Wedding Inspo - Soft Minimalist Weddings

While our 2021 wedding season is in full swing and we’re obsessed with all of the new, stunning trends coming into the picture this year, we’re forever in love with easily one of the most iconic trends of all, soft minimalist weddings. These days are seriously everything to us and, truthfully, its not hard to see why.

A twist on the ever romantic classic wedding trend, soft minimalist weddings combine that old style glam with a dash of modern chicness. For us, there’s so much to adore about this trend. Whether its the sleek bridal gowns, the understated yet beautiful florals, or even the clean and simple details, we find something new to to crush on every single time. We love the way that minimalist weddings can take place at a lavender farm, in a backyard, or even on a rooftop in Santa Fe! Our couples who chose these elegantly simple days always know how to make their celebrations effortless and beyond lovely.

Here’s to all the pretty, ethereal days to come, we can’t wait to soak in all the soft minimalist beauty!!

Featured Love Stories
Dominic + Maggie at a Private Estate in Albuquerque, NM (coming soon to the blog)
Tom + Justine at La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe, NM (coming soon to the blog)
Chris + Ari at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm in Albuquerque, NM
Zach + Coli at Hotel Albuquerque + Casas de Sueños in Albuquerque, NM
Matt + Allie at a Private Estate in Santa Fe, NM

Weddings by Alicia Lucia Photography Team
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Wedding Inspo - Classic Weddings

When it comes to wedding styles, we have the biggest space in our hearts for all things boho, minimalist, and currently on-trend, but we can’t lie when we say that we adore classic, chic celebrations so freaking much. We love the way that classic weddings perfectly blend the past and the present for the most elegant nuptials ever.

Besides just being obsessed with the sleek, romantic moments of classic weddings (e.g. the pristine black and white details, the simple florals, and the hints of glam), we are in love with how they can happen just about anywhere, Whether its on a ranch in Texas Hill County, in the middle of bustling downtown Albuquerque, at a quiet and tucked-away lavender farm in the North Valley, in the heart of historic Santa Fe, or even in the middle of nowhere in Southern New Mexico, classic weddings take on new life no matter the setting. These timeless days are the weddings we always reflect back on with so much nostalgia and love, their sheer elegance is always enough to take out breath away.

We’re so dang ready for even more of these divine, sophisticated days here in the Southwest and beyond. Bring on all the graceful beauty and all the opulent details.

Real Life Love Stories
Herbie + Kelsey at Ginger Ranch (Fredericksburg, TX)
Andrew + Deanna at Hotel Andaluz (Albuquerque, NM)
Derek + Brigitte at La Fonda on the Plaza (Santa Fe, NM)
Eric + Lauren at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm (Albuquerque, NM)
Trey + Clara at Peter Hurd House (San Patricio, NM)
Kirk + Taylor at Loretto Chapel and La Fonda on the Plaza (Santa Fe, NM)

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

2021 Wedding + Elopement Trends

Despite all of the uncertainty and struggle of 2020, we’ve seen so many amazing things start to take hold in the wedding industry. From recognizing how amazing small, intentional celebrations can be to couples taking chances on brand new ideas for their special day, we’ve truly been in awe over all of it. We’re hoping that a few of the trends we’ve been crushing on become major elements of weddings and elopements in 2021!

We’re currently obsessed with:
- unique + colorful bridal gowns
- bright + funky florals
- soft baby’s breath bouquets
- tiny, intimate ceremonies with just friends + family
- unique, avant-garde cakes


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

Valentine's Feature - Florals We Heart

Out of all of the pretty things we’ve laid our eyes on, florals are always the detail that take our breath away. From the bright and bold to the delicate and soft, we’re obsessed with it all!

Over the last year we’ve been beyond lucky to capture so many incredibly divine floral creations from all over Southwest, the Pacific Northwest, and everywhere in-between. We’ve been completely obsessed with the new, brilliant ideas coming out of the tiny weddings and elopements of 2020. All of the insanely beautiful hanging installations and the dainty bouquets have us dreaming forever and ever.

We beyond hyped to see what new beauty 2021 brings to the realm of florals, but until then, feast your eyes on some of the most darling creations of all!

