Melissa Cervantes Photography Reviews
Reviews
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Taylor Sent on 12/28/2024
The best decision we made
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! -
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Paula Sent on 12/28/2024
The kindest soul + creates magic
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! -
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![Brianna]()
Brianna Sent on 11/17/2024The best!
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! -
Brooke Sent on 08/11/2024
She goes above and beyond!
Mel is an absolute pro! She is flexible, fun to work with, and so talented! -
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![Morgan]()
Morgan Sent on 11/30/2023Talk about above & beyond!!!
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. -
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Mallory Sent on 05/07/2023
10/10 experience!
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. -
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![Erin]()
Erin Sent on 04/30/2023Hands Down Best Photog EVER
This review is so overdue it makes me sick, but the reason I've put it off for so long is because I've struggled to come up with the words to fully capture how I feel about Mel and what she contributed to making our special day E V E R Y T H I N G I could have ever asked for. I knew when I finally wrote it, it'd be a long one, so if you don't want to read my whole novel, here's all you need to know: Mel is incredible. As a human being, a woman, a friend, a professional, a photographer - all of it. She will take care of you. You WILL NOT be disappointed. You just won't. I would've paid 10x as much as we did for the memories Mel gave us -- both actual memories WITH Mel on our wedding day and the memories she captured in her photos. Now... if you are interested in more detail from every angle, keep reading. :)
> Genuine, authentic professional:
From the very beginning I knew I wanted Mel in my corner. I find it SO admirable and refreshing that she takes seriously whether she meshes with her prospective clients or not. She KNOWS that the photos are going to pop off that much more if the vibes between client & photographer are *chef's kiss* -- she's not just chasing anyone down for the money or the exposure. To me, this made Mel really stand out. And looking back, I actually chose ALL of our wedding vendors based more on being on the same wavelength with them than any pricing packages or service offerings whether the other vendors explicitly stated it like Mel did or not. If you're getting married and not yet taking that into consideration, I strongly recommend you do. Vibing with Mel also meant I felt comfortable (because she allowed me the space to) text her with questions/concerns or for advice during the planning and she ALWAYS made me feel better about whatever I was worrying about. I think me saying, "What would I do without you?!" was a pretty common close to our convos. Maybe I should add "therapist" to the list of incredible roles Mel plays.
> More than a photographer:
That's a good segue into Mel being more than just a vendor -- she is a friend, a sidekick, a badass, ready-for-anything, go-with-the-flow-but-also-command-the-flow hype woman professional. I'm not kidding when I say that a large portion of my core memories from wedding day are with Mel. And I don't mean because she was following me around with a camera all day, I mean because of the actual hilarious, heartwarming, lifesaving interactions with Mel that stick out to me more than conversations I had with our own wedding guests I've known for years. You'll spend all day with your photog no matter who you are - but imagine spending all day with someone who isn't making you laugh, providing you relief from the stress, tending to you and just making you feel like an absolute prize all day!!?! Couldn't be me. Wouldn't be Mel. She's damn good company.
> She commands a room (you need this trust me):
We had an excessively large wedding party, which is really ridiculous and can be extremely annoying/inconvenient/frustrating for any vendor but especially a photographer. Still, it was important to us that all our #1 people were up there with us and Mel never made us feel bad about that. She simply stated the facts, made clear what she would need to get her job done, and then made. it. happen. The groomsmen in our party were not always great listeners and Mel absolutely dominated in getting everyone's attention back. She knew the timeline we were on and she owned it. My bridesmaids were basically crushing over how much of a boss she is. And because of how much of a boss she is, she kept ALL things on track - even things she wasn't originally responsible for. She is THE ultimate wedding expert and has an answer for everything (she even knows when to make a decision herself vs. leaving it up to you, which was another REALLY important & valuable contribution for me and probably anyone else getting married and juggling a million things at the same time). I seriously don't know how to give enough credit to Mel for this. I just know not every photographer could do what she does, so she's 110% in the right business. Thank god for Mel knowing her strengths and positioning herself to share the power of those strengths with all of us.
