Engagement Sessions
Why do an engagement session?
Engagement sessions are one of my favorite parts of the wedding planning process and a crucial way for us to get to know one another! I love that they allow the two of you the time to shine in a more casual way, capture your love and excitement during this fleeting time of your life, and of course, practice for your wedding day!
The Details
Engagement sessions are scheduled on weekdays, usually within the final two hours before sunset when the light is perfect and glowy. For the location of your engagement session, the world is your oyster - if you’d like to do something destination, let’s chat about a custom travel quote - my passport is always ready! I love when my couples choose a location that has meaning to them, however if you don’t have a specific place in mind, I have many great suggestions depending on the type of background or setting that appeals to you.
Heirloom Albums & Prints
The art that we create together on your wedding day deserves to be seen and cherished regularly, which is why I strongly believe that your images should not just live on your computer in digital form, lost in the endless iPhoto stream that we all have and never look at.
The perfect way to make sure that your beautiful wedding images live out their full purpose is to create an heirloom wedding album - your very first as a married couple! I suspect that you have fond memories of paging through your parents’ wedding album as a child and marveling over how young and in love they looked. (I know I do!) Similarly, your wedding album will be a family heirloom that can be passed down generations and stand as a testimonial to your love story and the origins of your new family.
What you can expect from me
as your wedding photographer
I am a hybrid film and digital photographer specializing in fine art photography for the discerning client who truly has a passion for beautiful imagery and authentic emotion.
My photography style blends both timeless, beautiful portraiture and candid, natural moments - I aim to capture each of these moments with an artistic and editorial eye, to create images that will tell your love story for generations to come.
Sample Wedding Galleries
Sara & Ryan
Sara & Ryan hosted their fall wedding at Dumbarton House in Washington DC. Prior to the ceremony, they met in the gardens at their venue for their emotional first look, before heading to the outdoor chuppah for their ceremony. After the ceremony, they invited their guests into the sunken garden for cocktails, before heading into the tent and ballroom for an evening of delicious food and energetic dancing.
Cristy & Mike
Cristy & Mike hosted their early fall wedding at the beautiful Meridian House in Washington DC - a true historical enclave in the heart of DC. After their ceremony at their home church, they met in the gardens at Meridian House for their portraits before joining their guests for cocktail hour under the Linden Grove. Finally, everyone was welcomed into the ballroom and library for a delicious seated dinner and dancing the night away!
WELCOME TO YOUR CUSTOM PROPOSAL
Sagamore Pendry Hotel, Baltimore, MD - December 29, 2023
Below you will find information, reviews, sample images from recent weddings, and a photography package custom curated to fit what you’re looking for from your wedding photographer.
Wedding C0llections
This Collection includes everything for a full day of coverage: It has 7 hours of coverage to capture every moment from getting ready to the open dance floor. It also includes a second photographer to ensure that no moments are missed.
7 Hours of Wedding Day Photography Coverage
2nd Photographer on the Wedding Day
Password protected online gallery of all images
11 x 14 high resolution downloads of images with print release
1 year cloud storage of wedding gallery
5885
Sample Wedding Galleries
meryl & josh
Meryl and Josh hosted their lush, colorful spring wedding at Anderson House in Washington DC. Prior to the ceremony, they got ready at the classic Willard Hotel, where Meryl’s father escorted her to their emotional first look. They then took a vintage car ride to the Anderson House, where we took couple’s portraits before joining their guests in the ornate upstairs gallery for their wedding ceremony and dinner and dancing in the stunning ballroom festooned with vibrant florals by Holly Chapple.
natalia & pablo
Natalia and Pablo hosted their late spring wedding at Washington National Cathedral in Washington DC. Natalia had always dreamed of getting married at the Cathedral, and while it was a rainy day, the beautiful architecture of the Cathedral provided the perfect backdrop to their vows and emotional portraits. After exiting the Cathedral through a curtain of lavender tossed by their guests, the wedding attendees headed to the stunning DAR for an intimate candlelit dinner to celebrate the newlyweds.
