Photographing engaged couples throughout Virginia including Yorktown, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Hampton Roads, and Outer Banks.
Photographing engaged couples throughout Virginia including Yorktown, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Hampton Roads, and Outer Banks.
You said
Let the journey begin.
Stress-free & personalized engagement and wedding photography experiences for fun-loving couples.
yes!
Hi! I’m Ashley Hesse,
lead photographer and founder of, you guessed it, Ashley Hesse Photography!
I'm so glad you’ve made it to my space here in the digital world. Grab a seat, your favorite drink, and let’s get comfortable!
Every great friendship revolves around honesty, so I'll be honest with you up front: I'm not like most wedding photographers and I don’t want you to think of me as some random Virginia wedding photographer. My work is driven by a passion for developing genuine connections with the couples I work with. You are about to embark on one of the most significant and most thrilling journeys of your life: marriage! And in my humble opinion, that deserves more attention than signing an agreement, clicking the shutter button, and calling it a day.
Every couple has a unique story to tell, and I can’t wait to capture yours!
From our initial exchanges to assisting with your wedding photography timeline to after your gallery delivery, it is my utmost priority to provide you and your partner with a stress-free, completely personalized, and memorable experience as you get ready to walk hand-in-hand with your S.O. into this new adventure together.
Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime moment — let’s make the most of it!
Meet Ashley
In a world of wedding blogs, Pinterest boards, and bridal magazines, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the prettiness of a wedding. And while the details certainly matter and planning is necessary, it’s important to never lose sight of the real purpose of your wedding: celebrating your and your partner’s decision to commit yourselves to each other.
This is what I’m here to capture.
Imagine this: the music is playing, the guests are seated, and the coordinator is lining up the bridesmaids and groomsmen to begin the ceremony. They’re all giddy with excitement as the ceremony begins.
You have to resist peeking around the corner to get a glimpse of the person you’re about to walk down the aisle to — the person who makes you feel at home, no matter where you are. Soon, the vows will be shared and you know tears will be shed.
My belief: wedding photography is much more than images — it’s an experience
Ashley, you're reading my mind.
With our wedding day behind us, we couldn’t be more THRILLED with Ashley’s work. I look at all our photos and instantly smile. And my mother, who is notoriously difficult to please, texts me every day to tell me what a great job Ashley did with all our pictures. Let me add: Ashley was not just an excellent photographer, she was also a part-time bridesmaid. She helped with my bustle and all the stressful wedding day snafus we went through. We never asked. She just jumped in where she was needed, because she is an incredible human. HIRE THIS LADY NOW! You’ll thank yourself later!
- Lauren
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Ashley was AMAZING! She was such a delight to work with from our engagement photo session in the fall to our wedding in May! She is so much fun to shoot with, too. We couldn’t stop smiling and laughing together, and we truly had a blast! Don’t even get me started on the wedding day; she truly helped the timeline go SO smoothly and really made me feel like a princess! I can’t recommend Ashley enough! So in love with my photos and she delivers them in the blink of an eye!
- Sarah C.
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Don’t just take my word for it — here are some kind words from real couples.
You can count on me to…
Act as your personal hype woman, crisis help line, and overall support system throughout the entire wedding planning process.
Help you and your partner feel at ease in front of the camera during your engagement session. (Anyone can feel like a natural with the right direction, trust me!)
Provide you with local vendor and venue suggestions.
Stay in contact with the coordinator so you have one less thing to worry about.
Handle the small and big details of the wedding photography timeline, so you can focus on what matters most. (Anyone who told you wedding planning is insufferable didn’t have an Ashley Hesse by their side.)
Capture the candid and most meaningful moments of your wedding — ones that highlight you and your partner’s irreplaceable connection and true emotions.
Design and deliver a high-quality, customized heirloom album so you can relive your Big Day, no matter how many years later it is.
Make the groom and groomsmen feel comfortable during photo sessions. Growing up with all brothers, my secret talent is speaking groomsmen.
Take the process seriously, but ourselves? Not so much.
Let’s make this official:
I’ll be your photographer for life
While weddings are my main focus, I love to work with my couples throughout all stages of their life together. My clients often become good friends, and many of them have hired me for maternity photos and to document their journey of becoming expecting parents!
The truth is, I’ve always had a way of connecting with all types of personalities. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a house full of rambunctious boys. Or maybe it's thanks to my repertoire of amazing dad jokes. Perhaps it's because I genuinely love getting to know people and their background. Whatever it is, I'm always delighted to continue my clients’ stories after the I dos have been said, and I’d love to help you continue to tell your family’s story too!
let the journey begin
I started this business with a $350 camera in hand and a dream in mind back in 2015. Since then, I’ve photographed over one hundred weddings for five consecutive seasons throughout the nation, including Virginia, Hawaii, Washington DC, and Seattle. So you can rely on me to bring all the tips, tricks, hacks, and wisdom I’ve learned over the years.
I’ll also teach you everything you need to know about how weddings work (like, how they actually work) and what you’ll need to prepare to make the process as smooth-sailing as possible.
Ready to take this to friendship status?
but my work doesn't stop at helping you pose in front of the camera
This isn't my first rodeo, but
it's most likely yours!
