We all know that the economy can go through some hard times, and be somewhat reminiscent of past recessions. However, as people cut back on non-essential little luxuries here and there, one constant remains: weddings. People don’t tend to just stop getting married due to a poor economy, nor should they! So, in an industry that keeps on going through thick and thin, what are some things to expect for the future, and what is really necessary to still make that wedding day memorable and...Read more
Are you planning a short-notice, small wedding or elopement?
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS ARE OPEN - Many couples don’t want to wait. They are planning to get married in the very near future, eloping, or rushing a small ceremony with their photographer, some close friends, and family but dispensing with or postponing the reception party.
View WPJA photo stories from smaller weddings - WedElope | Choose love, not fear!
Hampton Roads Wedding Photographers
Wedding Photographers of Hampton Roads, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton, Suffolk
Hampton Roads Elopement Photographers
YOU CAN'T STOP LOVE - In recent days, some of our United States photographer vendors have expressed their desire to accommodate couples who don’t want to wait to be married and are rushing the ceremony.
Many brides and grooms around the globe are planning to elope and deciding to reschedule their original ideas for a big event because of current wedding size restrictions, social distancing, and mask requirements. They are getting wed on a whim, but dispensing with or postponing all else.
The WPJA has an abundance of top-ranked, documentary-style elopement photographers who are available right now who understand that some weddings can’t wait. Find yours today!
Most Recent WPJA WedElope Story Awards
Elopement Photographers for Small Virginia Weddings
Shooting an elopement or small Hampton Roads wedding event is a wedding photojournalist’s dream: a fairly open schedule with lots of breathing space for creativity – it’s just the photographer, the couple, the officiant, and perhaps a few select companions.
Members are ready to document any themed, justice of the peace, city hall, or elopement wedding, even if it is a Monday-Thursday ceremony. Search for the “Can Shoot Weddings on Short Notice!” message on the listings below.
We are anxious to create a picture story chronicling your unique, modern, intimate, small wedding from beginning to end. In this sense, it is no different from any other event that we have covered. The emphasis is on documenting key moments, capturing spontaneous displays of emotion, telling your real love story, as well as creating artistic portraits and details.
Map of Wedding Photojournalists Serving Hampton Roads Couples
3 Documentary Wedding Photographers...
Hi there, I'm Heather! And after 8 years as a newspaper staff photographer & editor, I moved into weddings & portraits full time in 2008 and continue to run my business full time. My husband Rob (a newspaper photographer for 20 years) is often a second shooter and photographs a few on his own each year. We have called Virginia home since 2002 and tend to spend most of our time near Richmond, Williamsburg, DC, and the Outer Banks. I only shoot about 20 weddings a year (and Rob does less) so I can provide flexibility and personal attention to every couple. My style is a mix of artistically captured moments, portraits, and candid portraits. True photojournalists at heart, we work unobtrusively so you can be free to enjoy the day instead of spending hours "smiling for the camera." Heather Hughes Ostermaier (formally Heather S. Hughes) has been published in USA Today, People, The Knot, and the "America 24/7" & "Virginia 24/7" books to name a few. She was also named Virginia's Small Newspaper Photographer of the Year and has won numerous awards for her lifestyle, sports, and wedding photography over the years. Both are graduates from Ohio University's prestigious Visual Communications program (where they met), taught at Truth with a Camera, and were accepted to attend the Eddie Adams Workshop in consecutive years. [Newport News Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
2999 (USD)
After studying photography at NESOP in Boston Massachusetts, Neil spent several years in the action sports industry as a photographer working with nationally recognized athletes in the snowboard, ski and motocross industries. In his personal work Neil has traveled to locations in North and South America, Eastern Europe, and North Africa, creating documentary images that tell the story of those he met along the way. Since moving to the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 2000, Neil has established himself as a nationally recognized wedding photojournalist, applying his unique experience to capture the reality, excitement, and emotion of the wedding day. [Outer Banks Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
500/hour (USD)
