A new wedding venue, Lucky in Love, is set to open next month in Richmond, offering couples a budget-friendly alternative to traditional weddings with a Vegas-style chapel experience. Located in downtown Richmond at 402 E. Grace St., the chapel will specialize in same-day weddings, elopements, and micro-weddings, all at a fraction of the cost of a traditional ceremony.
Why It Matters
Co-owner and licensed wedding officiant Tia Ballard is on a mission to make wedding planning more accessible for couples of all budgets. Ballard, who has officiated over 500 weddings since becoming ordained four years ago, believes in the power of strong families to build stronger communities. After seeing firsthand how vital families are to student success as a former teacher, Ballard decided to become an officiant to help create those families.
“I wanted to build stronger communities by marrying people,” she says.
With Lucky in Love, Ballard and her team aim to offer couples a stress-free, affordable option for tying the knot. The chapel’s offerings are designed to give couples a memorable experience without the financial burden typically associated with weddings.
The Venue and Packages
The chapel itself will feature a vintage-inspired design, with red and pink hues, velvet curtains, and crystal chandeliers. It has space for up to 20 guests, plus the couple, and will focus solely on the ceremony, leaving the reception festivities to nearby local businesses. Lucky in Love recommends couples head to nearby venues such as Wong Gonzalez, Lillie Pearl, Julep’s, or Rappahannock for their reception.
Couples can choose from three wedding packages:
Virginia is for Elopers: A 30-minute, quick ceremony to legally marry.
Picture Perfect Couple: A 1-hour ceremony with a photographer and optional floral arrangements from local partners Yarrow or Vogue.
The Jackpot: The all-inclusive package, which includes everything from the ceremony, a cake from Pearl Bake Shopee, and a sparkling cider toast.
Affordable Prices
With packages starting at just $550 for the elopement and topping out at $2,500, Lucky in Love offers an affordable option compared to the national average cost of weddings, which stands around $33,000, according to The Knot. This affordable approach comes as couples are increasingly prioritizing homeownership and other financial goals over extravagant weddings.
