Wedding Inspo - Backyard Weddings

If 2020 and 2021 have showed us anything, its that backyard wedding are here to stay forever. Over the last few seasons, we’ve captured some of the dreamiest backyard celebrations, but when 2020 changed everything, these incredibly special weddings took center stage.

Even though things have calmed down quiet a bit in the wedding world this year, so many of our couples are still opting for amazing backyard soirées and truthfully they’re some of our most treasured days. From the dainty, simple celebrations to the wildly-elegant bashes, backyard weddings come in all shapes and sizes. Whether its a day that only includes close friends and family or one that brings guests from near and far, our couples always find the perfect ways to kick off their marriages.

We’re so excited to see even more of these amazing little days so very soon, we already know they’ll each be so dang beautiful and unforgettable!

Featured Love Stories
Dominic + Maggie in Albuquerque, NM
Matt + Allie in Santa Fe, NM
Colin + Amber in Albuquerque, NM
Jebb + Abbie in Tesque, NM
Angie + Brittany in Albuquerque, NM
Nate + Cait in Denver, CO
Gates + C.C. in Northern New Mexico
Andrew + Shay in Albuquerque, NM
Suraj + Celina in Albuquerque, NM
Trey + Clara in San Patricio, NM
Shane + Megan in Albuquerque, NM

Weddings 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

Mother's Day with ALP's Wedding Day Mamas

If there’s one group of amazing women we appreciate more than anything, its all the incredible mamas out there! For us, Mother’s Day is the perfect excuse to celebrate these incredible women, but honestly we want to make all of the mothers in our lives feel extra special everyday!

Due to all of our pretty weddings and elopements, we’ve met some beyond wonderful mamas. From mothers of the brides and grooms, to stepmoms, to mother-in-laws, to grandmothers to mother figures, we’ve witnessed so many angelic women make wedding days that much more beautiful with their love, compassion, and light.

Our team is made up of a strong group of gals and many double as badass mamas as well. We’re in awe of the mothers we’ve met on wedding days and the mothers we have in our very own lives. Cheers to being surrounded with so many stellar women, today and every single day of the year!

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

Wedding Inspo - Wedding Cakes

If you’ve been craving a sweet escape, we can’t help but mention that this blog is just for you! We’ve featured some of the most stunning cakes we’ve captured over the past two years and we’re still drooling over them.

From succulent accented beauties to bright and festive babes to the classic, yet pretty floral beauties, we gotta say that these cakes certainly had their own personalities (and some of them definitely stole the show). We love seeing when couples get super creative with wedding day details and its always such a treat to see how some of local baking beauties pull off these sweet masterpieces!

We’re still on a sugar high for some of these cakes so scroll through and find your new favorite sweet treat!!!

Featured Bakers
Maggie’s Wedding Cakes
Chocolate Maven
Simply Sweet by Darci
Mellow Cakery (formerly Maimie’s Cakes)
Bizzy B Cakes
Q’s Cakes & Sweet Boutique
Small Cakes
A Cake Odyssey
Emerald Pie Bar
Sassy Bakes (Heather of Los Poblanos)

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

Wedding Inspo - First Look Alternatives

It’s no secret that our little team is downright obsessed with wedding day first looks, but what about the couples who chose to go the more traditional route and wait to see each other until the ceremony? Well, some of our amazing brides and grooms have been inspired to share moments with each other pre-ceremony without ever setting eyes on their future spouses! We’ve looked back at some of our favorite alternatives for first looks that are just as magical and tender.

While there are a ton of different ways to send your future spouse a little extra love on your big day, some of our couples went above and beyond the usual. Ruidoso lovers Patrick and Niki opted for a “first prayer” together in a little corner of their venue and trust us when we say that everyone present was in tears as these two held hands and said the sweetest prayers for their marriage. On the flip side, our babes Dillon and Stephanie decided to go with a “first toast” where, standing back to back, they raised their glasses to their new life together and sipped on a little bit of liquid courage before their ceremony. Meanwhile, Albuquerque lovers Kaya and Matthew as well as Crystal and Amy both opted to hold hands while hidden around corners for the perfect “first touch” moment.

And these incredible little moments are just the tip of the iceberg for first look alternatives, We’ve had so many other couples send each other touching wedding day notes and gifts that always remind us of how important the little things can be on such big days.

All in all, we’re big fans of couples taking the time to add just an extra ounce of love into their wedding days! We treasure getting to capture these little details and trust us when we say, moments like this are definitely some of our favorite parts of our crazy little job!!!

Real Life Love Stories
Patrick + Niki at Enchanted Vine Barn (Ruidoso, NM)
Trey + Clara at a Private Estate (San Patricio, NM)
Dillon + Stephanie at Hotel Albuquerque (Albuquerque, NM)
Matthew + Kata at Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club (Albuquerque, NM)
Amy + Crystal at Los Poblanos (Albuquerque, NM)
Blake + Jennie at Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs, CO)
Walker + Addie at La Posada de Santa Fe (Santa Fe, NM)
Brian + Ashley at Eldorado Hotel (Santa Fe, NM)
Josh + Delaney at Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club (Albuquerque, NM)
Gustav + Jackie at Los Poblanos (Albuquerque, NM)
Mack + Shelby at Four Seasons Santa Fe (Santa Fe, NM)

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

Wedding Inspo - Wedding Guest Style

Who says wedding parties get to have all the fun when it comes to style? One the past few seasons, we’ve seen wedding guests up the ante with some MAJOR looks that went above and beyond our dreams!

Even though wedding style varies from wedding to wedding (based on the overall vibe of the day and the couple), time and time again guests have left us awe struck with their incredible celebration outfit choices. From intricate and colorful dresses to sparkly jumpsuits to cowboy black tie- inspired numbers to modern twists on classic outfits, we love finding our favorite look of every wedding we get to capture!

Scroll through, find your fave, and maybe let these amazing guests inspire your next look!!!

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

Wedding Inspo - First Dance Songs We Heart

Even though we adore every aspect of wedding days, there’s something that hits us extra hard in the feels when it comes to first dance songs. Whether they’re sweet and lighthearted, slow and romantic, or absolute tear-jerkers, a first dance song not only sets the tone for the reception, but also says so dang much about a couple!

For us, we’ve heard about ten million love songs, but here are some of our faves from last year’s weddings, a few from our 2020 couples (!), and some songs that we can never get enough of:

- Home by Leon Bridges
- Bloom by The Paper Kites
- Speechless by Dan + Shay
- Into the Mystic by Van Morrison
- This Must Be the Place by The Talking Heads
- Still the One by Shania Twain
- If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys
- Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer
- Sail Away by David Gray
- The Best Thing by H.E.R. + Daniel Caesar
- Its Not Living (If Its Not With You) by The 1975
- Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You by Lauryn Hill
- More I Cannot Wish for You by Paul McCartney
- Beyond by Leon Bridges
- I Do by Fox + Hound
- Hold You Here by The Wild Life
- Venus by Sleeping at Last
- Lover by Taylor Swift
- Grey by Exes
- 10,000 Hours by Dan + Shay
- Tell Me Its Real by K-c + JoJo
- Good Together by HONNE
- Diamonds or Twine by Ryan Hurd
- At Last by Etta James
- Blessed by Thomas Rhett
- Real Love Baby by Father John Misty
- LOVE by Kendrick Lamar
- I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie
- More of You by Chris Stapleton
- Off the Market by ASL


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

Wedding Inspo - Bridal Bouquets

Wedding trends may come and go, but one thing that’s here to stay forever are dreamy bridal bouquets! We see a ton of these beauties each season and they come in just about every style, from the chic romantic arrangements to the wild boho stunners to larger-than-life ultra colorful varieties. We’re not history buffs, but we wanted to share just a few of our favorite facts about bridal bouquets!!!