Sample Wedding Galleries
Holly & Nick
Holly and Nick escaped to beautiful Middleburg, Virginia to celebrate their marriage with their family and friends on the most gorgeous fall weekend. After an intimate sunset rehearsal dinner at Goodstone Inn, the party gathered at Red Fox Inn for a moving wedding ceremony, a gourmet meal accompanied by emotional speeches, and a energetic dance party to finish out the evening.
Melanie & david
Melanie and David married at Glenview Mansion in Rockville, MD. After their intimate first look in the magnificent Glenview gardens, the couple met their guests on the upper terrace for a pre-ceremony cocktail hour to sign their Ketubah and hold the traditional Jewish Tisch and Bedeken. Right at sunset, they spoke their vows under a floral bedecked chuppah before dancing out of their ceremony accompanied by their guests as they led everyone to a smilax-laden clear tent to party under the stars.
Sample Wedding Galleries
Natalia & Pablo
Natalia and Pablo hosted their late spring wedding at Washington National Cathedral in Washington DC. Natalia had always dreamed of getting married at the Cathedral, and while it was a rainy day, the beautiful architecture of the Cathedral provided the perfect backdrop to their vows and emotional portraits. After exiting the Cathedral through a curtain of lavender tossed by their guests, the wedding attendees headed to the stunning DAR for an intimate candlelit dinner to celebrate the newlyweds.
Mk & Ryan
MK & Ryan hosted their traditional black tie, DC-themed wedding at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC, where they also got ready prior to their ceremony. They had a Catholic wedding ceremony in a downtown church, then traveled by trolley down to the National Mall to do photos with their wedding party at the Lincoln Memorial, before rejoining their guests for cocktails, dinner and dancing back at the Mayflower.
Heirloom Albums & Prints
The art that we create together on your wedding day deserves to be seen and cherished regularly, which is why I strongly believe that your images should not just live on your computer in digital form, lost in the endless iPhoto stream that we all have and never look at.
The perfect way to make sure that your beautiful wedding images live out their full purpose is to create an heirloom wedding album - your very first as a married couple! I suspect that you have fond memories of paging through your parents’ wedding album as a child and marveling over how young and in love they looked. (I know I do!) Similarly, your wedding album will be a family heirloom that can be passed down generations and stand as a testimonial to your love story and the origins of your new family.
Sample Wedding Galleries
SaraH & Jay
Sarah and Jay got ready at the Rosewood Hotel in Georgetown, and had their emotional first look on the Georgetown Canal, before heading to their church ceremony. After their short ceremony, we captured some photos of their wedding party in the streets of Georgetown, then headed to their historic home venue nearby for more photos in the gardens, cocktail hour, a Mediterranean themed dinner service and plenty of dancing!
Christy & Mike
Cristy & Mike hosted their early fall wedding at the beautiful Meridian House in Washington DC - a true historical enclave in the heart of DC. After their ceremony at their home church, they met in the gardens at Meridian House for their portraits before joining their guests for cocktail hour under the Linden Grove. Finally, everyone was welcomed into the ballroom and library for a delicious seated dinner and dancing the night away!
Wedding C0llections
ONE.
This Collection includes everything for a full day of coverage. It has 8 hours of coverage to capture every moment from getting ready to the open dancing.
8 Hours of Wedding Day Photography Coverage
Password protected online gallery of all images
11 x 14 high resolution downloads of images with print release
1 year cloud storage of wedding gallery
6975
A La Carte
Each Additional Hour of Wedding Photography Coverage on Wedding Day - $450
Second Photographer on Wedding Day - $900
Sample Wedding Galleries
Holly & Nick
Holly and Nick escaped to beautiful Middleburg, Virginia to celebrate their marriage with their family and friends on the most gorgeous fall weekend. After an intimate sunset rehearsal dinner at Goodstone Inn, the party gathered at Red Fox Inn for a moving wedding ceremony, a gourmet meal accompanied by emotional speeches, and a energetic dance party to finish out the evening.
