Washington DC, Maryland, & Northern Virginia Wedding & Portrait Photographer

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ABOUT

I work to honor your vision, to serve you and your families, and to capture the intimate moments of love and joy, both curated and candid, throughout the day. I am an artist, a professional at my craft, and a business owner, but I am also a wife, a mom, and was once a bride, too. I care about the story of your love, your wedding day, and the joining of your families.  

When you are hiring your wedding photographer, you are hiring more than a person to show up on your wedding day. You are hiring someone who will connect and work with you over the next 12+ months, pre and post wedding day. I will work with your team of vendors to ensure the day runs smoothly, so you can enjoy your day being fully present and confident that absolutely nothing is missed. 

WEDDING DAY

SERVING YOU ON YOUR

& the beginning of your life-long journey in marriage

You're in the right place

If you love an old school first look, Cathedral veils, & Bountiful Florals

Hello! My name is Alexis El Massih and I am wedding photographer serving Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, and destinations beyond. My Mediterranean roots run deep and inspire my love for classical art, family traditions, good food, and ancient faiths. My work honors the journey of marriage with a nostalgic, story-telling feel. 

My last two years of high school were consumed by an intensive photographic film study that I absolutely loved. My parents were shocked when I won and turned down a full ride photography scholarship. Four years later, I graduated college with a Literature and History degree, a full calendar year of weddings booked, and decided then to make my wedding photography business official. I have since moved my photography business two times - from New England to the Tri-State area and then from the Tri-State area to the DMV. 

I genuinely love my career as a wedding photographer.  I love the dynamic opportunities a wedding day offers for both hands-on creativity and documentary style photography. I spend anywhere from 60 - 80 hours per wedding and get to know couples (and often their families) very well. And honestly, that is my favorite part. 

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- Brendan & Maria

 Alexis is the first person we booked when we got engaged- I knew from the beginning that I wanted her capturing our special day!! Her attention to detail and beautiful artwork is exactly what we were looking for and she is the sweetest human there is. Alexis made us feel comfortable throughout our engagement photos and wedding and we couldn't have asked for anyone better! We love Alexis so so much and were extremely blessed to have her on our special day!

-Greg & Julianna

I cannot speak highly enough about Alexis! Having seen her work for years, she was the only photographer I reached out to when planning our engagement and wedding photos. When the pandemic forced us to scale down our original wedding plans, Alexis created and executed our entire wedding day timeline. She kept everything and everyone organized over the course of the day. During any ‘posed' photos, Alexis provided incredible guidance and made my husband and I, who had never been professionally photographed, feel so comfortable. We had an absolute blast during the sessions! On top of everything, her turn around time for sneak peeks and the full gallery were incredibly fast. I would recommend Alexis to anyone and everyone for wedding photographer!

-Brad & Kristen

We had an amazing experience working with Alexis!!! From beginning to end, she was friendly, incredibly communicative and made us feel comfortable. She did our engagement shoot and wedding day and we had a great time getting to know her. The pictures are awesome and her prices were incredibly reasonable for all of the time and energy she puts into everything. I would highly recommend!!!

Soulful Moments Exquisitely Photographed

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The Moments

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The Moments

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The Moments

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The Moments

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The Moments

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The Moments

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The Moments

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The Moments

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The Moments

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WHAT TO EXPECT –

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LET's CONNECT

The first step in this process begins with a call. I want to hear all about the two of you, how you met, the vision for your wedding day, and what you are looking for. We will get to know each other and ensure that we are a great fit. 


Save the Date

After our conversation, I will send you a customized proposal for booking your wedding date. You will be able to review your wedding collection, sign the contract, and make a non-refundable reservation payment. Once both are complete, your wedding date is officially booked! We will begin planning your engagement session, bridal session, and wedding day! 

support along the way

Couples book me up to two years out and often have many questions that arise between booking and wedding day. I am here as a resource beyond photography—whether you're looking for engagement session outfit recommendations, timeline advice, or vendor referrals. Even if you're working with a wedding planner or you're planning a simple wedding, there are likely still a lot of moving pieces left leading up to your big day. I've photographed more than 100 weddings in the past few years and I'm happy to share everything I've learned along the way! 

Engagement Session

I'm a big fan of engagement sessions for a few reasons. Not only do they allow you to get comfortable in front of the camera, they also give you the opportunity to showcase your personalities in a more casual setting that is significant to the two of you. 

Your engagement session can take place anywhere from immediately following your proposal to just a few days before your wedding. I've found that there isn’t a “good” or “bad” time to take your photos. I normally plan sessions based on a particular “look” a couple has in mind, spring flowers for example, or based on schedules. 

Wedding Day Prep

I check-in about two months before the wedding to start chatting about timeline specifics, special details, family formal shot lists, special traditions and anything else I should know about your big day. 

While I normally don't send this questionnaire until closer to the wedding, please don't hesitate to let me know if you have questions during the planning process!

The Big Day

It's finally here! The day the two of you say "I Do" and dance the night away surrounded by your family and friends.

I arrive with the biggest squeezy hug and check in to see how you are doing and what you need. I am there to help reapply lipstick while also slipping in the back to capture those precious moments with your grandma. You may also catch a few tears behind my camera during those parent dances. It's going to be so beautiful and I cannot wait to capture it all! 

Photo Delivery

You can expect a gallery full of teasers within 48 hours of your wedding day! (I mean really, how could anyone wait??) Your full gallery will be delivered via an online gallery within four to five weeks of your wedding. At that time, I'll also send over details about preserving your images through prints and albums. 

My relationship with couples do not end after gallery delivery. The greatest joy of my career has been photographing milestones for my couples beyond their wedding day. I am here to capture your life journey from babies and baptisms to 50th anniversaries! 

We love your work and we’re ready to book! What’s the next step?

Yay! To reserve your wedding date, I’ll need a completed contract and a 30% non-refundable deposit. If you don’t have a contract yet, just let me know and I’ll send one over! Once the above are received, we start planning your engagement session!

How many photos are typically included and can we print the photos ourselves?

Galleries typically include anywhere between 600 and 1200 photos. The exact amount varies from wedding to wedding. Your online gallery will come loaded with fully edited high resolution images you can print anywhere. You’re also welcome to share your wedding photos on social media!

When do you charge travel fees?

I typically add travel fees on to any wedding outside of a 80 mile radius from my home in Warrenton, Virginia. Fees vary depending on location so ask me for more details.

What if it rains on our wedding day?

This scenario can be so romantic and dreamy, so don't panic. We will be sure there is wiggle room in the timeline, a backup portrait location, and of course, picture perfect umbrellas (which I always have with me *just in case*). Bonus if you get rain after the sun goes down - we can get the most magical, backlit portraits! Your wedding day is going to be perfect!

My venue is really dark - can you photograph that?

Absolutely. I have photographed hundreds of weddings in all different types of venues and settings, from dark historic cathedrals to dimly lit barns. There is no lighting scenario we can't work with. 

Is video included? CAn I add video?

 I have a fantastic list of videography referrals for you! Let me know if you are interested and what type of video style you are looking for. I have experience with so many great teams to send your way!

CAn I customize a package?

Yes! My business exists to serve you on your wedding day and I am always happy to put together a custom collection that better serves your needs. Inquire with me below and let me know what you are looking for within your wedding photography experience.

Can we meet with you before we book?

Yes! In fact, you may click the link below to schedule a virtual coffee. I would love to put a voice to the name, learn more about the two of you, share more details with you in real time, and answer any questions you may have!

We aren't working with a planner. Can you help us put together our timeline?

No planner? No problem. I am always happy to help put together a timeline for your day.  We will schedule a call to walk through each part of the day, so you can rest assured that nothing is forgotten and you will also be able to allot times for other vendors. Your vendor team and I will also be in close communication to make everything happen in the background, so you will be able to be fully present and enjoy your day! 

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-Sean & Nicole

I've always wanted Alexis to take my pictures, even before my fiancé was in the picture! I love that her photos are bright, full of life, and natural beauty! Going into our engagement session, I was nervous that we wouldn't look natural and that ended up being the furthest from the truth. Alexis was able to capture the most natural smiles and the fun we had with her really showed! I wish I hadn't stressed so much beforehand, because the photos turned out magical and I felt like a princess with her prince! We will cherish these photos and this time forever!

-John & Kerri

Hiring Alexis to be our wedding photographer was the best - and easiest - decision we made in the wedding planning process. We intend to hire her for milestone events in the future. Alexis’ talent is beyond words. During our engagement photo shoot in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood, she literally stopped traffic for us to take a photograph while crossing the street. She coached us through it and the photographs turned out amazing. During the final session on our wedding day, not only did she make us look like vintage film stars, but she captured the essence of our passion, laughter, and love. In short, Alexis was able to capture “us” as a couple. 

-Patrick & Eileen

"It's hard for me to put into words just how wonderful Alexis is to us! We connected from the very beginning and she understood exactly what was important to capture on our wedding day. She took her time answering our questions and was there for us throughout our engagement. We felt so comfortable photographing with her as if we had all been friends forever! When our wedding day came around with light rain, Alexis was there with her red rain boots and let me borrow them for what turned out to be our favorite wedding photos! It is obvious that she has an eye for photography, but the quality of work is like nothing else we've seen - absolutely stunning. We are so grateful we met her and have now had the opportunity to work with her again as our little family has grown!"

8 hours of wedding day photography coverage, a second photographer, and unlimited love and support. Packages are customized further to meet the needs of every couple.

Wedding collections begin at $4,800
Photo + Video collections begin at $8500

BOOK A CALL

The Investment

ALL WEDDING COLLECTIONS INCLUDE:

INQUIRE ABOUT YOUR DATE

Thank you!
we'll be in touch soon! 

I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Get in touch! 

This contact form is the best way to reach me, or you can email me directly at alexiselmassih@gmail.com.