Maddie Blecha Photography

engagement photographers, Maddie's style *really* stood out, and she 100% delivered. Real talk... Run, don't walk, to book with Maddie now! You won't regret it.

a pillar of support during the stressful moments that often accompany wedding planning. Maddie's genuine care and thoughtfulness were evident right from the start, and she went above and beyond to ensure that not only our photographs were perfect, but also that we felt comfortable and at ease throughout the process. As much as I didn't think it was possible, she made the process of a photoshoot FUN! One of the most memorable moments was a couple of weeks before my wedding when Maddie offered to meet me in my neighborhood for a cup of coffee, complete with flowers. What started as a simple meeting turned into an uplifting conversation, leaving me with a smile on my face and a renewed sense of excitement for our big day. Maddie's ability to connect on a personal level truly sets her apart. She is not only a skilled photographer but also a thoughtful soul who genuinely cares about her clients. On the day of our wedding, Maddie and her assistant Alana were an absolute delight to have around. Their positive energy, calming presence, and ability to find humor in every moment added an extra layer of joy to the day. It was clear that they shared in our happiness and were invested in making our wedding day truly special. Maddie's attention to detail in her editing process is unparalleled. She is meticulous in her work and pours her heart and soul into every photograph she delivers. Her style of photography captured the essence of our wedding perfectly, and I couldn't be happier with the results. Despite encountering some weather challenges, Maddie seamlessly adapted the original plan and ensured that we still had the best possible outcome. Her ability to creatively and seamlessly pivot was truly impressive. I am immensely grateful for the heart and dedication Maddie put into capturing such a significant milestone in our lives. The photographs she created are not just beautiful images; they are cherished memories that we will forever hold dear. I wholeheartedly recommend hiring Maddie for your special day if she is available. Trust me, you won't regret it. Thank you, Maddie, for being more than a photographer to us. Your support, creativity, and genuine care made our wedding journey truly unforgettable and I look forward to capturing more milestone moments with you in the future.

Maddie. --Pastor Jane at Fab Weddings

os turned out from our January wedding. Maddie's skill seems so natural yet it is obvious how highly experienced and prestigiously trained she is. We hired Maddie for our rehearsal dinner and wedding and could not be more pleased with the beautiful memories that she captured. Maddie is a true artist yet also a very thoughtful, calm, and pleasant professional who is THE PERFECT person to be so intimately involved on the most important day of our lives. Hire Maddie--you will not be disappointed.

king with us on a draft timeline to make sure we had the right time allotted, to really taking the time to learn about our style and dynamic. On the day of, she was so wonderful and supportive. She truly understood our vibe - we did not want the day to be defined by trying to get great shots and wanted it to feel enjoyable and natural. Maddie kept us on time while getting some amazing candid shots and brought such a positive and calm energy. We couldn't be happier with how all the pictures turned out and are so grateful for Maddie's role in our wedding day!

asy to work with, keeping a calm demeanor throughout the whole experience, and the pictures turned out stunning. Our friends and family have been so amazed by the photos, and we will definitely be reaching out to Maddie to capture future life events.

shoot with her, we felt comfortable and happy with the final product. She is great to work with and we enjoyed spending our wedding day with her and her team. We cannot get over how incredible our wedding photos turned out and can’t stop looking at them! Thank you Maddie for everything the past year and a half :)

ographing weddings. She has an amazing eye at capturing genuine emotion and moments throughout your big day. Not only was she great to work with the day of she really was attentive to the details of editing our photos, which a lot of other photographers don't seem to put the time and love into this process. Just have to say how much that is a HUGE reason for having her be your photographer. We highly recommend working with Maddie because she cares about her couples on a whole new level and that is priceless.

talked to Maddie on Zoom, we knew she was our top choice for our wedding day. And the best part? We haven’t even mentioned the photos yet, which are INCREDIBLE! Through the consultation steps, to the lead up to the wedding and most importantly, the wedding day itself, Maddie was simply amazing! She has such a keen eye for photos and adjustments on the fly, we were both in awe of how flawless she made the day! Do you want a photographer that can simultaneously take the best wedding photos, keep a large wedding party ahead of schedule and make you feel like you’re best friends all at once? That’s Maddie! If we could give ten stars we would without hesitation. Do yourself a favor and work with her whenever possible, you will not be disappointed!

