Melissa Cervantes Photography

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Introduction: As a recent bride myself, I get the personal care aspect of being your photographer. I get the stress, the expectations, the budget and I'm careful to be as flexible and as caring as I'd want my own photographer to be. Not only is my attitude and approach different, my overall style is different from most that you find in the Midwest region. I specialize in natural light portraiture. Authentic, lifestyle photography is my bread and butter. I'm not interested in fake, cheesy posing. I'm not into what's really trendy. I'm into you, and showing your amazing love to the world, with my artistic and photo-journalistic style. I'm for the fearless and real couple that's not afraid of dirt, wind, rain because they're too in love and in the moment to care. I believe strongly that it's important to find a photographer that you can gel with, it's important to be apart of the same tribe. I'm into what's natural, I'm into what's organically you, I'm not into making you something that you're not. If that sounds like what you're after, I am definitely the photographer for you. I love to capture people as they truly are. My goal is to make my client's look like the best version of themselves. I love capturing candids the most--when most people are watching the bride and groom during the whole ceremony I take time to capture the guests present--grandma wiping away a tear or a toddler in the bridal party taking off their shoes or your Maid of Honor's face as you say your vow. I also LOVE to travel and have clients all over the Midwest, country and world and make the traveling logistics easy on my couples. I have shot weddings in Norway, California, Nevada, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa.

Overview

Hired 10 times

Background checked

2 employees

12 years in business

Payment methods

This pro accepts payments via Cash, Check, Credit card, PayPal, and Venmo.

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Facebook, Instagram

Featured Projects

40 photos

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Reviews

Customers rated this pro highly for work quality, professionalism, and responsiveness.

Exceptional 5.0

9 reviews

100%

Kate R.

Sep 17, 2017

Hired on Thumbtack

Wedding Photography

Paige F.

Sep 21, 2016

I don't even know where to begin with my experience with Melissa! I will just describe the entire process from start to finish. When I first booked with Melissa she was so kind to come and meet me at a coffee shop in my hometown to discuss details together! That was a big help with determining what time of the day different pictures should be taken. I was impressed by how she took the time to get to know me personally as well. I choose the double photographer package and recommend that to everyone! It allowed us more time to get ready separately that morning and my husband enjoyed having a male photographer take their pictures because there was less of an awkward factor. (The second photographer was her husband. They worked so well together!) Throughout the day we we began to fall behind schedule so I started to get worried but Melissa was quick to keep me cool, calm, and collected. She has a special touch for that! I had put together a list of all the special details I wanted to be documented throughout the day and they didn't miss one thing on the list! I did not have to stress at all whether or not the right pictures were being taken. They rocked it! Literally every detail of the wedding was captured in such an organic and natural way. I love how my pictures don't look fake. Then to top it all off, our pictures came in the cutest little gift package ever! Now the only problem is that I am faced with the decision of choosing from hundreds of amazinggggg pictures! I think I will rotate new ones on my wall every year (:

Heather H.

May 3, 2016

Melissa did both our engagement and wedding photos. She was a joy to work with! She made me feel at ease and had great ideas for photos. She was very professional and I would use for for any future photos that are needed as well as recommend her services to all.

Holly W.

May 5, 2016

We had a wonderful experience! She was very attentive and was so flexible. She made herself available for the entire day which is really special and unusual these days. She was very reasonably priced and we felt like we got a lot of bang for buck with her. We also used her for our engagement session and were very pleased with the outcome! She is such a special person and we felt like she became more than just our 'photographer' but a friend. It has been a pleasure getting to know her. Would of course highly recommend her!! Check out her site. The proof is in the pictures! http://melissacervantes.com/

Mellissa M.

Nov 12, 2017

Hired on Thumbtack

Melissa was by far the easiest decision I made regarding our wedding. From the moment I saw her portfolio I knew she was the right photographer for us, and after meeting her we were even more sure. It was by random chance that I happened to hear about thumbtack and found her, and I'm so glad I did. Her work is so naturally stunning, the photos never come off as overly posed or fake - they look perfectly natural. I was so concerned with making sure that our pictures felt like us, and Melissa made sure of it. She is so easy going and so kind, both of us are more introverted people and definitely not overly familiar with being photographed but Melissa made us feel so comfortable. My brother is autistic and was very anxious about being photographed, but by the end of the night he was telling me how great Melissa and her husband/second shooter TJ are. I will forever be grateful for how comfortable they both made him feel, and how natural and "him" all of my photos of him are because of it. Melissa even provided a much needed pep talk when I was having some wedding planning difficulties and reminded me that it was my day, and it could be whatever I wanted it to be, and helped me to better stand my ground -- which was definitely above and beyond her job description. I am truly grateful for the time and effort she has put into both our wedding and engagement photos, and I would very highly recommend her to anyone looking for a wedding photographer.

Wedding Photography

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Melissa Cervantes

FAQs

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
You should know that out of all the details and things you invest in for your wedding day, the only thing that increases in value over time, are the photos. Photos will outlast the cake, the dress, the flowers, the toasts and the favors. Photos will tell the story long past the memory of those there celebrating with you. Yes, photography can be a big investment. But you should know it's worth it. Every time.
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I just want to get to know you. Your wedding day is all about you and capturing your unique spirit. I love to get together with my clients for coffee and just hear how they met and what their dreams are for their big day. Before any official booking, I insist on a consult with my couples primarily, whether in person or FaceTime. There's just something about that face to face interaction that really lets you know more than any email "This is a good fit." Once we meet up for the engagement session which is usually 6-12 months before the wedding, that's when I let all of my goofiness come out, using getting to know my couples as a vehicle to get them to loosen up and relax in front of the camera. Something that's not often thought about is just how much time you spend with your photographer on your wedding day--the answer is a lot! So it's really important to me to get to know my clients before their wedding and make them as comfortable with me as possible and the consult and engagement session is key to that.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am totally self taught and have been a professional for 6 years.

Melissa Cervantes Photography

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