> The photos are so good it's insane:
Nothing could have ever prepared me for the emotions I would feel looking through the gallery Mel delivered to us. Nothing could have prepared me for the utter shock and awe -- I scoured Mel's past albums and stalked her socials to see ALL of her work, and still, our photos were uniquely ours. They still dazzled with that same Mel magic I fell in love with when I found her on IG, but it just felt next-level. Everything I could have possibly wanted to see or look back on was there. After our wedding, I looked back on our day and felt sadness thinking about the moments I missed or wish I could redo. Her photos completely took all of that away. It was all accounted for. You can trust her to have listened to your needs and wants, to have taken any unique or awkward circumstances into consideration and to have captured moments you'd probably be sad about missing (even the really small, less obviously-important ones).
Book her. Book her for the max duration that you can. She's the best in the biz and nothing could convince me otherwise. Love ya, Mel -
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Stephanie Sent on 01/07/2023
Mel is the best!!!
Holy heck- if you want your wedding photos to bring tears to your pals eyes and bring all those best feelings back then MEL IS YOUR GIRL. Not only is she insanely talented but she makes you feel so comfortable and like you’ve known her forever. Mel photographed our engagement, our engagement photos then our wedding and we had more and more fun each time. We were so nervous the first and second time but she has way of making you feel comfortable and like the star of the show.
She is kind, open and the ultimate hype girl. I told her she had full freedom the day of our wedding and we are so glad because they are amazing. I love looking at our photos and am so happy we got to have her be part of our big day. -
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Bobi Sent on 12/23/2022
Book mel right now!
I can not say enough how happy we are with our decision to book Mel for our wedding! She is top knotch with the best personality! Mel is very professional and knowledable on every aspect. Communication with her before, during and even after our wedding has been wonderful. Mel has such an eye for knowing what will look best and make sure everything is taken care of so you don't have to worry about a thing. Not only did our photos turn out STUNNING and show our personalities but she truly made it feel like we have been lifelong friends. We had a blast the entire day and it would not have been the same without Mel by our sides! We will cherish these memories and photos forever. -
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![Kylie]()
Kylie Sent on 10/22/2022The most amazing photographer and person!
Mel was one of the highlights on our wedding day! She captured every moment of the day in the most perfect way. Every picture is so beautiful in its own way and she got so many photos of small details through out the day that I will cherish forever. She was amazing with the bridal party and family to get the perfect shots and made sure she got every shot on our list! I cant recommend her enough. She made sure to capture every detail during the whole day, looking through the gallery was like reliving that day! There is not one picture in the final gallery that I don’t like! -
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![Alex]()
Alex Sent on 07/29/2022the single best decision we made for our wedding
We could not be more grateful to Melissa for her stunning work - hiring her was the single most important decision made in our wedding planning process. She is an incredibly talented artist, and has a way of capturing the magic inside of moments. We worked with her over 3 years, from engagement to wedding - through having to reschedule due to the pandemic. We loved her from the moment we met! She so was so communicative, so professional- and has such a good heart. We consider her a friend! From the start, she made us feel absolutely at ease. Through the stress of re-planning, she helped us navigate our changing plans- which involved her traveling to Colorado not once as planned, but twice! On the day of our wedding, she and her assistant braved many hours of an unexpectedly rainy day in the mountains- plans had to change yet again and they moved through the day with such ease (all while cold and drenched)! She didn't skip a beat. She saw opportunity in the rain! If you're looking for a photographer who can uniquely see you and your love through a lens- and capture those ephemeral moments in images you can cherish for a lifetime - look no further. -
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Nikki Sent on 06/18/2022
Best Decision We Made!
Mel was hands down the best decision we made about our wedding. Right from the beginning, she made us feel very comfortable and at ease with her. This is someone who you’re going to want to be friends with.
My husband and I are not comfortable in front of the camera, but Mel was so reassuring. She gave us direction, but in a way that felt fun and playful.
On our wedding day, Mel was ON IT. She was running all around our Airbnb getting the pre-ceremony pics. When we did our wedding party pictures she kept it very fun and easy for all of us. At our reception, we had a few issues with other vendors and Mel was right there to ease our worries and have our backs.
All of these amazing things, and THEN the pictures! The photos Mel took of us were incredible. She has such a beautiful style, and we really felt seen through her lens. She knows how to find your angles and take a picture that is of your very best you.
I can’t thank Mel enough for the timeless art she has given us. Trust me, book the consultation and you won’t look back. She is simply the best. -
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Angela Sent on 06/02/2022
Melissa Cervantes Photography
I don’t even know where to begin.. Mel is amazing. Her pictures, her creativeness, her personality.. She’s professional, real, and will treat you as one of your friends. Honestly, Looking back she went above and beyond for us. She made sure we were on time for everything on the big day, communicated with us frequently, helped organize our big family during pictures, and she made sure my dress/me and the groom were well taken care of. Everyone gave compliments to us on how amazing she was and we get compliments frequently on our pictures..we always make sure to tell them it was all Mel. 💗 Thank you for everything, Mel. We will highly recommend her to everyone!! -
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Erin Sent on 04/16/2022
Look no farther for the most amazing photographer!
Melissa Cervantes is so incredibly talented. She went above and beyond with both our engagement and wedding photos. She has an uncanny ability to capture the most meaningful moments and make you feel like you are there again when you look at the photos. She has a gifted eye and captured the most special moments from our wedding in unique ways that aren't like all the rest on Pinterest! She was also able to capture the traditional shots that were must haves! She is so fun, creative, and professional. Working with her was an absolute dream. Mel immediately put me at ease and helped me to relax and enjoy every moment of my day. She is somehow able to be in 35 places at once and I'm pretty sure she didn't stop moving our entire wedding day in order to get the perfect shots!
Mel worked with me as I struggled to choose a location for our engagement photos. She was flexible and gave great advice about where would work best. She communicated well and often prior to our wedding and worked with us to create a timeline that would fit it all in!
If you're looking for a photographer who will not only give you the gift of the most special memories and beautiful photographs, but also effortlessly work with you and your wedding party. Mel is your girl. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Mel! You have given us memories that will last a lifetime! -
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Rylie Sent on 04/13/2022
She got my vision
I had an alternative Halloween wedding and she really got my vision. All my friends and family couldn't comprehend my style, even those closest to me, but all I had to do with Melissa was share my pintrest and have a Skype conference with her and I felt completely in good hands 🙌🏽 -
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![Jayme]()
Jayme Sent on 04/13/2022Are you ready to make magic with Mel?
Melissa is amazing, from start to finish she makes everything so easy. Pictures of my wedding were the most important to me, to be able to remember that day. She has given us so many beautiful pictures/memories that we can keep forever. Not only does she capture the traditional moments, but she creates art out of ordinary moments. She’s truly unique and worth every penny. -
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![Monal]()
Monal Sent on 07/28/202111/10 would recommend!
In reality, its an infinity/10 for this lady. We found her via social media and our first introduction was by far the most wonderful vendor experience we had. Melissa is most obviously GOOD. Just take a look at her work and you'll fall in love. What sold us was her expertise and passion for her work!! My now husband and I are a mixed race couple. During our initial conversation, Melissa educated us on the importance of light and exposure needs for making us both shine in photos. A concept that I would have otherwise not have known! She is 100% talent. Melissa is an incredibly calming force amongst the chaos of the day. She is professional, poised, an EXCELLENT problem-solver, and an overall joy to work with. We can't sing her accolades enough.
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![Mary]()
Mary Sent on 07/09/2021Nothing Short of Excellent
Reasons We Hired Mel (What We Expected)
1. Her Style: We had specific criteria in mind – a bespoke, artistic, documentary style, with more natural color and movement than bright saturation and stiff posing. We wanted images that reflected us as we are, not as airbrushing would make us. The moment we saw Mel’s work we fell in love. It had the feeling of true artwork and hallmark of true talent.
2. She Travels: Our original plan was a destination wedding in Jamaica. We wanted a photographer that shared our love of travel and understood our desire to incorporate it into this moment in our lives. During our initial meeting with Mel, it became clear that she was a proper globetrotter and knew just what she was doing when it came to travel planning.
3. Her Approach: The verbiage on her website and the rave reviews from previous clients assured us that we were working with a professional. Talking to Mel, it was also clear that she was just... cool, and funny, someone we would want to grab a drink with and actually enjoy having around.
Reasons We’re SO GRATEFUL We Hired Mel (What We Got)
1. Her Style: In the end, we did get the natural, artistic vibe we were going for and so much more. We got engagement photos that felt like the most authentic and accurate representation of our life together, and wedding day candids that truly made us cry. So many surprising shots filled with raw emotion: love and happy tears. She caught hugs and kisses and laughs that are absolutely priceless.
2. She Is Flexible: The Covid-19 pandemic hit us mid-engagement. We cancelled Jamaica. We postponed our date. Instead of a Caribbean beach resort in February we ended up with a boutique hotel in Iowa in May. Nothing from our original plan remained the same… except Mel. She was our constant, there with us through a masked engagement shoot, a new venue and vendors, and evolving regulations and restrictions. She took every challenge and change in stride and made us feel confident that – one way or another – the day would come, and everything would be fine.
3. Her Approach: The day of is where all these things – Mel’s talent, professionalism, personality, and flexibility – really came through. It became crystal clear that she knows exactly what she’s doing. From the moment she arrived she was calm, collected, and efficient: coordinating with other vendors, helping us stick to our schedule and sail through any slight snafus with a laugh. She kept wandering toddlers and groomsmen in line with a clap of her hands and seemed to know instinctively when we needed a moment to ourselves.
In sum, Mel is nothing short of Excellent. One hundred and one out of ten stars, would most highly recommend!
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![Hannah]()
Hannah Sent on 06/23/2021Melissa is the best
I don't even know where to begin with writing this. Melissa is phenomenal. Full stop. The first time we met her we knew we wanted her to capture our wedding photos. She was so friendly, approachable, and professional. We wanted our photos to capture our personalities, and we knew Melissa could do that. We also knew we could trust her fully to take great photos so that we could relax and enjoy our day. On our wedding day, she made the whole process so seamless, and we really were able to relax and enjoy the day. It was the best.
The photos Melissa captured from our wedding day are something we will treasure forever. When the first few showed up online the day after our wedding, our whole family gasped, and there were quite a few tears. The photos are literally perfect. Absolutely better than anything I could have imagined or wanted, and each one feels so unique. When we look at them, it's like we are right back at OUR wedding day, not just any wedding day.
There are two more things I have to mention here. 1) Our engagement session was amazing. Melissa spent the day with us up in Madison (where we live) and absolutely captured us and our favorite places in such a heartfelt way. She also made that day so FUN. I was certainly nervous about being photographed so much, but after awhile, it felt like it was just Simon and I there, having fun, together. The photos are a true reflection of that. 2) We had to reschedule our original wedding due to the pandemic. Melissa was super understanding and made our new date work for us.
Overall, Melissa is an artist. She is someone I would trust completely again and again to capture the most important moments in my life and the lives of those I love. Thank you!! -
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![Shelby]()
Shelby Sent on 12/31/2020My favorite vender.
As soon as Melissa arrived at my suite, the day was instantly better. She calmed my nerves and directed me where we needed to be, when we needed to be getting dressed and so on.
About thirty minutes before first look - she asked me where in the venue did I want it. And my reply was - I don’t know. You pick! And she nailed it.
Her photos are amazing but I feel like I don’t even need to say that because you can see all that from her social accounts.
Mel is made to be a wedding photographer. You can tell she loves her couples and her career and weddings. She over delivers during every step.
If you have the honor of working with her - enjoy it and be thankful. She is one of the greats. -
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![Bailey]()
Bailey Sent on 11/15/2020Melissa is the best!
Melissa is SOO much fun to work with! Her photography skills are just breathtaking. I am someone who gets shy when taking photos but she made us feel so comfortable! I highly recommend her!! -
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![Madeline]()
Madeline Sent on 04/14/2020Best Decision Ever :)
From the very start of the planning process, Melissa made everything simple and straight forward. She was there for us every step of the way from taking the most beautiful winter wonderland engagement pictures to helping plan out our wedding day timeline. I cannot rave enough not only about our truly amazing wedding pictures, but for her overall professional demeanor making us feel comfortable in front of a camera (My hubs and I definitely were nervous about that part). We are truly lucky to have found her! -
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![Emily]()
Emily Sent on 03/05/2020Coffee date photo session
We had a mini session photo shoot with Melissa that turned out great! We had such a fun time and ended up with some really candid fun pictures that showcased our love. It was so nice to get updated pictures of just us as a couple. -
![Molly]()
Molly Sent on 06/17/2019Could not have had a better experience!
