While some people live for the hustle and bustle of a big wedding with extravagant décor and an impossibly long guest list, others find these kinds of weddings to be too much hoopla, preferring instead something simpler and quieter, allowing for more intimacy between them and their fiancés on this special day. So how do you infuse your wedding with all the romance but none of the fuss? ALONE AT LAST Many couples these days are opting to elope rather than planning a large wedding. For the no-...Read more
Are you planning a short-notice, small wedding or elopement?
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS OPEN DURING COVID-19 - 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!
Richmond Wedding Photographers
Wedding Photographers of Richmond, Virginia
Richmond Elopement Photographers
YOU CAN'T STOP LOVE - In recent days, some of our United States photographers 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 covid 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 Richmond 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 fast, secret, DIY - do it yourself, 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 symbolic, outdoor, modern, 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 Richmond Couples
3 Documentary Wedding Photographers...
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)
After eight years as a newspaper staff photographer and a lifetime passion for photography, Heather moved into weddings full time in 2008. Her husband Rob (still a staff photographer) is often a second shooter and photographs a few on his own each year. They both LOVE to travel and currently call Virginia home so they stay around the DC, Eastern Shore, and Outer Banks area most of the time. Heather limits herself to 20-30 weddings a year (and Rob does less) so they can provide the personal attention to every couple that they are known for and artistically capture the unique moments & details that make every wedding special alongside fun and often candid portraits. True photojournalists at heart, they work unobtrusively so you can be free to enjoy the day instead of "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 has captured hundreds of wedding stories since 2003. Both are graduates from Ohio University's prestigious Visual Communications program (where they met at the school's newspaper), taught at Truth with a Camera, and were accepted to attend the Eddie Adams Workshop in consecutive years. Heather was named Virginia's Small Newspaper Photographer of the Year and has won numerous awards for her lifestyle, sports, and wedding photography over the years. [Newport News Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
2999 (USD)
I began my career in photography differently than other photographers in Raleigh. It started with editorial photography (ask me about it, it’s a funny story) and began photographing weddings shortly afterward. I’ve spent most of my life involved with visual arts in some way. My background in photography, cinematography & concert lighting all have shaped my photographic style & vision. Photographs are different than any other medium. They let us explore our visceral connection to that specific moment, filling in the small details from your mind. This connects you with your wedding photos in ways I can’t describe but are very personal to you. I create beautiful imagery you are intrinsically linked with, not just being a prop in. Pursuing this achievement is what fills my soul as a wedding photographer. Brian has two amazing children, Hudson & Holland, and live in Holly Springs, NC. His kids have lived their entire life in NC but Brian takes them on road trips as often as possible. From a tour of the up & down the east coast, while shooting for Amazon to a trip to Disney World, he tries to show his kids what a big world we live in. When Brian isn’t working he is passionate about Scuba diving (he is a master scuba diver trainer) and spends as much time underwater as he can (so if he doesn’t answer your phone call he may be slightly unavailable) [Raleigh Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
3499 (USD)
Wedding Venues from Richmond
Please select a venue below to view all associated winning photos.
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WPJA Communiqué: Features
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
Some couples, as they begin planning for their weddings, might think that they are limited to the classic locations: churches, gardens, beaches, or even Las Vegas. But in doing so they’re missing out on a multitude of unique options that might suit their personalities much better! Why limit yourself to a quiet, quaint ceremony when your adventurous heart may be calling out for something more? An entirely different genre of wedding, so to speak, is the adventure wedding elopement. This concept...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
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
Not everyone has a lagoon or glacier next door, but there's no rule saying you can't have a small wedding in the great outdoors. Take advantage of natural sunshine and that open, airy feeling and give your guests some room to breathe! LESS IS MORE Instead of hemming your guests in on all sides, give them some elbow room, and legroom, too. There's no need to induce claustrophobia when you've got a wide, open space. Let your guests take in the view, especially if you've got a spectacular one. You...Read more
RAVES, REVIEWS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