The tradition of brides carrying bouquets down the aisle (and, in our case, all over) on wedding days stems back to ancient Roman times. Back then, bouquets were not only made of herbs, spices, and grains, but they were thought to ward off evil spirits and signify new beginnings. However, more modern floral bouquets didn’t pop up in the wedding scene until the mid 1800s during the Victorian era and tended to only include roses (we can’t deny how much we love this stunner of a flower). During this time period, sending specific flowers (based on their meanings) to a lover became increasingly popular, leading many brides to pick flowers for their bridal bouquets that best reflected their ideals.

Flashing forward to the 21st century and bridal bouquets come in soooo many amazing colors, varieties, and sizes that we’re truly overwhelmed by all the beauty! We can’t wait to see what new twists our 2020 brides will take with their own florals. Cheers to hundreds of more insanely beautiful bouquets!!!

Featured Florists
Floriography Flowers
Renegade Floral
Forth & Floral
Bagels’ Florals
Desert Flower Co.
Albuquerque Wedding Florist
Blue Ridge Blooms
Artichokes and Pomegranates
Florecita Flowers
Ruidoso Flower Shop
Agave Florist
The Bouqs Co
For the Love of Flowers
People’s Flowers

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

ALP Team Picks - Ashley's Fave Weddings

Our gal Ashley captures a big portion of our team’s weddings as a lead photographer and 2019 was extra special for her! Beyond just Albuquerque and Santa Fe weddings, she traveled to Southern New Mexico (twice!) for some of the most stunning days we’ve ever seen. These incredible, colorful days with some of the best couples were some of our favorite moments of last year!

Ashley:
”When Jaclyn asked us to send over our favorite 2019 weddings, my first thought was “can I just choose all of them?!” I truly treasure each and every wedding I had the privilege of photographing in 2019. Each had its own unique magic that I’ll keep with me forever! Sadly, I can’t take up the next month of blog posts with my favorite weddings!

Clara and Trey’s wedding was my first of the season and what a way to begin it! I remember driving into San Patricio, NM that morning and pulling up at the location where we were supposed to meet for bridal prep. This place, guys, I can’t even begin to describe this treasure of a spot but I was blown away! We ended up doing a bridesmaid first look and I got to be the one to help Clara get into her wedding dress which is a memory I will treasure! The emotion and love in the air during their outdoor ceremony was palpable. Trey’s reaction to Clara walking down the aisle will stay in my list of favorite images forever. We then got to sneak back to the little secret garden of a location for romantics and guys! I can’t even stress how important it is to carve out a good chunk of time for bride and groom portraits. We had so much fun and got such a variety of mindblowing images and Clara and Trey got time to just breathe and enjoy their first hour of being Mr. and Mrs. Correa. I still dream about that greenhouse, the gazebo and all the amazing walls and doors. This perfect day was topped off with the sweetest first dances and toasts under a stunning white tent on a beautiful April day. 


Nikki and Patrick’s day was what photographer dreams are made of! The details and the venue were out of this world (hello Louboutins ,amazing florals and an insanely beautifully decorated barn). I could spend an entire post just talking about these details! Can you please please look at the cake also? On top of these amazing touches was a couple that was seriously so beyond sweet and yet had so much passion as well. I was brought to tears multiple times during the day, starting with first look with dad and a prayer between Nikki and Patrick. We didn’t have to go far to get the prettiest light for bridal party pictures and romantics. Nikki in her amazing denim bridal jacket will remain one of my favorite bridal images ever. Everyone knew how to party at their reception and Nikki and Patrick really went for it with their cake cutting. Or do we call it a cake smash? I left that night with the biggest smile on my face, feeling lighter and happier after knowing these two!

