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 - Fall Weddings

As the temperatures begin to drop and the world around us turns to soft shades of orange, we know that fall wedding season is just around the corner. Besides being the busiest time of the year for us, autumn holds so much promise and beauty for our team as we journey out to capture all of the nuptials taking place amid the gently changing season.

From the moody and romantic fêtes to the more subtle and easy-spirited days, weddings in the fall always bring something extra special to the mix. Whether its florals in all hues of yellow and brown or the mystical light of an autumn sunset at the end of a stunning wedding day, weddings at this time of year always bring us full circle in a perfect mix of nostalgia and inspiration.

We’re so thrilled for all of the love stories to be captured at this incredibly special time, we know that we’re going to lean into this fall in the best way possible.

Featured Love Stories
Will + Jill at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Stuart + Kelly at Camp Hideaway Retreat
Ysidro + Celestina at Casa Perea Art Space
Ethan + Leila At Hacienda Doña Andrea
Andrew + Deanna at Hotel Andaluz
Brad + Kenna at Old Town Farm
Maria at Terese Rose Studios
Will + Lindsay at Pecos National Historical Site
Luke + Regan at Race and Religious
Andrew + Shay at a Private Estate
Dylan + Crystal in Nob Hill
S + C at a Private Estate
Jaclyn at White Mesa
Michael + Sarah at La Fonda on the Plaza

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 - 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

Wedding Inspo - Sweetheart Tables

For weddings both big and small, we love any details that can make the day a touch more intimate for our couples, so of course we have a lot of love for precious little sweetheart tables. Seen in both large weddings and even the tiniest of elopements, sweetheart tables let couples steal away a few moments together while still being a part of the celebrations.

While sweetheart tables aren’t seen in every single wedding, they can add a special touch to a couple’s day. They can provide a sense of intimacy among the ongoing festivities as well as a focal point for guests. A sweetheart table can also give a couple or a wedding planner/designer the opportunity to create an additional decorative space that complements the entire wedding day!

We’ve seen these cute little tables decked out in everything from elaborate boho furniture and eye-catching florals to simple and elegant accents. We love getting to see a tiny hint of a couple’s personality with these reception staples.

Scroll through and maybe you’ll find the perfect sweetheart table with just the right accents, we can’t wait to capture more of these darling tables!

Featured Weddings + Styled Shoot
Desert Romance at Los Poblanos
Drew + Lauren at La Mesita Ranch
Whimsical Backyard Wedding Inspiration
Geoff + Jocelyn at Hacienda Dona Andrea
James + Lauren at Los Poblanos
Romantic Rockstar Styled Elopement at Los Poblanos
Ben + Emilee at Sandia Event Center
Michael + Caitlin at El Zocalo
Desert Styled Bridal
Joaquin + Alexandra at La Posada de Santa Fe
White Sands Styled Elopement
Josue + Brandy at Noah’s Event Venue
Trey + Clara at a Private Estate in San Patricio
Ghost Ranch Styled Vow Renewal
Brad + Kenna at Old Town Farm
Marble Dreams Styled Bridal
Jason + Ryan at Ghost Ranch
Ashwin + Lauren at La Posada de Santa Fe


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

Brad + McKenna, an Old Town Farm Wedding

Brad and McKenna, two of the most down-to-earth, kind, and truly beautiful couples we’ve ever captured invited us to round two of the beginning of their forever last November at Old Town Farm, the cutest little venue tucked away in the heart of historic Albuquerque. This calm, simple fall evening wasn’t just stellar to capture, it was one of the perfect ways to wind down our crazy 2019 wedding season!

These lovebirds met by chance while both on the job in the medical field. McKenna was an ER nurse while Brad was a paramedic and even though they caught glimpses of each other instantly, it took them nearly a month to actually speak to one another. Brad took it upon himself to break the ice with a joke and after a few weeks of little exchanges, they finally went out on a coffee date. The same day as their first date Brad asked McKenna out a second time, and when she said she was free that same evening, they ended up having their second date on the exact same day! Four years later, these two have an adorable fur baby Oso and a cute little house of their own!

Brad and McKenna did something we ADORE and went the non-traditional wedding route. Back in July, we photographed them out in the New Mexico desert right after they eloped at the Justice of the Peace. This fall, they wanted to share their love with their closest friends and family at a casual, yet intimate reception at Old Town Farm. Right at the peak of fall foliage, this location was absolute perfection with its tree-lined driveway, massive corn stalk fields, unique greenhouses, and its traditional red barn. With no ceremony to slow them down, Brad and McKenna pulled off the best first look, a quick round of family wedding portraits, unreal romantics, and the dance party of the fall in the most carefree way! Plus this couple’s mellow, sweet nature made it so dang easy to capture their love so poignantly and perfect.

Brad and McKenna, thank you for making both of your days such a joy to be a part of, we love you and the way you love each other! Cheers to forever babes!!!

(Tap here to see Brad + Mckenna’s Desert Elopement)

Vendors
Venue - Old Town Farm
Hair + MUA - Brinney Rae Makeup
Bridal Gown - Melissa Sweet
Bridal Boutique - David’s Bridal
Catering - Dion’s Pizza
Bar - Bike in Coffee
DJ - Too Hot To Stop
Photographer - Alicia
Assistant - Jaclyn

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