Since we had a little extra time before the wedding festivities officially began, I asked Melina and Teddy if they would be interested in a beach engagement session. They had already done an engagement session with me among the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC, but this felt like an opportunity for something completely different. With their wedding celebrations taking place on the beach, it seemed fitting to capture another chapter of their story against the backdrop of Negril’s famous turquoise waters and white sand beaches.

One of the unexpected benefits of arriving early to any destination wedding is getting to learn the location. I pay attention to where the sun rises and sets, how the light moves throughout the day, and what the local weather patterns are like. What I quickly learned about Jamaica in May is that the weather has a mind of its own. A storm can last five minutes or an hour. It might be a light sprinkle or a complete downpour. And the forecast Let’s just say the forecast is more of a suggestion than a guarantee. The weather seems to come and go whenever it pleases. I noticed that many of these showers tended to roll through during the evening, which is exactly what happened during our session.

Fortunately, instead of ruining the experience, the rain ended up making it even better. If you look through the photos, some of my favorites are the ones captured while a light rain was falling. There’s something incredibly romantic about them. They have that dreamy, cinematic feel that reminds me of scenes from The Notebook. The overcast skies softened the light, the beach emptied out, and Melina and Teddy simply embraced the moment together.

As an added bonus, the session gave them a chance to see firsthand how I approach unexpected weather. Destination weddings often come with a little unpredictability, and when the rain made an appearance during their wedding weekend, they already knew there was no reason to stress. We’d already proven that beautiful photos were possible no matter what the forecast decided to do.

I’m also completely obsessed with the outfits they chose for the session. Melina looked effortlessly elegant in a classic white swimsuit paired with a flowing pareo, while Teddy kept things timeless with crisp beach attire. The neutral tones complemented the vibrant blues and greens of the Caribbean perfectly, creating a look that felt sophisticated without being overly formal. This session ended up being the perfect start to an incredible wedding weekend. It gave us a chance to slow down, explore the island, and create some beautiful memories before the celebrations officially began.

Melina and Teddy, thank you for trusting me to document not only your wedding day but these quieter moments in between. Looking back on these images makes me want to hop on a plane and head right back to Negril.

View Similar Engagement Sessions Below!
Hilton Head Engagement Photos

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Late October in the District is always magical, and on this particular morning, the leaves were at their absolute peak. We had a blustery breeze sweeping across the Tidal Basin, but Ashton and Anthony embraced it fully, taking each gust as another excuse to hold each other close. Their joy and warmth more than made up for the chill in the air.

Because this session took place during the government shutdown, the National Mall was unusually quiet. While the monuments remained open, there were no staff on site and almost no visitors in the early hours. It felt like we had the entire Jefferson Memorial to ourselves; an incredibly rare gift in a city that’s usually buzzing with tourists. The stillness created an intimate, almost cinematic atmosphere that allowed us to move freely and focus entirely on the two of them, without waiting for crowds to pass or searching for open spaces.

One of the highlights of the morning was photographing Ashton’s stunning wedding gown. If you can believe it, the dress was handmade by Anthony’s mother. She is an incredibly talented seamstress who has created custom gowns for all the women in their family — even her own! Each dress is designed with the wearer’s personality and unique style in mind, making this a beautiful family tradition and such a meaningful detail to document.

Spending the morning with Ashton and Anthony again reminded me why I love what I do. Their connection, their laughter, and the traditions they share made this session unforgettable. I’m so grateful to have been a small part of their story and wish them all the happiness in their married life ahead.

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Getting married on their specific date, April 12, was of particular important to them. See, this was the same date that Haeden’s grandparents had married many years ago. Initially they had wanted to incorporate the cherry blossoms, but giving the fleeting and unpredictable nature of the blooms, they opted to prioritize the date which was more of a sure thing. The only thing potentially holding us back The weather, of course.

Showers loomed in the forecast as they had pretty much all of April this year. It was lightly drizzling on my way into the city in the dark and then somehow, by some miracle, by the time I parked my car, it all disappeared! The winds lingered, but I think it only made their session more romantic. Plus, the clouds turned out to be a blessing in disguise; they allowed us to use their extra time to travel over to the National Mall and grab a few portraits in the Constitution Gardens. Haeden was particularly in love with the weeping willow tree (and when you see the images below, can you blame her!?) that drapes across the pond.

Enjoy a peek into this gorgeous, early morning elopement in Washington, DC and join me in wishing these two a lifetime of happiness with one another!

Alicia Lacey is a wedding and portrait photographer located in Washington, DC. Please visit the contact page to inquire about booking information. 

You can click on the links below to view similar sessions across Washington, DC! 
Jefferson Memorial Elopement Photos
Sunrise Session on the National Mall
Cherry Blossom Portraits in Washington, DC

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This past winter, Jane reached out to share that she and her wife, Meg, would be moving to the area. Both of these amazing women grew up in the south, but Jane had previously lived nearby while attending undergrad at UVA. However, she didn’t quite get the full UVA experience (thanks to COVID) and eventually returned home, where she met Meg shortly after (cue fate!).

When Meg received a job offer in the district, the couple decided to make the move to DC and are thrilled to call this vibrant city home.These two love capturing their adventures in photos as they visit new places — so far, they’ve had sessions in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Nevada. And of course, they knew they needed to mark their new chapter with a portrait session in their new home city. What could be more “DC” than the cherry blossoms?!

We dove straight into outfit planning, and as you’ll see in the photos below, it could not have been more perfect for their sunrise shoot among the blossoms. Jane’s lace dress was simply breathtaking and looked like it was made for her, while Meg’s suit brought a sophisticated, DC-chic vibe in the most perfect cherry blossom pink you could imagine. It was a morning to remember!

Don’t forget — it’s never too early to book your cherry blossom portraits! Those blooms are fleeting, so most photographers only book a limited number of sessions each season.  You can find lots of tips and additional information in my ultimate guide to all things cherry blossom!

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Fast forward to 2019. Kali and Zach had tied the knot, thinking they were about to begin their happily ever after—just months before the entire world would be thrown into chaos. In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, locking everything down, forcing people to reconsider everything from their careers to their relationships to their general outlook on life.

For Kali, a nurse at the time, the pandemic brought a wave of uncertainty with her career. As the world shifted, so did her passion for the work that had once been her calling. After some reflection, she made the bold decision to go back to school, a choice that would ultimately lead them to a fresh chapter in their lives. This decision not only shaped Kali’s future but brought the couple to Washington, DC—where they began a new adventure together.

Now, five years after their wedding, Kali and Zach are celebrating more than just a milestone anniversary. They’re celebrating resilience, love, and all the unexpected turns life has taken. And what better way to mark their anniversary than by commemorating the occasion with photos at some of DC’s most iconic monuments But, like any great love story, it’s one that proves that if they can survive the highs and lows, they can handle anything that comes their way.

You can view other portraits in and around DC photographed by Alicia Lacey at the links below:
Cherry Blossom Portraits in Washington, DC
DC Sunrise Engagement Photos
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There is a part of me that gets frustrated with the constant construction in Washington, DC along the National Mall, but I also know it’s a necessary evil. There is also part of me that sees it as a fun challenge. Often times, one of the big two (Lincoln vs. Jefferson) is under construction so I default to shooting at the other. I’ve been spoiled the past few years, having a construction-free Lincoln that I’ve gotten so comfortable there. It’s been a joy to be pushed out of my comfort zone and into a “new” regular to find unique angles and locations. I really enjoyed experimenting with that during this session and hope you love the results below!

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Nancy and John were one of those couples that was absolutely down to follow everything in the guide to a “t”. We worked together months in advance on finding the perfect outfits and — I think you’ll agree when you see the photos below — that she absolutely nailed it! These two were on time for their shoot, were patient as we waited for openings, and walked over a mile with me up and down the Tidal Basin to hit all the best spots. Despite being a chilly morning, Nancy didn’t complain once (more than John and I can say!) and the results are simply stunning. Enjoy a bit of Nancy and John’s 10th anniversary cherry blossom portrait session below!

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We started off the morning in the gardens to a pleasant morning. As we headed up near the Cathedral grounds, we felt a breeze rush over us and a blast of cool air lingered for the rest of our session. Despite the unseasonably cold temperatures we experienced throughout the session, Giuliana and Ben were both troopers and didn’t complain once. The other trooper Well, that would be their sweet dog, Sunny, who was a pandemic fur baby :) He was as adorable as he looks and could totally pull off being a model pup after how well he did for our shoot!

Ben and Giuliana met while attending school in Alabama, and moved to the Washington, DC area shortly after graduating. They are to be married in Virginia’s wine country later this month at Stone Tower Winery. Before the big day, however, they wanted to have wedding portraits in honor of the city they’ve come to know and love as they’ll be moving to New York City shortly after their big day. Pre-wedding shoots are one of my favorite things to photograph. They are truly the ultimate first look; pre-wedding shoots allow for couples to capture all of the beauty of a wedding day without any of the pressures of a pending timeline. It also removes all of the nerves from the actual wedding day, as couples can relax knowing they’ve got those frame-worth photos already in the bag and can focus on the moments ahead!

Enjoy peak into Giuliana and Ben’s pre-wedding portraits at the Washington National in Cathedral! 