ERICA & Adam
Erica and Adam hosted their traditional black tie wedding in the early fall at the iconic Willard Hotel in Washington DC. The couple opted for an emotional first look in the hotel’s marble portico before crossing town to their church ceremony at St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill. After an outdoor cocktail hour in the breezeway of the Willard, the party adjourned to the ballroom for an elegant dinner and an evening of dancing the night away led by the fabulous DJ Ryan Kersey!
Sample Wedding Gallery
Erica & Adam
Erica and Adam hosted their traditional black tie wedding in the early fall at the iconic Willard Hotel in Washington DC. The couple opted for a sweet first look in the hotel’s marble portico before crossing town to their church ceremony at St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill. After an outdoor cocktail hour in the breezeway of the Willard, the party adjourned to the ballroom for an elegant dinner and an evening of dancing the night away led by the fabulous DJ Ryan Kersey!
Lindsay & Adam
Lindsay and Adam hosted their gorgeous fall wedding at the iconic Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington DC. They shared an emotional first look and portraits around the lovely marble exterior of the hotel. After their Jewish-fusion ceremony - at which there wasn’t a dry eye in attendance! - the couple welcomed their guests into the Willard Room for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, before returning to the Crystal Room for a delicious dinner and dancing the night away!
Sample Wedding Galleries
Sarah & Jay
Sarah and Jay got ready at the Rosewood Hotel in Georgetown, and had their emotional first look on the Georgetown Canal, before heading to their church ceremony. After their short ceremony, we captured some photos of their wedding party in the streets of Georgetown, then headed to their historic home venue nearby for more photos in the gardens, cocktail hour, a Mediterranean themed dinner service and plenty of dancing!
Mk & Ryan
MK & Ryan hosted their traditional black tie, DC-themed wedding at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC, where they also got ready prior to their ceremony. They had a Catholic wedding ceremony in a downtown church, then traveled by trolley down to the National Mall to do photos with their wedding party at the Lincoln Memorial, before rejoining their guests for cocktails, dinner and dancing back at the Mayflower.
Sample Wedding Galleries
Sara & Ryan
Sara & Ryan hosted their fall wedding at Dumbarton House in Washington DC. Prior to the ceremony, they met in the gardens at their venue for their emotional first look, before heading to the outdoor chuppah for their ceremony. After the ceremony, they invited their guests into the sunken garden for cocktails, before heading into the tent and ballroom for an evening of delicious food and energetic dancing.
Cristy & Mike
Cristy & Mike hosted their early fall wedding at the beautiful Meridian House in Washington DC - a true historical enclave in the heart of DC. After their ceremony at their home church, they met in the gardens at Meridian House for their portraits before joining their guests for cocktail hour under the Linden Grove. Finally, everyone was welcomed into the ballroom and library for a delicious seated dinner and dancing the night away!
Sample Wedding Gallery
Lindsay & Adam
Lindsay and Adam hosted their gorgeous fall wedding at the iconic Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington DC. They shared an emotional first look before strolling around the lovely marble exterior of the hotel for their couples’ portraits. After their Jewish-fusion ceremony - at which there wasn’t a dry eye in attendance! - the couple welcomed their guests into the Willard Room for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, before returning to the Crystal Room for a delicious dinner and dancing the night away!
Your Love Story…
Welcome - I am so glad you’re here! I cannot wait to make images with you that tell the story of the beginning of your marriage - from documenting the excitement and anticipation of your engagement to the vast array of emotions of your wedding day as you become a new family together. My hope is that years from now, the images that we make together will take you right back to these incredible and fleeting moments in time and remind you of why you chose to walk together through life.
Wedding C0llections
ONE.
This Collection includes everything for a full day of coverage. It has 8 hours of coverage to capture every moment from getting ready to the open dance floor. It also includes a second photographer to ensure that no moments are missed.
8 Hours of Wedding Day Photography Coverage
2nd Photographer on the Wedding Day
Password protected online gallery of all images
11 x 14 high resolution downloads of images with print release
1 year cloud storage of wedding gallery
6685
TWO.
