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

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 - Spring Florals

Even though we’re staying indoors a whole lot more this spring, we can’t help but be extremely inspired by all of the nature in full bloom we still get to witness. We’ve found our favorite spring infused color palettes from some of the sweetest wedding days to add a little bit of light to the blog!

Although some of these weddings weren’t necessarily spring weddings, these florals still made us daydream of the perfect April or May wedding, full of muted pastels, bright whites, or even softly colorful tones. From sage and white bouquets to blush tinted to arrangements to to even subtly bright floral arches, these flowers still light up our little worlds to this day.

Here’s to some of the beauty that we can continue to find in our world every single day, we can’t wait to capture more stunning florals like this in the future!

Featured Florists
Bagels’ Florals
Floriography Flowers
Renegade Floral
Albuquerque Florist
Viva Flora
Florecita Flowers
The Bouq’s Co
People’s Flowers
A Beautiful Theme
Shannon Loves Flowers

Weddings + Styled Sessions by Alicia, Ashley, Bre, and the ALP Team
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

Wedding Inspo - Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm

Hidden away in Albuquerque’s north valley lies one of the loveliest places on earth, Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm. Dreamy, secluded, and downright otherworldly, this beauty of a venue has quickly become the destination for not only visitors to the Land of Enchantment, but so many lovers including a ton of our brides and grooms.

Every single time we step foot on its grounds, Los Poblanos feels mysterious, beautiful, and teeming with wonder. From spring to winter, weddings here always carry an air of beguiling charm, while still feeling like a cozy home-away-from-home. We’re not sure if the endless garden options for ceremonies or all the little hidden spots we’ve discovered for romantics over the years, but this lavender farm certainly lives up to all of its expectations. And with its amazing wedding day staff, complete with our gal pal Chelsea Martinez as Wedding Coordinator, Los Poblanos is nothing short of an absolute dream come true.

Rain or shine, we’ve captured some of the sweetest, most intimate, tear-worthy moments with some of the most amazing couples around at Los Poblanos. We can’t wait to be back at this stunner of a location many many times this wedding season!!!

Venue - Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm

Our Lovers
Conner + Laura (coming to the blog soon!)
Chris + Ari
Adam + Jill
James + Lauren
Gustav + Jackie
Qwist + Cara
Dustin + Ashley
Michael + Lucia
Bobby + Simone Styled Shoot

Weddings + Styled Shoots by the Alicia Lucia Photography 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

Venue Feature - Four Seasons Santa Fe

Nestled high above Santa Fe in the pretty New Mexican mountain lies one of our favorite venues, Four Seasons Santa Fe. Even though we don’t get to visit for leisure often, it is always such a treat to capture our couples and their special days. Decked out with simple, but beautiful decor, this venue can literally be transformed for every wedding, from minimalist and modern styles to the biggest boho designs. We love the opportunity of finding new spaces at this stunning getaway to capture our couples and their love stories!

Real Life Love Stories
Mack + Shelby
Tyler + Meredith
Alex + Marcela
Loren + Julia

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

Wedding Inspo - Summer Wedding Florals Second Edition

Even though fall wedding season is quickly approaching, we couldn’t help but share some of our favorite, recent summer bouquets. From the insanely colorful floral arches to the soft, subdued reception centerpieces, to the bold and bright bridal bouquets, summer weddings always bring a wide palette of color options! We adored every single one of these florals and can’t wait for what beauty the rest of this season will bring!

Featured Florists
Forth & Floral
Floriography
Renegade Floral
The Bouqs Co.
Bloomstream Flowers
Florectia Flowers
Mauldin’s Flowers

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

Wedding Inspo - Wedding Reception Centerpieces

One look at any of our social media sites and you’ll know how obsessed our little team is with florals, but we’re also in love with how our couples, planners, and florists design and create floral centerpieces. Bright, bold, and larger than life summer florals give us just as much joy as the the simple, subdued succulent adorned centerpieces. Every wedding brings its own flavor and we can’t get enough of these reception beauties!

Wedding Venues
La Posada de Santa Fe
Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs, CO)
Santa Fe Opera
La Fonda on the Plaza
Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Four Seasons Santa Fe
Eldorado Hotel and Spa
Sarabande Bed and Breakfast
Gerald Peters Gallery
Hyatt Tamaya
El Zocalo
La Mestia Ranch Estate

Florists
Placed by Polito
Renegade Floral
Viva Flora
Floriography Flowers
Shannon Loves Flowers
Ruidoso Flower Shop
Bloomstream Flowers
The Bouq’s Co
Barton’s Flowers
Stephanie Yardman Floral Design

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

Qwist + Cara, a heartfelt wedding at Los Poblanos

We’ll never tire of reiterating how lucky we are to get to know the couples we capture, but every once in awhile, an out of this world love story comes along that not only knocks us off our feet, but also humbles us to be a part of it! Qwist and Cara’s 12 years in the making love story was just that and we’ll probably never, ever get over it.

Qwist and Cara met over a decade ago in Fort Collins, Colorado while attending an outdoor Common concert. They hit it off instantly when Qwist noticed Cara standing behind him and offered her a better view. They’ve been together ever since those first tender moments and Qwist proposed to Cara in the exact same spot they first met (followed by their families racing out with champagne to celebrate) *cue all the happy tears*.

These two had a heartfelt, genuine, downright beautiful wedding at our most favorite venue in town, Los Poblanos. Simplicity and minimalism not only ruled Qwist and Cara’s special day, but it allowed for their tender love story to shine through. From having Qwist’s grandmothers walk down the aisle as flower girls, to their group sing along of “Lean on Me” during the ceremony (never seen anything like that before, and it moved us to our core), to both the bride and groom including each sets of their parents during the mother/son and father/daughter dances, we can’t help but continually gush about how wildly special it was to witness this June wedding. Qwist and Cara share a love so tangible that it brings joy to everyone around them, thank you babes for letting us be a tiny part of this incredible love story!

Vendors
Venue - Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm
Planning - Corazon Events
Florals - The Bouqs Co.
Invitations - Funky Olive Design
Hair - Briana Neverez
MUA - Nicole Cudzilo
Bridal Gown - Sarah Seven
Groom’s Attire - Bonobos
DJ - Cutmaster Music
Officiant - Cynthia Copeland

Wedding by Alicia + Bre of Alicia Lucia Photography
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography