I chose a smaller, more personal celebration for my own wedding in Traverse City in 2017 — an experience that deeply shaped how I approach weddings today.
Even in a setting as naturally beautiful as Northern Michigan, I felt the quiet pull of expectation. The pressure to expand the guest list. To follow traditions that didn’t fully reflect who we were. What we ultimately chose instead was presence.
To celebrate along the water and landscapes we loved. To share the day with the people who mattered most. To experience it fully, without distraction.
That decision continues to inform the way I document weddings across Michigan and beyond.
Today, I guide couples toward celebrations that feel composed, unhurried, and deeply personal, whether along Lake Michigan, on a private estate, or at a thoughtfully chosen destination. Working in collaboration with planners and vendor teams, I ensure the photography experience integrates seamlessly into the flow of the day, allowing you to remain fully present while every meaningful moment is preserved with care.
You wont find anyone who cares more deeply than I do about providing you with an intentional experience on your intimate wedding day
meet chel,
michigan wedding photographer
my approach
Trust & kinship
Connection matters. I approach every wedding with attentiveness and care, creating space for you to feel comfortable from the moment I arrive.
By taking time to understand your dynamic and what feels most natural to you, I’m able to document moments with authenticity — preserving both the energy and the stillness of the day in a way that feels true.
intentional guidance
You won’t navigate the photography process alone.
I collaborate closely with your planner and vendor team to ensure portraits, timing, and lighting integrate seamlessly into the flow of your day.
My role is simple: to offer clear, steady guidance around the elements that shape your images — so you can feel confident and fully present.
A CALM PRECENSE
You don’t need to be naturally comfortable in front of a camera.
With steady direction and a composed approach, I create space for you to feel relaxed and fully yourself — allowing your connection to come through naturally and without pressure.
I grew up in Traverse City, Michigan - surrounded by water, open landscapes, and a mother who never stopped documenting our lives.
She kept a box filled with Fujifilm disposable cameras, always ready to capture something ordinary before it slipped by. I remember the anticipation of waiting for prints to come back, flipping through each image with curiosity - not yet understanding how powerful it was to preserve a moment.
In 2009, my family purchased our first “real” camera. I still remember turning the dials for the first time - fascinated by something so simple, yet so transformative. I had no idea then that it would shape the course of my life.
At first, I photographed florals, landscapes, and architecture. I was drawn to the idea that something fleeting could be preserved - that light and detail could live on beyond the moment itself.
Because who you trust matters
My WHY
But everything shifted the day I began photographing people.
There was something different about it - something deeper. Through the lens, I realized I had the ability to reflect back what I saw in others. To show someone their own beauty, their connection, their presence - in a way they might not have recognized before.
In 2013, I carried that same camera with me across the world to Latvia. It was there that my love for travel expanded - and I began to understand how storytelling, culture, and human connection all intersect through imagery.
One of the most defining seasons of my life unfolded in 2017 - the year I lost my mother and, in the same breath, met the man I would marry.
Grief and love existed side by side. Losing my mother was devastating. She was the one who first nurtured my curiosity for photography - the one who taught me to notice, to preserve, to care deeply about what lasts.
In the midst of that loss, I also experienced the beginning of a love that would reshape my life.
Those two experiences... heartbreak and joy - deepened my understanding of how significant photographs truly are. They become anchors. Reminders. Tangible pieces of what we cannot relive.
That awareness has shaped the way I approach every wedding I document. Photography, for me, is not simply creative expression. It is stewardship. It is honoring what cannot be recreated.
When you choose to work with me, you are choosing someone who understands the weight of that responsibility - someone who approaches your celebration with care, steadiness, and respect for the moments entrusted to her.
Having chosen a smaller, personal wedding myself, I understand the significance of designing a day that reflects who you truly are. A gathering centered not on expectation, but on connection.
Your photographs deserve to be handled with intention. Your memories deserve to be protected. And your wedding day deserves to be documented by someone who values its meaning as deeply as you do.
GET to know me
When I’m not behind the lens, I’m at home with my two energetic boys, navigating motherhood in all its fullness and unpredictability.
My husband and I are nearing nine years together. He may be the licensed pilot between the two of us, but I happily take on the role of creative co-pilot, bringing humor, perspective, and just enough spontaneity to keep life interesting.
While my work is rooted in intention and care, I don’t take myself too seriously. I believe the best photographs happen when you feel comfortable enough to be fully yourself - which begins with genuine connection.
Travel has always shaped my perspective. From the rolling hills of Scotland to the deserts of Arizona and Nevada, each destination has deepened my appreciation for light, landscape, and culture. Whether close to home in Michigan or farther afield, every wedding I document feels like its own meaningful journey.
Things I love
JESUS | MY FAMILY | TRAVELING | Books | Laughter | Coffee | Hiking | Trying new foods | Polaroids | Music | Roller coasters | Swimming | Art