I first got to meet Mattie and Morgan at their beautiful rehearsal dinner and instantly loved them both. Both of them so down to earth and go with the flow. That entire weekend just flew by without one stressful moment! Just the details at the rehearsal dinner made me so excited for what the next day would bring and I was far from disappointed. I walked in to Mattie’s parents breathtaking home to see all of Mattie’s bridesmaids (as well as her Mother and Mother-In-Law) clothed in these beautiful embroidered Mexican day dresses. They were all so relaxed, just sitting around watching chick flicks and enjoying each other's company. We then got to have first looks with Mattie’s dad, her bridesmaids and finally with Morgan. When we made it to the venue for the ceremony, I was speechless. I need you to look at these florals. All of them. The most stunning variety of florals I have ever witnessed. We had such beautiful weather for their outdoor ceremony and reception, followed by some of the prettiest golden hour romantics. The tequila donkey kicked off the beginning to one of the most fun-filled, lively receptions I’ve ever gotten to attend.”

Ashley’s Fave Weddings
Patrick + Niki at Enchanted Vine Barn in Ruidoso, NM
Trey + Clara at Peter Hurd House and Private Estate in San Patricio, NM
Morgan + Mattie at Las Campanas in Santa Fe, NM

Lead Photographer - Ashley
Second Photographers - Melanie, Bre

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

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

Trey + Clara, a Southern New Mexico Wedding

This year our team was lucky enough to kick off wedding season with Trey + Clara, two of the kindest, most genuine, downright in love babes around. From their sweet little love story to their glorious spring wedding in Southern New Mexico, everything about these two is absolute perfection.

Even though they initially met in high school in their hometown of Las Cruces, NM, Trey and Clara didn’t hit it off until years later during college. Clara was at home visiting from college in Colorado when she ran into Trey at a local bar and (in true millennial fashion) the next day Trey slid into her DMs to ask Clara out on an official date. After two hour coffee date, these two were smitten with each other. Trey surprised Clara by visiting her in Colorado just three days after she went back (#boyfriendgoals). These two have been together ever since and made it last name official this spring!

Trey and Clara got married on a gorgeous family property in San Patricio, NM surrounded by about 300 of their favorite family members and friends. We adored the down to earth, yet amazingly classic style of this wedding. From the pretty mix-and-match periwinkle blue bridesmaid dresses to Clara’s stunning bridal hair and makeup (major model glam), to the dreamiest Justin Alexander wedding gown, all of the bridal details from this day had us head over heels. Not to mention, Trey and Clara found the perfect place to take their romantics (the Peter Hurd Guesthouse). This crazy little property was a wedding photogs dream, with everything from a tiny greenhouse to a lovely white gazebo to the most perfect pink adobe walls. We’re not sure that we’ve completely recovered from being absolutely smitten with this day and these lovers!

TBH we’ll probably never stop daydreaming about Trey + Clara’s wedding, so cheers to the best day to start off the 2019 wedding season!

Vendors
Venue - Peter Hurd House + Private Estate in San Patricio, NM
Planning - Roxanne Kidd at Renee’s Bridal Boutique (Las Cruces, NM)
Florals - Ruidoso Flower Shop
Invitations - Minted
Ring Box - The Mrs Box
Bridal Hair - Bliss Hair Studio
Bridal MUA - Beauty by Tristin
Bridal Gown - Justin Alexander
Bridal Boutique - Suzanne’s Bridal (Mesa, AZ)
Bride’s Shoes - Enzo Angiolini
Bridesmaid Dresses - David’s Bridal
Bridesmaid Hair - Shana Means
Groom’s Attire - Joseph Abboud from Men’s Wearhouse
Groom’s Shoes - Cole Haan
Groomsmen Attire - Men’s Wearhouse
Officiant - Terry Alder from University Church of Christ (Las Cruces, NM)
Catering - Lynn Crawford from RJC LLC (Ruidoso, NM)
Rentals - Enchanted Occasions and Rentals (Las Cruces, NM)
Band - The Ghetto Blaster (Las Cruces, NM)

Wedding by Ashley + Bre of Alicia Lucia Photography
bLog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography