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Melissa Durham Photography
Melissa Durham Photography
Meadow Engagement
Meadow Engagement
Shenandoah Forest Elopement
Shenandoah Forest Elopement
Asheville Waterfall Engagement
Asheville Waterfall Engagement
Stormy Mountain Engagement
Stormy Mountain Engagement
Crozet Spring Mountain Wedding
Crozet Spring Mountain Wedding
Sunset Meadow Engagement
Sunset Meadow Engagement
Sunset Lake Engagement
Sunset Lake Engagement
Sunset Mountain Engagement
Sunset Mountain Engagement
Blue Ridge Elopement
Blue Ridge Elopement
Crozet Mountain Wedding
Crozet Mountain Wedding
Blue Ridge Engagement
Blue Ridge Engagement
Winter Mountain Engagement
Winter Mountain Engagement
Winter Waterfall Elopement
Winter Waterfall Elopement
Winter Mountain Engagement
Winter Mountain Engagement
Virginia Mountain Wedding
Virginia Mountain Wedding
Virginia Waterfall Elopement
Virginia Waterfall Elopement
Ice Wall Elopement
Ice Wall Elopement
Sunset Blue Ridge Elopement
Sunset Blue Ridge Elopement
Shenandoah Fall Elopement
Shenandoah Fall Elopement
Shenandoah Mountain Engagement
Shenandoah Mountain Engagement
Water Engagement
Water Engagement
Winter Wedding
Winter Wedding
Winter Elopement Feet Washing
Winter Elopement Feet Washing
Sunset Mountain Elopement
Sunset Mountain Elopement
Fall Blue Ridge Engagement
Fall Blue Ridge Engagement
Summer Mountain Engagement
Summer Mountain Engagement
Forest Engagement
Forest Engagement
Stormy Beach Engagement
Stormy Beach Engagement
Fall Mountain Engagement
Fall Mountain Engagement
Winter Mountain Engagement
Winter Mountain Engagement
Fall Blue Ridge Engagement
Fall Blue Ridge Engagement
River Engagement
River Engagement
Rocky Mountain Engagement
Rocky Mountain Engagement
Cape Cod Engagement
Cape Cod Engagement
Virginia Mountain Engagement
Virginia Mountain Engagement

Interested in this vendor?

Sunset Mountain Engagement

About

For the brazen. soulful. authentic.

Luminous, true-to-life photography for couples who love dancing in the sun.

Or the rain. Because adventure happens wherever you are.

I'm Melissa Durham, and I'm an elopement, intimate wedding, & couple's photographer based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

What should you expect?

A visual story-teller who believes in nourishing adventurous, connected relationships. A photographer that reminds you to take the time to enjoy the person you spend your life with and to preserve the moments that truly speak to the legacy you leave behind. A friend who gets excited about your life's big moments AND in-between moments, because no story is complete without both. You can expect your time with me to be one full of movement, authentic emotion and chemistry, and a genuinely good time.

Available for elopements and intimate weddings under 30 guests.

  • Woman-owned
illustration popular

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Frequently asked questions

Which of the following are included in the starting price?

High-Res Images
Multi. Locations
Digital Files

Which of the following are included in the price of your most popular wedding package?

Add'l Hours
High-Res Images
Multi. Locations
Digital Files

What primary photographic style do you identify with?

Natural
Photojournalism

What photography services do you offer?

Additional Hours
Destination / Travel
Engagement Shoot
High-Res Images
One Event / Day
Wedding Portraits

What photography items do you offer?

Albums
Canvas
Digital Files
Flush Mount
Prints

Reviews of Melissa Durham Photography

Write a review
Write a review
Melissa Durham Photography - 1
Melissa Durham Photography - 2
Melissa Durham Photography - 3
+51 User photos
Melissa Durham Photography - 4
Spencer
Spencer Sent on 07/09/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful person and excellent photographer!

Melissa is an excellent photographer who gives natural and comfortable prompts, making it comfortable to work with her regardless of your experience level of being the subject of photography. My wife and I had a small wedding, and I wanted to limit how many vendors we had working there because I wanted it to feel like a family and friends event. Melissa did an excellent job of blending in and doing her job well without being in the way of anything. After just a few interactions with Melissa, it felt more like we had a friend taking our photos who happened to have professional talent. We can not recommend her enough to anyone looking for a photographer.
T
Tessa Sent on 07/09/2022
5 out of 5 rating

The best decision ever.