This Collection includes an extra hour of wedding day coverage and an engagement session. The extra hour of coverage provides a bit more flexibility on your day to make sure you never feel rushed, in case dinner runs long as people chat face to face for the first time in so long, and you take the time to circulate the room to greet everyone individually.
1 Hour Weekday Engagement Session (1 location)
9 Hours of Wedding Day Photography Coverage
2nd Photographer on the Wedding Day
Password protected online gallery of all images
11 x 14 high resolution downloads of images with print release
1 year cloud storage of wedding gallery
7565
THREE.
This Collection includes a print credit that can be used to purchase heirloom albums or fine art prints through your final wedding gallery - the print credit included is equal to the value of an 8x8 album with 10 spreads - albums can be upgraded at an additional cost at time of ordering.
1 Hour Weekday Engagement Session
9 Hours of Wedding Day Coverage
2nd Photographer on the Wedding Day
Password protected online gallery of all images
11 x 14 high resolution downloads of images with print release
1 year cloud storage of wedding gallery
$1000 print credit applicable to a fine art album or prints
8365
Sample Wedding Galleries
Anne & JonatHan
Anne and Jonathan hosted their early spring wedding at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Washington DC. After an emotional first look outside the iconic Blue Duck doors, the bride and groom headed downtown for photos on the National Mall, before coming back to the Park Hyatt for their ketubah signing, ceremony, and dancing the night away!
Leah & Justin
Leah & Justin hosted their classic black tie wedding at the iconic Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC. After their Catholic wedding ceremony, the couple and their wedding party headed to Lafayette Square near the White House for photos, before heading back to the Mayflower to meet their guests for cocktails, dinner and a night full of dancing!
Sample Wedding Gallery
Leah & Justin
Leah & Justin hosted their classic black tie wedding at the iconic Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC. After their Catholic wedding ceremony, the couple and their wedding party headed to Lafayette Square near the White House for photos, before heading back to the Mayflower to meet their guests for cocktails, dinner and a night full of dancing!
Sample Wedding Galleries
meryl & josh
Meryl and Josh hosted their lush, colorful spring wedding at Anderson House in Washington DC. Prior to the ceremony, they got ready at the classic Willard Hotel, where Meryl’s father escorted her to their emotional first look. They then took a vintage car ride to the Anderson House, where we took couple’s portraits before joining their guests in the ornate upstairs gallery for their wedding ceremony and dinner and dancing in the stunning ballroom festooned with vibrant florals by Holly Chapple.
natalia & pablo
Natalia and Pablo hosted their late spring wedding at Washington National Cathedral in Washington DC. Natalia had always dreamed of getting married at the Cathedral, and while it was a rainy day, the beautiful architecture of the Cathedral provided the perfect backdrop to their vows and emotional portraits. After exiting the Cathedral through a curtain of lavender tossed by their guests, the wedding attendees headed to the stunning DAR for an intimate candlelit dinner to celebrate the newlyweds.
Sample Wedding Galleries
Sarah & Jay
Sarah and Jay got ready at the Rosewood Hotel in Georgetown, and had their emotional first look on the Georgetown Canal, before heading to their church ceremony. After their short ceremony, we captured some photos of their wedding party in the streets of Georgetown, then headed to their historic home venue nearby for more photos in the gardens, cocktail hour, a Mediterranean themed dinner service and plenty of dancing!
Sample Wedding Gallery
Sarah & zach
Sarah and Zach got ready at the Park Hyatt Hotel, and had their emotional first look in the gardens of their lovely venue, Meridian House - a true historical enclave in the heart of DC. After their ceremony in the gardens under the most beautiful, diffuse late fall sun, guests were treated to warm spiced apple cider (with the option of a bourbon addition!), before everyone was welcomed into the ballroom and library for a delicious seated dinner and dancing the night away!
C0llections
ONE.
2 Hours of Rehearsal Dinner Coverage
2 Hour Weekday Engagement Session (up to 3 locations)
11 Hours of Wedding Day Coverage
2nd Photographer on the Wedding Day
1 Hour 1st Anniversary Session
Password protected online gallery of all images
11 x 14 high resolution downloads of images with print release
1 year cloud storage of wedding gallery
$1000 print credit applicable to a fine art album or prints
10,495
TWO.
1.5 Hour Weekday Engagement Session (up to 2 locations)
10 Hours of Wedding Day Photography Coverage
2nd Photographer on the Wedding Day
Password protected online gallery of all images
11 x 14 high resolution downloads of images with print release
1 year cloud storage of wedding gallery
$500 print credit applicable to a fine art album or prints
8925
THREE.
1 Hour Weekday Engagement Session (1 location)
8 Hours of Wedding Day Photography Coverage
2nd Photographer on the Wedding Day
Password protected online gallery of all images
11 x 14 high resolution downloads of images with print release
1 year cloud storage of wedding gallery
$250 print credit applicable to a fine art album or prints
7945
FOUR.
7 Hours of Wedding Day Photography Coverage
2nd Photographer on the Wedding Day
Password protected online gallery of all images
11 x 14 high resolution downloads of images with print release
1 year cloud storage of wedding gallery
7175
Wedding C0llection
This Collection includes everything for a full day of coverage, plus an engagement session. It has 8 hours of coverage to capture every moment from getting ready to the open dance floor. It also includes a second photographer to ensure that no moments are missed.
1 Hour Engagement Session (Weekday)
8 Hours of Wedding Day Photography Coverage
2nd Photographer on the Wedding Day
Password protected online gallery of all images
11 x 14 high resolution downloads of images with print release
1 year cloud storage of wedding gallery
8785
Meet Melissa
I am a hybrid film and digital photographer specializing in fine art photography for the discerning client who truly has a passion for documenting their life and telling their story in a real and authentic way.
My photography style blends both timeless, beautiful portraiture and candid, natural moments - I aim to capture each of these moments with an artistic and editorial eye, to create images that will tell your story for generations to come.
Next Steps
To officially book Lissa Ryan Photography for your wedding, I require a signed contract and a non-refundable Booking Fee of 40% of your total wedding package price to reserve your date.
Once I receive both the Booking Fee and the signed contract, you’re officially booked! I accept checks and money orders only for payment of the Booking Fee - please make all checks payable to Lissa Ryan Photography.
Without receiving a signed contract and the Booking Fee, I am unable to hold any specific dates. Prime dates fill up quickly, so if you know you want to book for your wedding, please submit everything in a timely manner! Click the button below to email me to let me know you’d like to proceed.
Next Steps
To officially book Lissa Ryan Photography for your wedding, I require a signed contract and a non-refundable Booking Fee of 40% of your total wedding package price to reserve your date.
Once I receive both the Booking Fee and the signed contract, you’re officially booked! I accept checks and money orders only for payment of the Booking Fee - please make all checks payable to Lissa Ryan Photography.
Without receiving a signed contract and the Booking Fee, I am unable to hold any specific dates. Prime dates fill up quickly, so if you know you want to book for your wedding, please submit everything in a timely manner! Click the button below to email me to let me know you’d like to proceed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q) We’re excited to work with you! How do we book our wedding date?
A) That’s wonderful - I’m excited to work with you too! To officially book Lissa Ryan Photography for your wedding, I require a signed contract and a non-refundable Booking Fee of 40% of your total wedding package price to book your date. Once I receive both of those items, you’re officially booked! I accept checks and money orders only - please make all checks payable to Lissa Ryan Photography.
Without receiving a signed contract and the Booking Fee, I am unable to hold any specific dates. Prime dates fill up quickly, so if you know you want to book for your wedding, please submit everything in a timely manner!
Q) When is the remaining balance due?
A) The final balance of your wedding photography is due 30 days prior to your wedding date.
Q) Why do you shoot film?