Hello I'm Jordanna a creative documentary wedding photographer based in Northamptonshire but merrily covering the whole of the UK, Europe and beyond. I take real pride in my work and I make no apologies for loving it so much. I am a happy, easy going character but sometimes the Italian in me rears its head so don’t be surprised if you catch me with tears in my eyes during the speeches or feeling choked up when I see you in your dress for the first time. Equally you might catch my foot tapping on the dance floor – I enjoy getting swept up by it all and I love capturing the energy in my photos. My approach to a wedding day is very much one of a documentary photographer. I, of course, shoot some family groups and a handful of portraits of the couple but I believe the majority of people connect with my work for my personality packed candids. My ideal clients are creative, fun loving, stylish and laid back. They say knickers to tradition for traditions sake and they definitely do not take themselves too seriously and they often say that, “although the photography is very important to us - we just want to have the most fun day ever.” Suits me! I thrive in seeking out fun and energy on a wedding day and my work is a lot about colour, characters, humour and Britishness. I have been shooting weddings full time for almost five years now and have shot close to 200 weddings. Although I’ve never been one to chase accolades – ultimately it is my couples’ feedback and happiness that fulfils me - I was extremely proud (and thankful) to be named one of the Rangefinder Rising Stars in 2017. It was a totally crazy feeling for me and my little business to be recognised on that sort of renowned, international photography platform...but of course very very nice too! Thought you might want to read a little about me outside of work to soooo...I live in a Victorian house on a nice leafy street with my husband and our son. There is nothing we like doing more together than exploring new places; booking random Airbnbs and getting away as often as we can. Besides from the mum/wife stuff I love chilling with my friends; painting; interior design and architecture; a good coffee table book; plotting projects on Pinterest; having a good, sweaty dance; having a laugh; bright lipsticks; instagramming; travelling; meeting new people and hearing their stories…which I guess is why I am so suited to my job. Being asked by couples to hang out with them and their families on their wedding days to take photos is just a dream come true. It’s also worth knowing that my business is run with an environmentally friendly policy at it’s heart. Most of my work is online; packaging is made from recycled materials and my gorgeous Fine Art albums are sourced locally. Obviously travel in my job is inevitable but I use public transport where possible and I run a modern, fuel efficient car. At home we recycle like mad; grow some of our own veggies; shop local and walk lots. If you like the sound of me and love my work then do get in touch – I would love to hear all about your plans and I’m sure if you go on to book me we’ll have a great time in the process. [Northamptonshire Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
2200 (GBP)
Wedding Engagement Diamond Awards - Hampton Roads
Are you ready to find your Hampton Roads engagement / pre-wedding photographer for a portrait session to complement your story of love? Searching for some ideas and creative inspiration for your own pre-wed shoot? Pro members from the Hampton Roads Wedding Photojournalist Association would like to help you add some unique and artistic pictures to your engagement photo gallery!
Searches Related to Hampton Roads Wedding Photography Vendors
WPJA Communiqué: Features
WHAT EXACTLY DOES IT MEAN TO ELOPE? If you look up the definition of “elope” in the Merriam-Webster dictionary , you’ll find a plethora of meanings making it quite clear how polarizing the word has become, and how it has transformed and evolved with the passage of time and even personal preference.Read more
So your wedding is just around the corner and you’ve decided to elope , either because you want to do this on a budget , avoid a large wedding party, or simply to enjoy the day together with minimal distractions and as little stress as possible . They say 'all you need is love', but where exactly can you afford to trim the fat, so to speak? You want simplicity, but you also want to be properly married and, surely, to remember this occasion. Who, then, could be more important than...Read more
While some of us were fortunate enough to be born as extroverts, not everyone feels the same way. For a good chunk of the population, any number of the typical wedding day traditions can inspire anxiety and existential dread. This day is all about you, yes, but does that mean all the attention has to be on you as well? FROM VOWS TO CHITCHAT, WHICH REMAINS SACRED? Traditional weddings often require some degree of performance on the part of the couple, whether that is in the form of reciting...Read more
Traditionally speaking, often times it is the couple’s families who help pay for their wedding. However, unfortunately that’s just not possible for everyone, especially these days when the cost of weddings can quickly and easily get out of control. Some couples find themselves in the position of paying for all of their own wedding expenses, which can be quite the financial burden to take on, and about 40% of Millennials end up in this boat. So, how can you stick to your allotted...Read more
It’s no secret that these are strange times we’re going through right now, and there are many couples out there with weddings set in the near future who are left feeling uncertain and concerned about their futures. While that’s understandable, it’s also important to remember the reason you’re getting married in the first place; not for the grand celebration, but because you love each other and want to be together. REMEMBER WHAT'S IMPORTANT You’re in this position now, about to get married, for...Read more
RAVES, REVIEWS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Heather and Andrew
Photo by Neil Thurston
Wow! I am speechless, these photos are absoloutely amazing! Thank you so much for capturing these precious moments on our wedding day!
