Mel is both highly professional AND personable. She comes to do a job while ensuring you are having a wonderful time. A reason our photos turned out soooo good is because we were genuinely having a good time while we took them.

Other photographers stick you in a pose and you plaster a smile on your face. Mel ensures the smiles she captures are real and they shine through!
I interviewed quite a few photographers before Mel and each one would go through their spheel snd then ask about my ideas. She was the ONLY one who asked ME what I wanted and THEN gave me details about herself. She cares about you and is here for you the whole way. She took the time to understand our vision. I had a very clear idea for our engagement photos that Mel just ran with. Mel also provided clear timelines, helpful tips for the day, and kept us in the loop every step of the way.

What also stood out was her flexibility. Planning a wedding can be chaotic, but Mel handled every change with grace and professionalism. When we needed to adjust the schedule or work around unexpected challenges, she accommodated without hesitation, making us feel at ease.

Of course, the most important part—the photos—were absolutely stunning. Every shot was beautifully composed, capturing the emotions, details, and special moments of our day. The quality of the photos was incredible, from the vibrant colors to the crystal-clear resolution. Mel has an amazing eye for both candid moments and perfectly posed portraits, and the final gallery was everything we could have hoped for and more.

If you’re looking for a photographer who is talented, professional, and an absolute joy to work with, look no further than Melissa Cervantes. She helped make our wedding day unforgettable, and we’ll treasure her work for a lifetime. Thank you for everything!

This was easily the best money we spent towards our wedding. Not only did we get the wedding album of our dreams, we had so much fun with Melissa on the dance floor and keeping us company all day. She caught so many candid, beautiful moments that we’ll cherish forever. It’s like owning high end art of all of our loved ones. My husband and I both tend to feel pretty awkward in front of a camera, and you couldn’t even tell. Everything is so natural, true to us, and beautiful! There were so many random ideas I would get, and she was down to roll with anything. I couldn’t recommend Melissa more!

Melissa is a dream to work with! Not only does she provide stunning photos, she is extremely professional, organized, smart and fun.

Mel was everything we hope for + more. It was important to us to book a photographer we felt connected with and who takes the time to get to know you as a couple before capturing one of the most special days of your life. From our engagement session to our wedding day, Mel delivered just that. Mel will go above and beyond to capture the photos of your dreams and works tirelessly to deliver your previews/galleries. Mel truly pours her heart and soul into her work and the photos speak for themselves!

When we started the wedding planning process, we both agreed that capturing the day meant the most to us. In the search to find a photographer, we were immediately drawn towards Mel's work. We explored her Instagram and website and found the ways that she captured those "little " moments in the weddings to be something that we loved! After a quick Zoom meeting with Mel, we both knew that she was going to be perfect for the both of us.

During our engagement session, she made us feel so comfortable and was so personable and made us forget that we were in Downtown Chicago, with so many people looking at us. And to top it off, she took some GORGEOUS photos highlighting us. Fast forward a year later to our wedding date of 11/2/24 where Mel not only made sure that we captured the best moments of the day, she played a key role in the day itself - becoming part of the wedding party.

Her planning, communication and professionalism leading up to the wedding, knowing exactly where to capture the perfect moments, what to do, staying on track of time, was such a relief and something that we did not have to worry about as a couple. She was fantastic with her interactions with our bridal parties becoming a topic of conversation still weeks after the wedding ("your photographer was awesome").

We can't thank Mel enough for everything. She is truly the best in the business. We could not recommend her more to others.

Love you Mel!

Mel is an absolute pro! She is flexible, fun to work with, and so talented!

Melissa does such an amazing job in all she does! We have known her for quite some time now and she was the first vendor we booked as I told my then fiance I just could not imagine our wedding day without her and the beauty she creates! Well-organized, thoughtful, fun to be around, and creates the most drop-dead gorgeous art. Book her, you will never regret it!

If I could give Mel 10 stars I would! Going into wedding planning is one of the the most overwhelming experiences, and Mel could not have been more supportive and helpful! From day one she was responsive, patient, and kind. Her expertise relieved so many nerves and helped guide me in the direction we needed to go in terms of planning timeline, wedding timeline, and over all wedding enjoyment!

My husband and I would not describe ourselves as photogenic or comfortable behind the camera, but Mel could not have made the process easier. She focuses so much more on capturing your true essence as a couple rather than forcing posed photos that don’t feel super comfortable, and it makes the photos turn out even better. It also helped that the second we met her it felt like we were just spending the evening having fun with an old friend!

When it came to the wedding day, she went even more above and beyond! She comes prepared, calm, and with a plan! I never had to doubt or question where to be and she did her best to eliminate any stress thrown my way from other wedding vendors. We got endless compliments from our guests, wedding party, and the venue on her personality and expertise. In addition to how incredible she is as a person, we still get compliments on her remarkable ability to capture the moment in a unique and raw way! I would recommend Mel to any and every couple who needs a photographer. She’s truly a gem.

Mel was our must-have vendor and the first one we booked when we got engaged in 2021. We'd been following Mel prior to getting engaged since we'd seen her work and fell in love. During our initial call we just vibed. Immediately you can see she truly cares about her clients and makes the day about them. The whole process was amazing. We loved having an engagement session with Mel, since it gave us a chance to get comfortable in front of the camera and also get to know Mel more. She learned our style, likes/dislikes and had fun with us.

Mel is responsive, friendly, professional and cares. She wants her clients to be as comfortable as possible. The process is about their love and not staging the day to look like something it is not. She can truly capture the most unreal shots, anywhere. On wedding day we had the pleasure of not only working with Mel, but her partner TJ. Listen here, TJ is AMAZING and cooler than all of us. He has an amazing eye for detail, made everyone so relaxed and had fun with us.

Our wedding party and guest raved about Mel and TJ. They encouraged the fun throughout the night and made everyone feel so relaxed. I cannot say enough good things about Mel. Photos are the only thing you get to take with you after wedding day. We will treasure these photos forever and remember how great Mel/TJ made us feel. Our favorite part was building a relationship with Mel and this was absolutely reflected in the photos.

If you are considering her, do yourself a favor and hire her. Best decision ever.

Our wedding day was the most important day of our lives (thus far). We placed a lot of value in having quality photography for our big day, and Mel did not disappoint! Having Melissa capture our wedding was THE best decision we made when planning our day.

Mel is a dream to work with. She brings the talent, insight, boss energy, and the party! She was super easy to coordinate and communicate with and took out the anxiety provoking part of having pictures taken of yourself (and even made it enjoyable!).

Her work is incredible and speaks for itself. We were blown away by the final product and are immensely grateful for how these memories were captured. Many of the photos are proudly displayed in our home. We are glad to call Mel a friend and would highly recommend MCP for all your photography needs.