Meet Alicia Pesco

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Pesco.

Hi Alicia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things to do at home or at a relative’s house was look at old photo albums. I loved seeing what my parents and grandparents looked like and how everyone in the family grew over the years. I have brief memories from when I was younger of my dad taking pictures. It makes my heart so happy knowing he was always capturing all the memories of us growing up because, until this day, I still look at all those photos. Having those memories printed, and in photo albums is so special to me. Some were even taken on his vintage Polaroid 100 land camera. He gave me both the Polaroid, and his 35mm Minolta and I will cherish them forever. They absolutely still work, too! He taught me how to use them and gave me small lessons on photography. Those memories bring me to this day, still photographing life’s fleeting moments. I used that 35mm Minolta camera during my first three years of high school photography. This is where my photo journey started. I learned all the ins and outs of film, which was pretty incredible seeing as how much technology has changed, and film isn’t used much anymore, sadly. Senior year of high school is where I began to learn more about digital photography. That moment came when we all were applying for college and I knew in my heart I wanted to go to school to learn more about photography. To learn more about lighting, great historical photographers, and everything there is to know about the photo world. In 2010, that moment finally happened.

I graduated high school and moved away from New York to the Sunshine State to attend The Art Institute of Tampa. Now, for the longest time, fashion photography was my jam. I wanted to work for magazines like Vogue or Elle and photograph big celebrities in these extravagant outfits and mind-blowing sets. It wasn’t until 2012, when I was asked to be a 2nd photographer for a wedding, that my life was about to completely change. Now, I never photographed a wedding before, and people told me horror stories about capturing them. I thought to myself, “How bad can this really be?” I remember the day like it was yesterday. This wedding was in a church and I was standing in the back, waiting for the bride to walk down the aisle. As she took a few steps out and started walking down with her father, tears started rolling down my face. There were so many emotions stirring within me through this entire moment. I said to myself, “Get it together, Alicia, you need to take pictures!” If you are wondering, I still got the photos, happy tears streaming down my face while snapping away. At that moment, I had this incredible feeling in my soul. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life, although, after all the incredibly beautiful weddings and couples I’ve met and photographed over the years, I felt like something was still missing. It wasn’t until 2020, this year of unpredictable surprises, that I decided to re-brand, doing Elopement Photography. Capturing couples getting married in a way that allows them to be free and to put aside the “stuff” and just enjoy their personal wedding experience. No pressure, just a free space to be WHO YOU ARE. Now that’s my JAM!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Life always has its challenges, but that’s what makes life so beautiful. All those difficult moments allow us to grow and change. I really do believe everything happens for a reason; Every obstacle guides us into the path that best represents us. It was a struggle figuring out my niche, and that took time. I had moments of discouragement, wanting to give up and just quit. I love photographing weddings so much, but there was still that little nudge that something wasn’t quite aligned right. I love adventuring, traveling, seeing this beautiful world, but small, intimate weddings aligned with me more. I thought to myself, “I can still photograph beautiful couples getting married while traveling.” I knew being an Elopement Photographer was the perfect fit for my heart and soul. Listen to those little nudges when you feel them, and you’ll begin to find what your true calling is.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Alicia Pesco Photography?
I am an Elopement Photographer based out of Tampa Bay, willing to travel throughout Florida, my home sweet home, New York, and beyond! For all the couples out there: I want to show you a completely different, but also amazing wedding experience that’s tons of fun and unique to you! We are going through a Global Pandemic, yes. That doesn’t mean you can’t get married and have an incredible wedding experience!

You’re probably wondering, “What is an elopement?” An elopement is an intimate, authentic, personal wedding experience that is all about the couple and their wedding day. Whether it is just the two of you or with 10-20 other individuals closest to you, the important thing to remember is it’s ALL ABOUT THE COUPLE! An elopement showcases the love two individuals have for one another, shared in a place that is special, allowing them to be free and themselves putting aside the “stuff” and focusing on the experience. There are no rules! It’s your wedding day AND YOUR VIBES! It’s all about you as a couple truly reflecting who you are. It can be a celebratory day with just you two or a few of the closest people to you. No pressure, no stress, just a free space to be WHO YOU ARE! The activities you will be doing and the experience you are having will be different from a large wedding, but it’s still your WEDDING DAY. You may wonder, “Where can an elopement take place?” Anywhere and any place that is 100% you. Something authentic and representative of your relationship and personalities. It doesn’t have to be outdoorsy or involve hiking, but if that is totally your thing, I am here for it! Think of staycation vibes and meaningful places. We can head to the place you first met or maybe you want to go back to the place where you proposed and have a picnic there and pop some bubbly. Maybe hike to some beautiful views. Even head to your favorite local brewery for some celebratory drinks. THINK BIG! Just imagine the best day for the two of you from start to finish! You can 100% have a one day or multi-day elopement. It is WHAT YOU TRULY WANT AND HOW YOU WANT TO CREATE IT! Make it special and unique to you. As your photographer, I will be with you every step of the way just as I would for a LARGE WEDDING, documenting every breathtaking moment. It’s your anniversary day for the rest of your life and totally deserves full day documentation.

How do you think about luck?
More good luck and positive vibes than anything! I try my best to surround myself with positive people and good vibes always. I feel that positive energy is a reflection of my personality, photography and business. It all plays together!

Contact Info:

• Email: aliciapesco@gmail.com
• Website: www.aliciapesco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliciapescophoto/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aliciapescophotography/
• Other: https://www.aliciapesco.com/blog

Image Credits
Alicia Pesco Photography