Featured Florists
Floral Fetish (Albuquerque, NM)
Renegade Floral (Santa Fe, NM)
Bagel’s Florals (Albuquerque, NM)
Albuquerque Florist (Albuquerque, NM)
Florecita Flowers (Albuquerque, NM)
A Beautiful Theme (Albuquerque, NM)
Marisa’s Millefiori (Santa Fe, NM)
Flower Loop (Albuquerque, NM)
The Flower Company (Albuquerque, NM)
Floral Elegance (Albuquerque, NM)
Rose Rebels Floral Designs (Albuquerque, NM)
Noble Floral Co (Portland, OR)
Stems Floral (Austin, TX)
Uptown Flowers (San Antonio, TX)
Good Seed Floral (Austin, TX)

Weddings, Elopements, and Styled Shoots by Alicia, Ashley, Bre, and the ALP Team
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 - 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

Matt + Allie, an Intimate Home Wedding in the Santa Fe Mountains

Over a year ago, we captured Matt and Allie’s engagement session at Allie’s parents’ beautiful Santa Fe home overlooking the Jemez mountains and early this fall, these lovers ended up getting married in that exact same spot. Even though they traded their bigger downtown Santa Fe bash for a intimate wedding, Matt and Allie not only made their day incredibly beautiful, but it still radiated genuine love and excitement.

These two met back in college when Allie moved into the apartment right next door to Matt and after about a year of being friends, they started officially dating. A few years later in 2018, while Allie was completing her masters in Santa Barbara, CA, Matt came out for a visit. One evening, while soaking in the sunset along the shore, Matt proposed.

Even though Matt and Allie’s wedding plans changed many times, these two kept the focus on the most important aspect of their day, the huge amount of love they have for one another. They finally decided on a tiny wedding with only immediate family and the most breathtaking view of Santa Fe. In keeping with their original theme of ‘sophisticated natural’, their details were both soft and incredibly elegant. We adored the tiny gems these two snuck into their day, from having their brother-in-law Eric officiate the ceremony to a recorded speech by Matt’s brother/best man (who was unable to make it due to travel restrictions) to gifting each guest with a commissioned piece from Keshi and a smudge spray from Aromabontanica. On top of all of those amazing details, our girl Allie also brought a gorgeously modern bridal look to this day with not only the world’s prettiest veil and beyond chic bridal gown by Pronovias, but also with a custom bridal hat from Ramblin’ Rose Hat Co (which we’re just a tiny bit obsessed with tbh).

If there’s one thing we love above all, its when couples truly embrace their wedding and make it their own. Against all odds, these lovers made the most of 2020 and kicked off their marriage in the most wonderfully unique way. We loved every second of this remarkable day with Matt + Allie, the biggest congrats to these lovebirds.


Vendors
Location - Private Home in Santa Fe, NM
Florals - Marisa’s Millefiori
Invitations + Paper Goods - Letterpress Made
Hair - Salon Boheme Santa Fe
Makeup Artist - Monica Stark Makeup
Bridal Gown - Pronovias
Bride’s Hat - Ramblin’ Rose Hat Co
Bride’s Shoes - Stuart Weitzman
Groom’s Tux - Men’s Wearhouse
Catering - Walter Burke Catering
Cake - Chocolate Maven
Guest Gifts - Keshi + Aromabontanica
Music - Diamond Empire Band
Videography - Luminance Wedding Films
Lead Photographer - Bre
Second Photographer - Carissa
Assistant - Jaclyn

Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography

Wedding Inspo - Ceremony Altars

Whether its a mini-wedding with a handful of guests or a giant, incredibly lively wedding with a whole bunch of friends and family members, our couples always find a way to make their ceremonies extra gorgeous, especially when it comes to the backdrops they pick to stand in front of to say “I do”. From stunning floral installations to incredible ceremony arches, we’ve seen it all, but we love looking back at some of the most show-stopping ceremony set ups we’ve seen over the past year.

As expected, we captured a ton of floral arches, from the bright and bold to the soft and whimsical varieties. Arches, both of of the wooden variety and of the purely floral design are becoming a wedding staple that we’re sure will always be a fan fave.

But besides this new classic, what other beauties have adorned alters and made vows that much more special? There are a few pretty little designs that come to mind and wow, are we still drooling over them. Just a few of our current faves include a dreamy mauve-toned geometric backdrop, the most eye-catching florals being draped from a tiny balcony, and a boho rug framed with giant pampas grass arrangements. And, of course, we can’t forget how one of our couples opted for that wide open New Mexico sky to be their ceremony background as they exchanged vows at a backyard wedding in the Santa Fe mountains.

