MARRIED: A Small & Classic Gallery Ceremony in Richmond’s Arts District
An elegant, minimal, meaningful wedding in Richmond VA’s Arts District
Things have been weird, to say the least.
The year has brought copious amounts of despair, frustration, and boredom. Many of us have been stuck in a purgatory of social house arrest, either figuring out how to be as virtual as possible, or growing our “bubbles” to have small gatherings. People planning their events have had to reschedule, cancel, and reevaluate. 2020 could have been a heck of a lot less rude, but she gave us a reality check: what do we do this for? Who do we do this for? Couples who had big, elaborate ceremonies have had to decide where to let go: have a small ceremony now, have a big ceremony later (when is later)? What do we not need to do; what feels the most important? This bittersweet self reflection, as it turns out, has been a gift.
It has been so sweet to see couples, along with their families and friends, come together (however that looks) to reprioritize what has always been the core of an industry evolved to embody materialism and excess. The weddings we’ve photographed, and the weddings we’ve seen on our screens, have much more weight to them this season. Those who have decided to commit to their date have focused on what means the most to them, which is exactly why we celebrate the sacred bond between two people, two families, and two futures. We’ve seen tiny dance parties, trips to the beach, intimate backyard dinners, and breathtaking elopements. What’s in the center is the joy of human connection. In these photos, it becomes clear that when the darkness seems endless, it can be easier to see when light cracks through. And that’s why we’re obsessed with what we do. We follow that light, and there’s so much of it to be grateful for in this dumpster fire of a year.
Leb and DJ exemplified this light. For a pair who’s been together for quite some time without the need to make it traditionally “official,” things felt different. Not only was “now” potentially the only time that some out-of-town family members might be able to witness their union, but there was something else: Leb and DJ planned to wed in a political climate that, for some couples, brought extra uncertainty. Now felt like a better time than ever, even the only time, to go through with the formality of an official ceremony for the foreseeable future. They gathered a handful of their closest family and friends at Candela Gallery, a photo gallery close to Leb’s (and Whitney’s*) heart. Their ceremony cut straight to the chase, and they were quickly, sweetly joined in marriage amid applause from their loved ones.
There was a buzzing of joy and congratulatory wishes as the guests, dressed in black and white, posed for photos with the newlyweds among colorful collages on the walls. Friends laughed and little ones spun around on the open floor while Leb and DJ took time with each family member. As each person left, they carried the energy out onto the street. The two remained in the calm quiet of the gallery, coming down from the high of brief and bustling excitement.
We collected ourselves and headed out into the warm October air. We paused in alleys, doorways, on rooftops, and in courtyards, all the while taking it easy and enjoying the time. This is what it was all about. There was a lighthearted, calm confidence between the newlyweds. While they looked sharp and elegant dressed in monochrome, their chemistry and love was what showed the most; they were present for one another, for us, and open to wherever the afternoon took us (which, through the kindness of a literal masked stranger, included a surprise divergence in a certain well-loved hotel). There were no worries over schedules, decorations, or unnecessary fanfare, only space for the two of them to enjoy what mattered most. We ended our time back at the gallery, with its wooden floors warmed by afternoon light, its small pops of color scattered around the walls, and the echo of our goodbyes dancing around the nooks and crannies. Leb and DJ set off for the first time as a married pair, and two sisters locked up, chattering about being part of something so beautifully minimal and meaningful.
We are grateful: grateful for the relationships that bring us to photographing your most celebrated moments, for your trust in us to show up and document, for being able to witness the intimacy of your love, for having been able to do all of this as a very small and growing business in a dark year. We are grateful for your light, and we hope to continue chasing it into better years ahead.
Did you love Leb + DJ’s photos as much as we did? If you’d like to talk to us about photographing your own elopement or small wedding, send us an email to inquire and book your own experience.
*Whitney works at Candela Gallery when she’s not behind the scenes for The Cole Sisters