ngagement photos and wedding photos with her, would highly recommend doing an engagement session with her because it makes the wedding day all the more comfortable. We love our engagement photos and just a few days after our wedding, Maddie sent a sneak peak of more pictures than I expected which was so amazing! My whole family is raving about how the pictures turned out, can't wait to see the rest! My husband and I do not feel super comfortable in front of the camera, but Maddie was so supportive and kind and helpful directing us to get the perfect shots! I am so thrilled we got to have Maddie as our photographer, thank you for making our day special!!

a more perfect person to work with. She was professional but also so sweet and caring. She was so easy to communicate with and went above and beyond to make sure we felt comfortable and supported during the entire process. Our families fell in love with her and she meshed so easily with our guests. She captured exactly what we asked for and we could not be more grateful for her calming and friendly presence as well as her amazing work. Thank you so much Maddie!!!

led to Michigan with us to take our engagement photos in our favorite town. At the wedding, she was great with my loud family and made sure we didn't waste any wedding fun when taking all our family pictures. Most importantly she captured every emotion and special moment in our wedding, I love the candid shots of us and our guests, it's like she was somehow everywhere at once. I would literally print every single photo if I could. I definitely plan on working with Maddie in the future! HIRE HER, you won't regret it!

stays calm, cool, and collected, she can manage an insanely large wedding party and guide everyone so gracefully, and just wait until you see her pictures?!? Her editing creates this warm, rustic, romantic tone that draws everyone in and brings you right back to that special day. Cannot recommend Maddie enough! We just LOVE her!

etting your picture taken painless and went above and beyond when we requested photos with our dog at our wedding. If you are striking out with photographers and you don't live in Chicago, please reach out to her. Maddie felt like she was always supposed to be with us on our special day. We are so lucky to have worked with her and will treasure our wedding photos forever!

ple in the city and we weren’t the only ones - Maddie made us feel so special. She absolutely captured what we wanted and gave us the gift of forever photos. We had such a non-traditional idea in mind and she captured exactly what we wanted. She was soft in that she listened to us and wanted us to have natural interactions, but then was strong to help us fill in the gaps. She took the time to talk on the phone and help understand what we really wanted. We will absolutely be going back to her when we need photos for other reasons. I can't say ENOUGH good things about our experience.

onfidence that Maddie Blecha is a rare unicorn. She is a kind and beautiful soul that can only exude love and happiness. She’s professional, organized, optimistic, focused, TALENTED, and more than a photographer. We found her by chance of searching for Chicago Wedding photographers and I am so grateful we stumbled upon her name. We were also lucky she was only the 2nd photographer we met with because I immediately knew we could stop searching. Let’s talk before your wedding: Maddie was there every single step of the way. She helped plan whatever we needed, gave recommendations from experience, and she even scoped out places for pictures, looking for ivy walls, banana milkshakes, and checkered floors. On top of all the details, she was always there for support and was beyond flexible with COVID changes – she even sent us this cute art print in the mail with an inspiration quote. Who does that?? ANGELS. Angels do that. She takes the time to learn about what you want from your wedding day and helps you make it happen. Now your wedding day: Your photographer will be there for your most intimate moments clicking away and Maddie will make you feel so warm, so happy, and so beautiful. I couldn’t imagine anyone else following us around. Most of the time she was quietly in the background, only moving us if the light wasn’t optimal, the background could be better, or she just spontaneously had this really great idea! She was never a bother but made sure she got what she needed. She was so easy going and kept you on a timeline to make sure you didn’t miss the big moments. Her smile and laugh are contagious and taking pictures never felt staged. We were just enjoying our wedding day with Maddie randomly yelling out, “THIS IS GREAT YOU GUYS I LOVE IT!! *click click click*. She will be the biggest cheerleader you’ve ever had and you’ll feel like a straight up 10. And last but not least, your actual photos: This was the second most important part of our wedding day after the venue. We were entrusting someone to capture our most precious memories and make these moments tangible. A single photograph can hold incredible intimacy, joy, love, and anxiousness. These moments aren’t planned or staged, and they're rarely perfect because they’re real. Maddie captured our wedding day just as it was, with all the smiles and emotions and everything in between. She quite literally captures those moments you can’t get back and now you’re somehow been blessed with these photos of someone looking in from the outside and showing you the magic and beauty of you wedding day. She literally gives you magic, guys. I could go on and on. Maddie was a dream to work and we cannot thank her enough. Make wedding planning easier on yourself, email Maddie, and pray she has your date available.