We got married last October (busy season) and Melissa was hands down the best vendor choice we made. She was always so friendly, responsive even during a busy wedding season. With every interaction, you can tell she cares about you and your wedding, she does not treat you like just a client, she treats you like a friend. Her work is amazing and she has such an eye for those details and in between moments. Her editing style is soft, true to color, timeless and romantic. Day of the wedding she struck the perfect balancing of catching all the great moments, without being intrusive and impacting the moment. The best “fly on the wall” but also a wonderful supporter- she checked on me the most out of anyone at the wedding. We will forever do any future photoshoots with her (maternity, etc), she’s JUST THAT GOOD. We cannot say enough positive things about her, she’s simply the best.
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Andrew Sent on 07/03/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Absolutely amazing!

I couldn’t begin to describe how amazingly talented, professional, and friendly Melissa was. She captured our engagement and wedding better than I could have ever imagined.

She was extremely professional and so much fun to work with! My wife and I absolutely picked the right person to showcase the best day of our lives and will forever be able to look back at our photos knowing that those were some of the best moments we had!

Thank you Melissa for being another shining light to our big day!
L
Lindsey Sent on 07/02/2022
5 out of 5 rating

The best decision for our day!

WOWW!! Melissa was the absolute best choice we could have chosen to capture one of the most special days of our lives. Her professionalism and passion did not go unnoticed. She clearly loves what she does and you can tell in the photos. She did great with a timeline for the day of even with the limited information I had given her. She knew exactly what I wanted and needed without any questions. I was fully confident in her work and knew what she suggested was what we needed for the day of photos. She was able to give us our engagement photos and wedding photos in such a quick timely matter.

I am so thankful we went with her, not only will I forever have these amazing photos she took to remember the best day, but I also gained a friend in the process. I could not recommend her enough!
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Weston Sent on 06/29/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Phenomenal!!

Melissa was the most attentive and heartfelt photographer that we could have asked for; not only for our wedding day, but for the entire wedding planning process. She was so responsive and willing to work around all of our wishes prior to the wedding, and on the day of the wedding she was so punctual, organized, and helpful. She was an absolute pleasure to work with, and My wife and I couldn’t recommend her more.
Olivia
Olivia Sent on 12/20/2020
5 out of 5 rating

The best part of 2020

Other than deciding to elope in Shenandoah National Park, choosing Ocean + Ridge as our wedding photographer was one of the best decisions we’ve made! Melissa was easy to communicate and coordinate with, and was a joy to work with every step of the way. My husband and I didn’t have the opportunity to visit the park prior to our wedding day, however Melissa made sure that was not an issue. She provided us with a comprehensive list of locations & corresponding photos from her portfolio taken throughout the park in advance, and came up with a suggested timeline for us. She took everything into consideration - the lighting, time of day, travel distance between locations, etc. On the day of she arrived early & fully prepared, having taken every detail into consideration. My husband and I spent six hours in the park on our wedding day with Melissa & a second photographer, Anna. We had so much fun exploring the park with them, as they captured every minute of our intimate elopement while also being respectful of our private moments. My husband & I are thrilled with how the photos turned out - we will cherish the memories we made that they captured forever!
  • Melissa Durham Photography - 11
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Hannah
Hannah Sent on 08/06/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Engagement Session

I hired Melissa for my engagement session and I could not have found a better person to work with! Melissa was incredibly responsive to any question I asked and was very reassuring especially when it came to limitations relating to the coronavirus. Once we were at the shoot, she made us feel instantly comfortable and that really allowed myself and my fiance to have fun with each other. Melissa knew all of the best shooting spots and captured some truly incredible moments that I know we will cherish forever! I cannot recommend her enough!
Liz
Liz G. Sent on 02/21/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Booking Melissa was the smartest/best thing I did for our elopement