Michelle and Peter
Photo by Neil Thurston
Thank you for the amazing pictures! They are absoloutely breathtaking! You both captured every single detail of the day and every picture tells a story. You both did a phenomenal job and were such a pleasure to work with. We can't thank you enough for these amazing memories!
Laura & Bryan
Photo by Heather Hughes Ostermaier
Hi Heather! Thank you!! We are so excited to see the pictures. Thanks you so much for being a part of our day and capturing all our special moments. We will treasure these forever. Feel free to share any photos you'd like. Thank you again so much! I hope that one day our paths might cross again. Until then, I wish you and your family all the best!
Corley & Don
Photo by Neil Thurston
Hi Neil and Lisa, Don and I are beyond thrilled with our pictures! The quality, detail, and beauty of the pictures is just so obvious. Aside from all those things, we love that you captured the sequence of events in a photojournalistic fashion. I've gotten comments from many of my friends/family that these are the best pictures they have ever seen, and of course we are just so proud that they are our pictures. I also have to chuckle a little because you guys were such an organized but chill vendor and as a project manager myself, I know how much preparation you both did behind the scenes to make that work. We couldn't be any happier and if you ever need a reference - email, phone, whatever - please do not hesitate to call.
Hayley and Chet
Photo by Jordanna Marston
Hi Jordanna!! I'm so sorry for such a delay and I hope you're well! It's been a bit crazy (I bet all of your brides say that!!) - we had an amazing honeymoon in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, arrived home on the Monday - and then had an epic Indian wedding that weekend! Yesterday was our first day actually at home since before the wedding!! The photos are beautiful!! We are busy sharing them with family and friends and those who have seen them so far love them! There are so many moments I obviously missed because I was either upstairs or elsewhere - I now have a full picture of the day! I still can't believe what amazing weather we had - and that was the last thing on my mind! The wedding we went to last weekend was.....very different to ours! I emailed Mark last week and told him how they had 4 (!) photographers, dressed all in black with branded t-shirts and 2 videographer guys! They just got in the way! Thank you for being pretty much invisible! We are going to look into buying an album over the next few days and are going to order some prints via the gallery. Thanks so much! x Hayley
Owen and Ciara
Photo by Jordanna Marston
Jordanna, these are amazing!!! Such a stunning set of photos!! Wow, you’ve really managed to capture the whole day here! So many beautiful moments, some of which we’d even forgotten about. Thanks you so much!! We really appreciate you putting so much effort into our day, and bringing Ally with you as well. And we massively appreciate the amount of effort you’ve put into getting these all ready for us! We couldn’t be happier with how they’ve come out :) We also love how you’ve captured all the decorations and details in the venue! So nice to have some great shots of these. Thanks again for all this, it’s massively appreciated! Looking forward to sharing the photos with our families. Lots of love, O & C xx
Teri and Michael
Photo by Neil Thurston
Thank you so incredibly much for everything! Everyone that sees our pictures says WOW! and that we just radiate happiness, and that is the perfect compliment because that's exactly how we felt and you captured it perfectly! We will cherish these photos forever. Hopefully our paths cross again one day, perhaps for family photos!
WPJA contest judges have been recognized by their industry peers, winning top awards as staff picture editors, staff photojournalists, and newsroom mentors while working for these and other leading publications and journalism organizations.