die for engagement photos and from that initial meeting we knew we wanted Maddie to photograph our wedding. We were intent on finding someone who didn't just take pictures, but captured moments in time and Maddie does just that. It was important to us to find someone who could capture memories of the emotions, candid reactions, and moments we as the bride and groom weren't even aware of. Maddie's skill behind the lens captured all of those things, and more, and she was such a joy to be around throughout the process! She is comfortable and friendly, fiercely focused, always in your corner and a real team player. Her comfortable energy and professional skill meshed well with our entire wedding team, from coordinator to DJ. Maddie made the entire process fun and we felt so comfortable in front of her lens. Being a pandemic bride is challenging, but Maddie made every single piece of planning (and re-planning) so easy. She answered so many questions and was incredibly supportive throughout every step. We are so grateful for Maddie and the incredible art she creates!

ation, you absolutely need a photographer who is positive, flexible, respectful, and graceful under pressure. They need to demonstrate these qualities not only on the day of the wedding but in all the time leading up to it. MADDIE IS THAT PHOTOGRAPHER. She was such a delight to have at our backyard ceremony and small celebration. We had to shift several things around to accommodate the pandemic this year, including venue, event size, and safety protocols. Maddie was more than willing to help us out and offer expert advice throughout our planning process. She went above and beyond what we would have expected of a photographer, from our first meeting 1.5 years out to the day she delivered the final photos. For both our wedding and engagement shoot, Maddie was an excellent director on top of her photographic duties. As a couple, we’re naturally bad at looking good in photos, or taking romantic things seriously. Maddie took this in stride, walking us through various poses and placements that looked and felt natural while still leaving room for our trademark goofiness. She very efficiently directed the larger group for family photos, which was NO small feat. She is SO good at connecting with young children and babies and got some really beautiful and fun shots of our younger attendees. Other times she was but a fly on the wall, capturing beautiful, natural moments without others knowing she was even there. After Maddie left as the night was winding down, multiple family members shared with us how impressed they were with her conduct and presence at the event. The photos themselves are gorgeous! Between the setting sun and the neighbors’ unfinished pool project right next to the ceremony site, our wedding couldn’t have been easy to shoot. Yet Maddie skillfully framed every shot to perfection, and expertly fixed anything less than perfect in post. The result was an album of memories that perfectly captured the magic of the evening. We will cherish them for the rest of our lives, and look forward to seeing Maddie again for our large-scale reception next year. Thank you Maddie!!!

ked with Maddie on our engagement photos and on our wedding day. She went above and beyond in so many ways, she even helped us pick awesome locations for our wedding day photos. She knows so many great spots in Chicago and in her free time sets out to find even more interesting locations. Each time we worked with her she came prepared and added zero stress to the day. If anything she adds more joy to each room. At times she’ll be invisible in a room, quietly capturing all the special moments, letting everyone feel and act normally and then at times she’ll see the light hit in a certain way and tell you where you need to be for THE SHOT. She has such a warm and welcoming personality and is so easy to get along with. From our first conversation with her, it felt like we were just catching up with an old friend. She listens to what you want and will not bulldoze your ideas, but is not shy to direct you or put you in a pose that will look AMAZING! She puts people at such ease who otherwise might be uncomfortable in front of the camera. My husband and I are not naturals on camera but Maddie made us feel and look like we were. We wish we could hang with Maddie everyday and just capture life as is. She truly cares about her clients and wants to get to know them on a more personal level so she can bring out their personalities and let them see themselves and their love how they experience it. To see her work is awe inspiring. She sees the world differently and is an artist in true form and action. Maddie is the best! We can’t say enough good things about her or her talents. If you need an uber professional, insanely talented and all around great person to work with, Maddie Blecha is your woman!

ally landed with Maddie. Hiring her to photograph our wedding (February 2020) and engagement shoot was one of the best decisions we made during the entire wedding planning process. Our experience was exceptional and her work is simply stunning. The bottom line: do not agonize over this decision. Hire her ASAP! First, Maddie is friendly and approachable--completely easy to be around. A caterer told us early in the process to make sure we love our photographer's personality, because if we don't, it'll show up in every picture. Thank goodness we took that advice. Our brief "meet and greet" with Maddie over coffee turned into a multi-hour laughfest that put us completely at ease. This came in handy when she had to work with our giggly, awkward selves during the engagement shoot. (After we saw how great those pics turned out DESPITE our nerves, we knew just how good a decision we had made, and had no anxiety about pictures leading up to the big day.) Maddie's contract is short, simple, generous, and reasonable. Zero issues with that, and zero issues with accessing the finished photos on the gallery website. Yay! Maddie's communication was always prompt, thorough, friendly, and professional, an approach that carried over to the wedding day itself, when she corralled and directed numerous family members (who displayed varying levels of ability to follow instructions). :) She went above and beyond, even helping me to sneak away to the bathroom unseen leading up to the ceremony itself. She also had a hand in helping to craft said ceremony! For over a year leading up to the wedding, I was dealing with a health problem that ultimately led to a recommendation a week prior to the wedding that I avoid standing for long stretches of time! :O Maddie took this in stride and made seating and placement recommendations that we ended up using (and loving) on the day of. Maddie, thank you for your kindness and compassion at a time when it was needed so very much. And as for the photos, well, the finished products are gorgeous. We look our best. Our friends and family look their best. Maddie captured so many candid moments and thought to stage things that we never would have conceived of, and haven't seen in anybody else's wedding pictures. Numerous other vendors asked me where on earth we had found her because they were going to recommend her to all of their clients. Our venue coordinator texted me her excitement over the pictures, stating that "every photo is her favorite photo". Maddie has a way of working with light (including low light) and shadow that creates a romantic, moody, lush feel. We remain so impressed, and know that you will be, too. Maddie, we will be darkening your door for any and all future photography needs, and will continue to shout your name from the rooftops! Thanks again for everything.

he pictures are perfect, and she made it feel fun and natural. Even more than that, we had so many difficult vendors to deal with and Maddie stepped in and helped us get responses and things secured. She was in our corner for everything, the amount of times we called her because of family dynamics or gifts or what would look best for our moms to wear, etc. she was there for us and worked through everything until it was perfect. She helped plan anything we needed, she mapped out our whole day and basically ran the show the day of to make sure everything went smooth and was the best day we could imagine. She is the most caring and loving soul and the best person to have with you and doing such an important task on your wedding day! From the moment we first spoke to her, it felt like we had known her forever, and when we finally met in Tennessee right before the wedding she felt like a close friend! Thank you Maddie for everything you did for us, and we cannot get over how perfect our pictures are!!! They captured everything and they are more than anything we could have dreamed!

d the whole process felt natural. Maddie flew out to our hometown of San Francisco to take our engagement photos and it felt like we were exploring the city and eating tacos with a friend. When the weather forecast showed chances of rain, Maddie had all of her contingency plans lined up and took the stress of location hunting off of us. She captured all of the little moments and details from our ceremony / reception, and we were able to enjoy the day because we knew we could trust her and her work. When my husband and I procrastinated on printing our wedding albums, she helped coordinate with the printing company to get us our albums in time for the holidays. My grandpa, who couldn't make it to the wedding due to health issues, was brought to tears while flipping through the album. We cannot thank her enough for the all of the help and for documenting our special day so beautifully!

ions and took the time to get to know us and understand what we were looking for in our wedding photos. Her pictures bring us back to the excitement, joy and emotion felt throughout the day. The final album speaks to the quality of her work - the photos are absolutely gorgeous and were thoughtfully assembled to tell a complete story of the day from start to finish. We could not have been happier with how our wedding photos turned out, and will have pictures to treasure for years to come. Outside of being a gifted photographer and true professional, Maddie is such a kind, approachable and down to earth person - which made it an absolutely pleasure to work with her! We would recommend Maddie in a heartbeat!

Chicago in our engagement photos was extremely important to us. Maddie was so helpful from the get-go, suggesting key spots that would show off the beautiful architecture but would minimize travel time. Once we got to the session, we were both a little anxious because we don't love taking photos, but Maddie was incredibly patient, professional and kind. She was encouraging, and made us feel comfortable from the start of our session. The photos came out beautifully, and we want to frame every single on of them!!! I cannot recommend her enough.

her. She made us feel so comfortable during our engagement session, which is always a little weird at first unless you're an actual model. Many of our friends have told us our wedding photos are the best they've ever seen. They truly look like film! Maddie is all the best things: talented, warm, calm, genuinely kind, etc. She helped us plan our day-of schedule, think of back-up locations in the event of rain, and coordinate with our vendors. She is a true gem and you should hire her right now.

ng this past June and would highly recommend her! She includes engagement photos in her pricing, which was helpful to get a sense for how it feels to be photographed and what you prefer as far as "poses", but her approach is mostly "in the moment" moments which I love. If you're contemplating a photographer - go with Maddie! She was so helpful in all aspects - from planning the day of details/timeline to the actual day. She always made me feel comfortable and I always knew I could reach out to her with questions or random ideas we'd have. We recently received the full gallery and couldn't be happier with the coverage she got for us - it truly allows us to relive the best day!

