and-match colors! We’ve loved seeing how these guys dressed up colors other than black for their big day and adored seeing so many unique details including ties with tiny prints on them (from polka dots to florals) to broaches (instead of a traditional bow tie or tie) to opting for unique textures like wool.

Last season we saw an incredible variety of groom style and honestly we’re thrilled to see what our next guys have in store for us, we’re crossing our fingers for a few extra daring grooms with non-traditional suit colors! Until then, take a look at these wedding day hunks, we had the best time capturing each one of these wedding day hubbies!

A Few of Our Favorite Suit Designers + Shops
The Black Tux
Bonobos
ASOS
Mango
Ralph Lauren
Indochino
Suit Supply
Ted Baker
Lanieri
Neiman Marcus
Jos. A Bank
Banana Republic
J. Crew
Kenneth Cole
Hockerty
The Tie Bar
Tommy Hilfiger
Perry Ellis
Joseph Abboud
Men’s Wearhouse
Suits Unlimited

Weddings by Alicia, Ashley, Bre, and the ALP Team
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

Ashwin + Lauren, a Hindu-Catholic Wedding in Santa Fe

When sweet Lauren and Ashwin first reached out to us last summer about capturing their two day Catholic-Hindu wedding, we knew it would be like nothing we’ve ever been a part of before. This past Labor Day weekend, these kind souls tied the knot and celebrated the melding of two very different, but very beautiful cultures.

Lauren and Ashwin met, and eventually fell in love, while on call in a hospital while both working on their medical residency at Harvard in Boston, MA. Even though Ashwin, who was two years ahead of Lauren, went to Philadelphia, PA for his cardiology fellowship, these two not only made a long distance relationship work for three years (!), but their relationship became that much stronger. Ashwin surprised Lauren by proposing in his apartment right before dinner and the rest is history. In Lauren’s words, “We are truly best friends and love that we constantly make each other laugh and inspire each other to be the best versions of ourselves” We adore how much these two love and care for each other, something that was so tangible and beautiful throughout their weekend in Santa Fe.

Day one of Ashwin and Lauren’s wedding consisted of a traditional Catholic wedding at the historic Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, right in the heart of Santa Fe. Lauren blended super classic and gorgeous bridal details like her pastel bouquet and dreamy Pnina Tornai gown with stunning Henna on both her hands and feet. After their beautiful church wedding, Lauren + Ashwin and their guests were led to The Inn and Spa at Loretto by Mariachis (because what Santa Fe is complete without them?!). We got to spend an entire hour (!) with these lovers just strolling around the plaza and taking more gorgeous romantics than we ever could have asked for. With a whole lot of wedding day beauty, from Floriography’s stunning floral elephant (named Gus btw) and Maggie’s Wedding Cake’s bright and colorful Indian themed cake, along with the always stunning planning of Just Lovely Weddings, their reception was out of this world. They kicked it off with traditional speeches, cake cutting (Lauren cut the cake with a sword!), and a first dance, before changing into beautiful, traditional Hindu attire to party the rest of the night away! Lauren surprised Ashwin with a speech in his native Indian language and performed an Indian dance with her friends. Their reception included the best mix of Indian, American, and Latino music we’ve ever heard.

The first day of this incredible weekend was one that our team will never forget, we were so honored to capture such a tender, compassionate, and thoroughly genuine love story. Ashwin + Lauren, we love you and how much your love inspires us!!!

To see day two of this incredible wedding weekend click here.
This special weekend was also featured on Carats and Cake.

Vendors
Getting Ready Venue - La Posada de Santa Fe
Catholic Ceremony Venue - Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi
Reception Venue - Inn and Spa at Loretto
Planning - Just Lovely Weddings
Florals - Floriography
Hair - Jewel Hair Design
MUA - Betty Rose by Alanna
Bridal Gown - Pnina Tornai
Bridal Boutique - Kleinfeld Bridal
Bride’s Shoes - Mango
Jewelry - Vintage
Bridesmaids Gowns - Jenny Yoo Collection
Traditional Sarees - Groom’s Family
Cake - Maggie’s Wedding Cakes
Linens - BBJ Linen
Reception Music - Absolute Entertainment
Lead Photographer - Ashley
Second Photographer - Bre
Assisitant - Jaclyn

Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Zach + Coli, an Old Town Albuquerque Wedding

This August, we were lucky enough to witness an incredibly genuine, intentional wedding between two souls that were definitely made for one another, Zach and Coli.

These lovers came all the way from San Francisco to share the next chapter of their story here in Albuquerque with their closest friends and family. Everything about this day was done with love and sincerity, from the intimate ceremony at Hotel Albuquerque’s San Isidro de Capilla to the very last moments of the most gorgeous garden reception at Casa de Sueños. Zach and Coli’s simple details let their love take center stage and we were so honored to capture this once in a lifetime kind of love. There was something so pure and out of the ordinary when both Zach and Coli cried during their first dance to “Bloom” by Paper Kites surrounded by the most important people in their lives in the most heavenly golden hour light. These two were a gentle reminder of how powerful love can be, we know that they are destined for forever!

Zach + Coli, thank you for sharing your day and your amazing love with us, we’re beyond grateful.

Vendors
Prep + Ceremony Venue - San Isidro de Capilla at Hotel Albuquerque
Reception Venue - Casa de Sueños
Invitations + Paper Goods - Basic Invite
Florals - Florecita Flowers
Hair + Makeup - by Bride
Bridal Gown - Jenny Yoo Collection + BHLDN
Bride’s Earrings - Forme and Sens
Bride’s Shoes - ASOS
Groom’s Suit - Bonobos
Groom’s Tie - Mango
Groom’s Shoes - Clark’s Shoes
Catering - Blue Plate Catering
Cakes - Bizzy B Cakes
Napkins - World Market
Lead Photographer - Alicia
Second Photographer - Bre
Assistant - Cameron


Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography