Meet Alicia D’Elia | Elopement & Wedding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alicia D’Elia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alicia, why did you pursue a creative career?
I never enjoyed doing something that required me to stay within a “box” – limitations are not for me. Pursuing a photography career has allowed me to have the freedom to do something I love while continuing to evolve. But in all honesty, I didn’t grow up expecting to run my own photography business. Once I picked up a camera enough to realize I absolutely loved to document life’s moments, there was no stopping me from turning my hobby into a career. The beautiful thing about art is that there’s no wrong way to do it and that’s what I fell in love with the most. Creating my own art while being my own boss, there’s nothing better!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The number one thing that I think sets me apart from others is myself. There’s an endless amount of people out there in this world that can take a photograph but I think it’s the person behind the camera that makes the difference. I’m a silly, go with the flow kind of person and I think it’s reflected in my photos. Candid and authentic moments are my absolute favorite to capture. When couples hire me, they know that they’re in for a good time – with no pressure to awkwardly pose for my camera.

Getting to this point professionally has not been easy. It’s taken a lot of work. I’ve been running my business for about 7 years now and each year brings new lessons to learn. I am 100% self taught so in the beginning, there were a lot of challenges I had to overcome along with countless late nights spent learning all of my camera functions and practicing my editing technique. The wedding photography world looked a lot different 7 years ago. Social media was still evolving in the marketing world and photography workshops were basically non-existent at that point. So I had to work my butt off to get my name out there through word of mouth and teach myself everything on the business side that I needed to know in order to do my job. Google and YouTube were my best friends at the time. Now, my biggest challenge is maintaining a healthy work-life balance. 2021 has been the year for weddings and I’ve never been busier. While I’m beyond grateful for my business thriving, I am also doing my best to not burn out. Dedicating time off has become a priority in order for me so that I can be the best version of myself for my clients.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned along the way is that I’m not the perfect photographer for every couple, and that’s ok. Sure, pretty photos are always great but there’s much more to wedding photography than the end result. Most people don’t realize that the photographer is the one person the couple will spend most of their time with on their wedding day. Not only that, there’s a good amount of time spent getting to know each person along the way. It’s not just business, it’s personal too. I can’t expect a couple to open up to me if they don’t feel comfortable enough. So it’s all about vibing with each other.

I think one of the biggest things someone can take away from me and my story is that you can pursue your dream. Even if it doesn’t perfectly fit into what others expect from you. You can turn your dream into a goal. It’s not always going to be easy but it will always be worth it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The thing I love about Denver is that there are so many things to do in the city along with being close enough to the mountains for outdoor activities. I’m a big foodie and love a good drink. Denver has a lot to offer when it comes to all of that! When downtown, visiting Union Station is a great place to start. The building itself is beautiful and there are a number of restaurants I enjoy going to. Snooze is so good for breakfast/brunch and Cooper Lounge on the 2nd floor is amazing for some fun fancy cocktails. My husband and I love going to baseball and hockey games so depending on the time of year, you can find us cheering on the Rockies or Avalanche! I’m a big fan of markets that are inclusive of small, local businesses. The Milk Market and Central Market are great places to grab drinks and food. Along with the cute little shops selling apparel, I’m a sucker for a good hat! If there’s not a lot of time in the day to check out all of downtown, I always recommend checking out the Rino area. If you’re a beer lover – this is the area you want to check out! So many good breweries and of course restaurants and coffee shops. Some of my favorites places over there are Ratio Beerworks, Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company, Stem Ciders, Hop Alley, Mister Oso, Barcelona Wine Bar, Death & Co, Honey Elixir Bar, Stowaway Kitchen and Cream Coffee House. There’s even a great local sake bar in the area called Colorado Sake Co. If you love sushi and are able to venture out of downtown, Izakaya Den is amazing! It located in a cute neighborhood with plenty of other restaurants nearby. Another area I love is Cherry Creek. It’s a prime area for shopping – Inspire Boutique is my favorite – and they have plenty of other restaurants over there too. I also love to bring people over to the Highlands neighborhood. Little Man Ice Cream is a must in the summer. Be prepared though, the line gets long! The Maine Shack has super yummy lobster rolls, the Truffle table is great for cheese and wine, El Five is a beautiful rooftop tapas restaurant that has amazing views of the city, and of course we can’t forget Avanti – a huge venue with an array of food and beverage vendors. It’s a great place to spend a night out with friends.

For spending time outdoors, I love taking walks at Washington Park. Such pretty views of the mountains and there’s always people out there playing volleyball or throwing the ball with their dogs. Then venturing off into the mountains is of course necessary since we’re only a 30 minute drive from those incredible views. There’s nothing like a pretty day hike in the Rocky Mountains!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout is absolutely dedicated to my husband, Byron. He has been with me since the start of my business. Not only has he been my support system morally, he’s also been there with me on wedding days as my 2nd shooter. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without him. Also, I have to recognize that I wouldn’t be where I am today without my amazing clients. I’ve had the chance to meet so many incredible people because of this job and they’ve always supported me along the way. I can’t thank them all enough!

Website: www.aliciadelia.com

Instagram: aliciadeliaphoto

Facebook: Alicia D’Elia Photography