Hi, I'm Alysa
(that's uh-lee-sah)

I’m a Virginia-based elopement and microwedding photographer. I photograph people who are done doing things the expected way and have decided their wedding should actually feel like them.

Audrey Hepburn. Lorelai Gilmore. A little bit of Shawn Spencer. Halfway between Leslie Knope and April Ludgate. A spontaneous adventurer who is always transfixed by the mountains. I have tattoos, a collection of vinyl, and an absurdly eclectic taste in music. Lucky enough to be married to my soulmate, who I met on an ambulance. I’m an animal lover, always.

I’m not your ordinary photographer. I get you, and why you want to elope in a national park or somewhere you can be surrounded by nature. I’m super awkward, but I’ll make you laugh and help you feel comfortable in front of the camera.

You can usually find me lost in the fog in the forests of Shenandoah, chasing sunrises and sunsets on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or sitting at the bottom of a peaceful waterfall with mud on my boots.

How I got here

I picked up my first camera when I was 15 and never wanted to put it down. It always felt right to hold — I can’t really explain why. To me, photography stops a moment in time.

The world is too loud. People are always rushing and moving. But time stops with a camera in your hands. You can see the world. Truly, genuinely see it.

I was the girl on the yearbook staff in high school, capturing moments no one else saw. I took photography courses as electives in college even though I was a psych major — eventually going on to get my Master of Education and teach elementary school for a few years. Through all of it, photography stayed.

It stayed as a way to explore and adventure out. On weekends I’d drive out to Virginia’s parks, camera in hand, chasing sunrises and sunsets, photographing wildlife and landscapes, finding something quieter than the rest of the week. One of those parks was Shenandoah National Park. I’ve spent years hiking and photographing there, and it’s a genuinely special place — the kind that changes you a little each time you go.

That’s how I found myself here: planning and photographing adventure elopements in Virginia’s mountains. Virginia, particularly the Shenandoah and Blue Ridge mountains, is such an incredible place. It’s a place that I know and love deeply. And I can’t wait to share that with you on your adventure elopement.

My approach

Documentary-first. I watch for the real moments — the nervous laugh before your vows, the hand-squeeze when nobody’s looking, the exhale when it’s finally done. We’ll make some beautiful portraits too, but those small, true moments are what I’m really after.

Why elopements and microweddings

When you strip away the audience and the timeline, people exhale. They arrive. The day stops being a performance and becomes something you’re actually inside of — and that realness is the thing I’m always chasing with my camera.

Working together

Beyond the photos, I want you to feel supported — locations, timing, permits, light, and what to expect in different seasons. Bring me your questions; we’ll figure it out together. If you want a photographer who’s genuinely excited about your day, let’s talk.