Northern Virginia Wedding Photographer — Candid, Documentary, Vibrant

Black Pepper Photography is a woman-led, BIPOC-owned wedding photography and videography team serving Northern Virginia, Washington DC, and Richmond. With 110+ weddings documented, we specialize in candid, documentary-style coverage in vibrant, bright color, and we're known for helping camera-shy couples feel comfortable.

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Our Approach

We don't sell packages — we create stories. That's why we call each hour of coverage a chapter: a chapter in your story, a moment only witnessed by those who matter most to you. You're not our client. You're our teammate, and we can't tell your story without you. You're investing in trained eyes and kind souls, not just fancy cameras and cool lighting equipment.

The partnership we bring to every wedding matters most for the couples who are a little nervous about being in front of a camera all day. Helping people forget the camera’s even there is genuinely one of the things we're best known for. Take it from some of our favorite humans:

“She is incredibly easy to work with, quickly making us comfortable (especially my husband who is not a huge fan of taking pictures) by alternating smoothly between suggesting poses and taking candid photos if we were naturally in a good position.”

— Emily + Cameron

“She is the best. She is responsive, has a great eye, and has the most chill and fun energy — she made taking photos fun (for two people who don’t really like taking photos!!)”

— Jenna + Rick

Photo + Video, One Team

We offer wedding photography and videography as one integrated service, not two vendors you have to coordinate separately. Coverage is built around your day. Sometimes that's Chayil behind the camera, sometimes it's Michael or Megan leading as your photographer or videographer, and sometimes it's a combination of our team working together. No matter which member of our team is there, everyone at Black Pepper Photography works under the same creative approach: your wedding should be told through the truest lens possible.

Video coverage ranges from The Keepsake's intimate 3-hour retelling to The Debut's full 7-hour cinematic coverage with two videographers, with custom options available in between and beyond.

investment Overview

Every wedding starts with photography, priced by the chapter (hour) of coverage — from The Perfect Pair to The Black Pepper to The Evergreen — all of which include 35mm film for weddings booked at 6+ hours, and a complimentary second shooter for half your coverage. Photo + video bundles are available too, including an 8-hour day of both at a better combined rate than booking separately. See full pricing and packages →

Areas we serve

We're on the road more than we're based anywhere — our team travels throughout Northern Virginia for weddings, with regular coverage in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, and Fauquier counties. We also serve Washington, DC, and Richmond, VA. If you're not sure whether your venue is in range, just ask — we almost always say yes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Look for a team that shoots candid, documentary-style coverage with real experience across a range of venues and couples. We've documented over 110 weddings throughout NOVA, DC, and Richmond, and our work stays vibrant and bright rather than heavily posed or overly muted.
Yes - one of the few NOVA wedding vendors offering integrated photo and video coverage from a single team, rather than separately booked vendors.
This is honestly one of the things we're best known for - see the reviews above. A lot of our couples come to us specifically because they don't love being photographed, and we build our whole approach around helping people feel comfortable enough to forget the camera's there.
No-limit shooting, premium hand-edited high-resolution images, complimentary 35mm film scans on qualifying packages, one year of access to your personal online gallery with unlimited downloads, and a print release for personal use.
Pricing is by the hour ("chapter") of coverage, with photo + video bundles available. Full current pricing is on our Wedding Stories page.

What Our Couples Are Saying

“Black Pepper Photography was an absolute delight to work with for our wedding. Their communication was fantastic... The quality of their work was simply stunning, with breathtaking, extraordinary, and timeless photos that captured every precious moment of our special day.”

Bree + Eric 
October 2024

“Chayil did an amazing job with our photos — her work captures genuine joy and love, and she really brings out the best in the people she photographs. She made everything feel natural and fun (and we're a pretty introverted couple!), coming in with a clear plan but leaving room for our own vision. She went above and beyond — we couldn't have hired a better photographer for our big day.”

Emma + Austin 
May 2026

“Chayil is absolutely the best — from the moment we met her, she made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera, with a way of making you feel beautiful while keeping it real. If you're looking for a photographer who's talented, kind, organized, and truly cares about her clients, I cannot recommend her enough. She exceeded every expectation, and I'll cherish these photos forever.”