Ever since the pandemic, intimate elopements or just elopements, in general, have grown to be something more and more couples are doing. It’s a great way to save a bit of money, and still have all the magic of celebrating your love. When it comes to Andrew and Allison, that’s exactly what they wanted. Something very intimate and small right in downtown. With getting married in mind, these two booked me spontaneously to have me capture their love story. We decided that the perfect place to do this was the Virginia State Capitol. Allison is actually a lobbyist so it seemed like the perfect solution! They had their intimate downtown Virginia elopement surrounded by family and it was the most beautiful day. I am so excited to share with you these photos!

Getting Ready & First Look

We started off the day just by having them both getting ready. In all actuality they only spent about 10-15 minutes getting ready. We love that – lol! From the hotel where they were getting ready, Allison and I made our way to meet up with Andrew for their first look. Now if you know me, you know I love first looks. I don’t know, something about them just leaves so much room for intimacy between the couple and truly makes my heart warm every time. During Andrew and Allison’s first look you could really see how gentle and genuine their love was for one another. Ugh, but before I get too sappy… let’s keep going!

Intimate Wedding Ceremony

Shortly after their first look, we made our way to their ceremony at the Virginia State Capitol. A lot of the time you will find ceremonies closer to the early evening time, around 5 pm. For Allison and Andrew, they had a traditional Greek ceremony at 2:45 pm. It is a Greek tradition to get married while the clock is moving upward. This essentially means that one hand of the clock is moving upwards rather than downwards. So an afternoon ceremony it is!

They had a very small intimate ceremony, just surrounded by both of their parents and of course… me! It was a sweet moment just seeing both sides of the family coming together and connecting for this sweet celebration. 

Beers & Bars

After the ceremony, we walked throughout the downtown area really soaking up that new marriage high. Allison and Andrew really were riding on cloud 9 and it is SO apparent. Like I mentioned before, they really wanted their portraits to be more journalistic and candid so a ton of movement and natural reactions is key! 

We ended the night by walking down to a nearby bar where these two newlyweds shared a few beers. The ultimate way to end a wedding night! This bar is actually a bar that Andrew and Allison frequently visit. At this bar, they have experienced many memories and have actually taken photos during different events in the same exact spot every time. Naturally, for their wedding day, it was an absolute must to get these two a photo in the same spot to continue the tradition.

It was a short day with Andrew and Allison, but it truly felt like we were with each other for hours. Despite the fact that it was an intimate elopement, it was still just as special as any other wedding. That’s kind of the whole point. Use this as inspiration that you don’t need to have those big extravagant weddings to share and celebrate your love. Whether it be in a backyard ceremony, in front of the Virginia State Capitol, or in a giant ballroom. What matters is your love!

If you’re loving this Intimate Downtown Virginia Elopement, then check out this blog here!