Melissa photographed my husband and I's wedding last fall - she was an absolute joy to work with! We aren't exactly smooth in front of a camera and she made it a fun and stress free experience. She is so talented to say the least - I reexperience every emotion of the wedding day when I look through our photo gallery. Thank you Melissa for capturing our big day! -
![Jenny]()
Jenny Sent on 06/12/2019Ahhh-mazing
From the very first minute I got engaged I knew I NEEDED to have Melissa capture my wedding day. I had never met her before I just saw her work and LOVED it! We set up a meet and greet and she was very professional and so down to earth which I loved! So I booked her! Our engagement sessions was what I call a sauna on over drive but she was amazing and made both my husband and I feel so comfortable and not awkward. Fast forward to our wedding April 27, the last weekend in April and it was a blizzard...30 degrees cold, rainy, snowy, windy. All the worst possible winter weather you could think of we had. Instead of saying sorry I’m not shooting anything outside she was like I’m game of your game! So we did it and I don’t regret a single thing because I trusted her 1000% and looking at our pictures, she did above and beyond what I expected! Melissa was the very first thing I booked when I got engaged! She is an amazing person inside and out! So much fun to work with! 10/10 I would do it all over again! -
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Amy Sent on 06/18/2018There are not good enough words to describe how amazing Melissa is. She was kind and professional and just wonderful throughout our whole wedding process. But she was so much more than that. She really took the time to get to know who we were and what our relationship was like, and the photos she takes reflect that. She perfectly captures who we are and what we are feeling at that moment. She truely is a storyteller. And that is just the quality of her photos! If possible she is an even more amazing person! She and her second shooter Alex did everything in their power to make our big day easier and more fun, from adjusting veils and trains to getting us glasses of wine they went above and beyond what I could have hoped for. By the end of the night it felt like we just had a couple of extra friends at the reception who happened to be taking stunning photos. If you want a beyond amazing experience with your photographer and even better photos you need to book Melissa!
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Chantelle Sent on 05/22/2017I'll start by saying Melissa is a wonderful person, on top of that she has amazing talent. Right away it was easy for my husband and I to know we had chosen the right photographer for us. She was so intrigued to know we were open to being more adventurous (which lead her to this idea of rooftop shots, they turned out beautifully). She recommended some great photo ideas that turned out absolutely stunning but she also made sure to capture what was most important to my husband and I. She really can handle any situation that comes her way, seeing that our wedding party couldn't resist singing and dancing during our group photos. Let's just say, she turned that situation into some of the best photos I've ever seen. She captured genuine love and laughter between us and the ones we love most. Our photos truly take us back to those moments as if we were there all over again.
I highly recommend Melissa Cervantes Photography to anyone that is looking to capture special moments that they want to last forever. -
![Stephanie]()
Stephanie Sent on 02/09/2024The best photos from the sweetest photographer!
First off, huge shout out to Mel for being so flexible with Mike and I on our inquiry and getting us on her already busy EOY schedule. Mike and I got engaged July 3023 and we had a call with her later that month and she was so quick to reply, give us options for an engagement sesh/make sure she could accommodate our November 2023 wedding date, and ensure we were a fit to work together (which I appreciate - not just about getting businesses. She wanted to make sure we all vibed). Our entire experience with her from engagement shoot in October to our wedding in November was seamless- she was on top of providing suggestions on engagement shoot ideas in Chicago, how to relax in front of the camera and most importantly how to have fun. Prior to the wedding she sent us a questionnaire asking about timeline (hair, make up, addresses of where she has to go, who to photograph -or not- that day, etc) which made planning easier for everyone involved. Will also give huge shout out - mel knows how to read a room. My mom was having a very personal/emotional moment and mel was quick to identify this and find her way to still move forward and give space as necessary, while also maintaining her positive attitude as she worked. Thank you SO much mel. We could not have envisioned our day without you!! -
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