A) I could wax poetic about my love affair with film for far longer than this small space allows (are you a film afficionado? We should chat at length in person!), but to boil it down to two main points and briefly summarize: (1) film images have a timeless, artistic aesthetic that is incomparable and lends itself particularly well to the romantic portraiture of weddings; and (2) film requires the photographer to be intentional about the photos we take, which results in a more enjoyable experience for my couples - I am very deliberate about every shot I take, so that the process feels more like your legacy being memorialized, rather than just an endless stream of digital shutter clicks.
Q) How and when will we receive our images?
A) Your wedding images will be delivered to you via a beautiful online password-protected gallery from which you may directly purchase heirloom albums and prints and download both the high-resolution and low-resolution images. Full galleries are delivered within 8-10 weeks following your wedding date, but you will receive some sneak peeks right after your wedding to stoke the excitement!
Q) When should we schedule our engagement session?
A) It’s never too early! Once your wedding is booked, we can get started planning your engagement session. I am happy to suggest great locations, if you don’t have a place in mind, and assist with wardrobe choices - just let me know any questions you may have!
Q) Should we send you a shot list?
A) My goal is always to capture the details of your wedding in an authentic way as it happens - for that reason, there’s no need for you to worry about or put together a shot list. I will ask you for a list of important family members who you would like to include in your family formal photos, as well as any sensitive family dynamics of which I should be aware so that I can manage them in a way that will reduce stress for you and your families.
Q) Can we purchase albums, prints and other physical products?
A) Absolutely! Heirloom albums, fine art prints, canvases and other wall art are conveniently available for purchase directly through your final online gallery. If your collection includes a print credit, you will receive a code along with your final gallery that you can input to apply that credit to your purchase. For all album purchases, once you have placed the order, I will work with you one-on-one to design your custom heirloom album.
If you would like assistance in selecting your printed art for display in your home, I am happy to provide consultation on how to use your beautiful images to decorate your home.
Sample Wedding Galleries
Anne & JonatHan
Anne and Jonathan hosted their early spring wedding at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Washington DC. After an emotional first look outside the iconic Blue Duck doors, the bride and groom headed downtown for photos on the National Mall, before coming back to the Park Hyatt for their ketubah signing, ceremony, and dancing the night away!
Leah & Justin
Leah & Justin hosted their classic black tie wedding at the iconic Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC. After their Catholic wedding ceremony, the couple and their wedding party headed to Lafayette Square near the White House for photos, before heading back to the Mayflower to meet their guests for cocktails, dinner and a night full of dancing!
Sample Wedding Galleries
elizabeth & malcolm
Elizabeth and Malcolm welcomed their family and friends on the grounds of the historic Larz Anderson House in Washington DC. After their heartfelt ceremony in the ornate ballroom, they gathered under the clear tent decorated with brights shades of emerald and marigold florals for dinner and speeches. After they returned to the ballroom to get the party started with all the fun dance props! This beautiful wedding was featured in the most recent issue of Washingtonian Weddings.
meryl & josh
Meryl and Josh hosted their lush, colorful spring wedding at Anderson House in Washington DC. Prior to the ceremony, the couple got ready at the classic Willard Hotel, where Meryl’s father escorted her to their emotional first look in a vintage car. After portraits and family photos around the beautiful venue, they joined their guests in the ornate upstairs gallery for their wedding ceremony and dinner and dancing in the stunning ballroom festooned with vibrant florals by Holly Chapple.
Heirloom Albums & Prints
The art that we create together on your wedding day deserves to be seen and cherished regularly, which is why I strongly believe that your images should not just live on your computer in digital form, lost in the endless iPhoto stream that we all have and never look at.
The perfect way to make sure that your beautiful wedding images live out their full purpose is to create an heirloom wedding album - your very first as a married couple! I suspect that you have fond memories of paging through your parents’ wedding album as a child and marveling over how young and in love they looked. (I know I do!) Similarly, your wedding album will be a family heirloom that can be passed down generations and stand as a testimonial to your love story and the origins of your new family.