We’re not sure what new altar trends will take the wedding world by storm in the coming years, but we do know that they’ll be absolutely divines and we’re so dang here for it all.

Featured Weddings + Styled Shoots
Zach + Natalie at The Desert Compass
Emerson Venue Styled Wedding
Nathan + Caitlin in Denver, CO (coming soon to the blog)
Jawara + Jasmyn at Los Poblanos
Brittany + Angie in Nob Hill (coming soon to the blog)
Ben + Emilee at Sandia Event Center
Matt + Allie in Santa Fe, NM (coming soon to the blog)
Drew + Lauren at La Mesita Ranch Estate
John + Anna at La Fonda on the Plaza
Jeremy + Michelle at Los Poblanos (coming soon to the blog)
Patrick + Niki at Enchanted Vine Barn
Geoff + Jocelyn at Hacienda Doña Andrea
James + Lauren at Los Poblanos
Morgan + Mattie at Las Campanas
Carter + Carrie at La Fonda on the Plaza
Qwist + Cara at Los Poblanos
Trey + Clara in San Patricio, NM
Zach + Coli at Hotel Albuquerque
Chris + Ari at Los Poblanos
Ashwin + Lauren at La Posada de Santa Fe
Jordan + KC in Santa Fe, NM
Adam + Jill at Los Poblanos
Jason + Natalie at La Fonda on the Plaza
Colton + Lindsey at Hyatt Tamaya

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

La Fonda on the Plaza - A Venue Feature

One of the best things about our sweet little job is how much time we get to spend in Santa Fe every year. Our capital city lies just to the north of our home base of Albuquerque and there is seriously magic around every corner of The City Different. From quaint adobe buildings to the historic plaza to some of the best New Mexican cuisine in the state, Santa Fe is seriously a gold mine for locals and visitors alike. It comes as no surprise that soooo many of our out of state couples select good old SF as the prime place to tie the knot and their number one destination is our home away from home, iconic La Fonda on the Plaza.

Not only is La Fonda memorable, but it is also incredibly significant to Santa Fe’s history. Initially founded in 1607 as Santa Fe’s first inn, La Fonda’s site is also the oldest hotel corner in the United States of America. However, the building that still stands today and has continually been loved and adored by New Mexicans and travelers alike wasn’t built until 1922. It features architectural influences by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter and John Gaw Meem including hand carved beams, ethereal stained glass window skylight, and a 25 foot cathedral ceiling. More info on this beautiful space can be found on La Fonda’s website.

We’ve spent a whole lot of time at this very special place over the past few years and we can’t wait to return later on in 2019 for even more beauty.

Our Real Love Stories
David + Lauren
Tyler + Jordan
Kirk + Taylor
Chris + Alexa
Derek + Brigiette

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

Vendor Feature - Hair + Makeup Artists

Wedding days are filled with millions of pretty details, but we personally think our brides always steal the spotlight and it’s thanks to a little help from the incredible, local hair stylists and makeup artists that make these beauties absolutely glow! From full service to single service, these incredible boss babes (and guys too) work extremely hard to make sure brides look like nothing short of goddess from the second they walk down the aisle to the final dance. We adore these vendors and are soooo grateful to have pros that make our jobs on wedding days that much more fun, glamorous, and downright incredible! We love y’all so much!!

Hair + Makeup Artists
Betty Rose by Alanna + Betty Rose by Ashley
Santiago Romero Hair Stylist
Jewel Hair Design
Genica Lee Hair and Makeup
Diana Rose Hair and Makeup (drs color studio)
Monica Stark Makeup
Jacqueline Chavez Makeup Artist (make it jacque)
Chrome Salon and Blowout Bar
Beauty Bar Santa Fe
The Vanity Makeup
Madeline McCue Makeup
Kata Baron Makeup
The Honeycomb Beauty Studio

Wedding Venues
La Posada de Santa Fe
Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Paa-ko Ridge Golf Club
La Fonda on the Plaza
SITE Santa Fe
Santa Fe Opera
Inn of the Five Graces
Hacienda Corta Caro
Four Seasons Santa Fe
Gerald Peters Gallery
Sandia Golf Club at Sandra Resort and Casino

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