View other National Cathedral sessions and weddings!
National Cathedral Pre-Wedding Portraits
Washington National Cathedral Wedding
Engagement Session at the Washington National Cathedral

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Jessica and Joshua grew up and live in Miami — they made the trek all the way from Florida just to have a photographs at the Cherry Blossoms! Joshua’s father drove them up the weekend prior and they were here for a few days, ready to shoot on the best day of the bloom (which I think we nailed!). Being from FL, they were a bit nervous about the weather but luckily, it wasn’t too unkind to them on the day of our shoot! The skies were a bit overcast, but it was an unseasonably warm morning for March.

This sweet couple attended the same high school and have been together for seven years. They are the proud “parents” of an adorable, but crazy!, 2 year old German Shepherd named Banner. While they currently live in Miami, they just bought a new home in Tampa to live in while Josh finishes up school there.  They were officially married last year — as Jessica says, Joshua just wanted her to be his wife already… and who can say no to that! They didn’t have a huge celebration, but their families joined them for their portraits this week in a bit of a “redo”, if you will, of the big day!

These two, and their parents, were so patient while I took them to location after location around the blooms! The result Stunning wedding portraits that will last them a lifetime!

Hair & Makeup | Modern Bridal Studio

Enjoy other Cherry Blossom sessions below!
Cherry Blossom Engagement Photos in Washington, DC
DC Sunrise Cherry Blossom Engagement Photos

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If you haven’t been following the blog for a few years, you may not recognize them. I photographed their Great Marsh engagement session and their Chesapeake Bay Beach Club wedding in 2018 (has it really been 4 years!?!?). Emily’s also modeled for me AND, even cooler, I’ve had the opportunity to model for her. Emily is a super talented photographer as well; she recently transitioned out of the wedding world into newborns and families. She owns a studio in Northern VA and her work is simply stunning!

All that to say, I have a long relationship with these two and was so excited to document their new milestone of adopting this sweet boy, Atlas! It had been a long journey to this point, so these two were beyond excited to finally have him in their arms. The agency their worked with closely monitored their lifestyle and personalities and matched them with the pup who was a best fit — as you can tell from the photos, it truly is a perfect match. Atlas was such a joy to photograph; he had his adorable wiggle puppy moments, full of lots of kisses, and then he went into his sleepy puppy phase, with lots of snuggles.

Despite the rain shower mere minutes before our session began, the light couldn’t have been more beautiful for this sunrise session at the Manassas Battlefields. This is why you shouldn’t look too closely at the weather — it’s usually wrong (there was zero chance of rain at that time just hours before) and can pleasantly surprise you! Now enjoy the cutest puppy session — Atlas was a dream!

I LOVE photographing my couples with their pets! Here are a few similar sessions to check out:
How to prep your pup for a photo shoot!
Cherry Blossom Engagement Session

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I was delighted when I received Kaitlyn’s inquiry to photograph her bridal portraits before the big day. By the time I post this (I only share after the wedding as to not spoil any surprises about the bride!), she will have been married in Oklahoma City this past June. She and her now husband, Andrew, currently live in Washington, DC, but will be moving in a few short weeks. She wanted to document her bridal portraits in this city that they have come to know and love during their time here the past few years.

As you can see in the photographs below, we had an absolutely perfect morning at the Washington National Cathedral for her portrait session. The gardens were completely empty on the Cathedral grounds and the sunrise glow was totally showing off. For a brief moment, a stunning fog moved over the gardens that covered the building and then crept out as quickly as it had arrived.

Enjoy a peek into this stunning bridal portrait session in Washington, DC!

If you liked this fine art bridal portrait session, please be sure to view others below:
Washington, DC Bridal Portrait Photography
Fine Art Bridal Portraits in France
Beach Bridal Portraits on Film
Elegant DC Bridal Portraits – as featured on Style Me Pretty!

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It should come as no surprise when I say that newborn sessions are much different than engagement sessions — more subjects, for one thing! But at the core of it, you can plan and plan and will never know what direction the shoot will take you as that is entirely up to the baby! Elián had just finished feeding when I arrived and was about to fall into that sweet little milk coma when he got excited by all the commotion! Being a typical baby Houdini, he initially slipped out of all our attempts to wrap him in a traditional swaddle until we got creative; we wrapped him up with the snoo sack first, then put the pretty swaddle for photos! As soon as we turned on the sound machine, he was a restful little baby for the entire session!

Watching Kristina and Alden work through the joys and trials of parenthood in just my short time with them made it clear that these two are total naturals. Neither was easily worked up and they handled every step as a team. Having a newborn in the time of COVID is especially tough as help is harder to come by when following the hospital guidelines, so they are braving it almost entirely alone and are doing fantastic! Baby Elián is as sweet as can be!

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