I would highly recommend Melissa! She was our elopement photographer. But she ended up being way more than a photographer! She helped me with everything. We were new to the area so I needed recommendations for lodging, locations, flowers, etc. We talked regularly for a couple months in preparation for our elopement. She used what she knew about us and her extensive knowledge of the Shenandoah Mountains to create the perfect elopement ceremony and photographs. She also helped wrangle the drama that comes with “the big day”. Everything was on a timeline until my hair/MUA was late. Melissa and my husband were able to talk the officiant into staying, after she repeatedly threatened to leave. Melissa helped my MUA do the finishing touches and she snapped some pictures of me getting ready. Due to the new time constraints, the elopement ceremony location was changed to a nearby location Melissa knew of which resulted in AMAZING PHOTOS of our ceremony. Melissa literally saved our day. Not only did she give us what we asked for but she delivered a product that I couldn’t even put in words. She truly loves her craft. You’ll see for yourself when you get your wedding album.
Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn Sent on 02/17/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Simply the best.

When you hire Melissa, can expect the absolute best. Her incredibly warm heart creates a space for immediate friendship, and she will always have our business! We met Melissa in 2017 when she photographed my sister in law’s wedding, and after Nick and I got engaged, she was the first vendor we turned to after securing our date! Melissa took away the jitters we had of being photographed and captured Nick and I in a way that we will look back on for years to come so fondly. The way she captured our most intimate moments with grace and kindness is a trait she holds so naturally. Melissa makes you feel like more than a client, because you are instantly a friend. We are so thankful she is in our life and we will continue to ask her to work her magic on all our future big moments life brings us!
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Heidi Sent on 01/23/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding photography

Melissa far exceeded our expectations for our daughters wedding photography. Right from the beginning she was professional and very easy to get along with. Her final products from engagement photos to wedding photos, were spectacular. We most definitely will be calling Melissa in the future for other family events. Not only did we get more than we ever dreamed in product, we got a lifelong family friend. We wholeheartedly recommend using Melissa for your photography needs.
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Awards

53
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner

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Professional Network & Endorsements

5 Endorsements
Pumpernickel Pickle Catering Co. Pumpernickel Pickle Catering Co. Wedding Caterers

Melissa has such a gift to share with the world! Beautiful work and a wonderful personality. We would highly recommend her services!

Makeup by Holly Burton Makeup by Holly Burton Wedding Hair & Makeup

Not only is Melissa an extremely down-to-earth, kind-hearted woman, she is also incredibly talented at capturing one of life's most sacred moments on film. She has an amazing eye for candid, beautiful photography that you will cherish forever! It was an absolute joy to work with such a smart and talented photographer and will be recommending her to all of my future bridal clients!!

RSP Entertainment RSP Entertainment Wedding DJs

Melissa, your words could only be echoed from our end, but obviously from the photography side things and thank you very much for your high compliments, we're glad our passion for what we do shows! It's obvious that you love what you do as well, which we feels helps make you great at it! You make everyone comfortable and the photo experience of the evening enjoyable. Capturing those little moments others may miss results in the big smiles you see on client's faces when they get to see their pictures for the first time, and many more times throughout their life together. We look forward to working with you at upcoming events and celebrations! For anyone looking for a photographer for your wedding, definitely check Melissa out, we highly recommend her!

View more endorsements
Preferred Vendors
RSP Entertainment
RSP Entertainment
5.0 out of 5 rating , 98 reviews
· Wedding DJs

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Photography Richmond
Photography Hardy

Melissa Durham Photography frequently asked questions

Melissa Durham Photography includes the following photography services in the starting price:
  • High-Res Images
  • Multi. Locations
  • Digital Files
Melissa Durham Photography includes the following photography services in their most popular wedding package:
  • Add'l Hours
  • High-Res Images
  • Multi. Locations
  • Digital Files
Melissa Durham Photography offers the following photography styles:
  • Natural
  • Photojournalism
Melissa Durham Photography offers the following photography services for weddings:
  • Additional Hours
  • Destination / Travel
  • Engagement Shoot
  • High-Res Images
  • One Event / Day
  • Wedding Portraits
Melissa Durham Photography offers the following photography materials for weddings:
  • Albums
  • Canvas
  • Digital Files
  • Flush Mount
  • Prints
Melissa Durham Photography is recommended by 100% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 5.0, with the same score awarded for quality of service, flexibility, value, professionalism and average response time.
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