As someone who had a smaller wedding back in 2017, I know the pressures that are put on you to "do it" the traditional way. I know the stress of trying to figure out who makes the cut for guest list. I know the anxiety of planning, and feeling so overwhelmed - when honestly, all I wanted to do was get married to the love of my life.

What I really wanted was to just enjoy the day. I wanted an intimate wedding day, where I actually felt present, with the people I love the most surrounding me - in a space where I could just be myself. And now, I want to create that space for you.

I can help you be present and enjoy your special day by crafting the perfect intimate wedding experience for you. Let me take the stress away, and write out that full timeline. Let me find your dream vendors. Let me help you relax by knowing you are in the hands of someone you genuinely trust.

**You wont find anyone who cares more deeply than I do about providing you with an intentional experience on your intimate wedding day**

HiYA, I'm CHEL

my approach

how I show up for you

Trust & kinship

I care deeply about my clients. I want it to feel as though a friend is photographing your wedding. I make it my mission to get to know you both, so that when I arrive - you think, "ah, okay, Chel's here. I can relax. I can really relax, because she knows me and knows exactly how to photograph me in the way that I really I am. She knows how to get my real smiles, and make feel the most beautiful."

planning assistance

When you hire me, you don't have to stress over the search for a wedding planner. I can be the first vendor you hire, and help you find all the rest. I can help you find the perfect venue or location, and walk you through every step of the process. I will hand craft your timeline - not just the photography parts. I want to take that stress off of plate.
I am here for you.

confidence

You're feeling awkward or nervous about being in front of the camera, but here's the truth : you are photogenic. Being photogenic really comes down to who is photographing you. This is the number one thing my couples express they are anxious about, and every single couples perspective changed after working with me. I can make you feel confident, because I do see your beauty and quirks. And I make each experience unique to photograph you authentically.

Growing up in the beautiful town of Traverse City, my mama was always taking photos of my sisters and I. I remember seeing what felt like the largest box on the planet filled with all kinds of fujifilm quicksnap cameras. I remember the excitement she felt when she would take a batch to get developed. I was so eager to see them too, not even understanding the significance quite yet.

My family had purchased our first "real" camera back in 2009. I still recall how it felt to fiddle with the dials for the very first time, looking at something so simple, yet so special - with utter curiosity, not having the slightest clue that it was about to change my entire life.

Initially it was florals, landscapes, and varying architecture that stole my heart. Having the ability to document something in way that would keep a version of it forever was really meaningful to me, even as a kid.

One day I started taking photos of people.
And that's when I really fell in love. At first I couldn't articulate what was different about photographing people vs everything else. But then it clicked. When I got to photograph people, I had this special power where I could make someone feel just as beautiful as I saw them.

Then in 2013, I brought that same camera to Latvia with me, across the globe. And it was at that point that I discovered the pure joy of traveling.

But one of the most pivotal years in my life took place in 2017, when I both lost my mama, and simultaneously met my my soulmate, all within the same year. Losing my mama was devastating. The woman who helped me discover and appreciate my why was gone, and I struggled to comprehend how I could continue being the person she raised me to be, without her, but I just met the love of my life. And now, almost eight years later - he filled in the broken pieces. I want to help fill in those missing pieces for others. I want it to feel like by the time you're wedding rolls around, I am one of those people you trust and feel safe with on your special day.

Photography is my creative outlet in making others feel seen and beautiful. That is my purpose in life. I want to wake up every day, and make others feel understood and confident with who they are and what they look like.

As someone who had an intimate wedding myself, I know the significance in having your wedding for you, and no one else. I didn't want all the bells and whistles. I jut wanted to celebrate this love I never thought was possible with this other person who made me feel whole. I wanted my loved ones to be there, but only the ones that really knew and loved us in a way that genuinely understood that love.

Choosing me means choosing someone who understands the absolute value of photographing your most vulnerable and cherished moments with the people you love the most, in this world. You're hiring someone who keeps your photos safe because these moments can't be redone. You're picking someone who really cares about you and the photos we take together.