t that you'd want in a wedding photographer. She's fun and easygoing, but she's also great at taking the lead and keeping you on schedule. Maddie will do everything possible to make the day perfect for you. Case in point: We noticed one of our bridesmaid's bouquets was missing right before taking bridal party photos. Maddie was quick to position the girls in certain ways so she could Photoshop the flowers in later -- the end result was so good that I almost forgot one of the bouquets was "fake"! My husband and I were so impressed with the gorgeous photos that Maddie and Felicia (her second shooter) produced. We particularly love their candid shots of our wedding guests... These "stolen moments" perfectly capture the joy and love we felt throughout the day. If we had to do it all again, working with Maddie Blecha Photography would be a no-brainer!

nt photo session produced lovely results. And we couldn't be happier with our wedding photographs! Maddie captured the mood of every moment, from the formal posed shots to the most impromptu candids. We'll cherish these images for a lifetime. Thank you, Maddie!

s work out a timeline so that we could take pictures while there was still sunlight. It was her first time at our venue but we never would have known- she found the most beautiful locations around our venue, even a lovely grove of trees that I didn't know existed! Her and her assistant were incredibly professional and discreet. I didn't realize they were there half the time, honestly. It was wonderful to just get lost in the day. And the pictures themselves are worth every penny. So many that brought me right back to that day, and bring happy tears to my eyes. She really has an eye for capturing pure emotions. I cannot say enough good things, but the most importantly - if I had to do the day all over again, I would 100% choose her again :)

t phone calls during the planning process ​were great. We were able to ask questions, voice our concerns, and let her know any special details about our wedding that would be helpful. Maddie and her assistant were extremely considerate when working with family members that weren’t very mobile. The wedding day photos were exceptional!! They captured the true feelings in the photos from the smiles to tears and as we look at the photos, we are brought back to those moments during our wedding day. I would highly recommend Maddie Blecha Photography. She will help ease the stress of wedding planning and capture pictures that are real, beautiful, and timeless.

elp us with timeline, eased all of our weather concerns, and collaborate creatively. In addition to being a delight, her photos turned out *amazing*. We can't wait to turn them into an album. Definitely an MVP of our wedding.

way of capturing the moments and her artistic approach to photography really spoke to us when looking for a wedding photographer. She was there to keep us organized and to answer any questions we had, even if it wasn’t about pictures!. We would absolutely recommend Maddie to anyone looking capture incredible, one of a kind photos.

so thankful that we did! First of all, the photos are beautiful! Going through them all the first time I laughed, I (happy) cried, and I laughed so hard I cried. I've gone through them all about 20 more times and I feel like each time I fall in love with a different photo. The way she told our story is so beautiful and artistic, more than I even knew I wanted! Hours after I put them up I had friends and family asking how they could get copies, even a couple people who didn't attend the wedding! Besides her work being out-of-this-world, Maddie herself was a real joy to work with. During our very first meeting before we even chose to go with her, she quickly helped us organize a day-of timeline that we actually ended up following with a few minor adjustments. Also, because she knew we didn't have a wedding planner, she offered to give us any recommendations or advice we needed, and she did! A week before the wedding, it was looking like thunderstorms for the day of the wedding and I was getting super anxious! With everything coming up at once, I think my brain was too fried to problem solve. We called Maddie and within a few hours she had a long list of backups (that ended up being amazing), as well suggestions on how and where to get umbrellas, and just general words of encouragement. She made me so comfortable and at ease throughout the whole process, and really that's priceless on your wedding day. Plus, she stayed a little extra because as she was wrapping up "Ignition Remix" came on and she felt she couldn't leave without getting some pics of the dance floor, and who doesn't love that?! 100% recommend her, your sanity and future picture-viewing self will thank you.

endly and professional and enthusiastic all at once. She did a great job putting me and my husband at ease and making us feel comfortable even though we both felt a bit awkward about taking photos. The day of the wedding, she was very efficient with all the couple and family photos, was both everywhere and invisible the rest of the night. BONUS: ask to see pics of her adorable dog!

directing us and the bridal party for pictures, but also staying in the background and got so many great candid shots. We received our pictures back within her promised timeframe and made adjustments to pictures within a day of our asking. Thanks for everything Maddie!

otographer (within budget) was a definite stressor! We've met with several photographers and at the end of the day, we felt most comfortable with Maddie. And not to mention, all of her photos felt natural and light, NOT full of your typical prom poses of "stand here, put your hand here, look in this direction." She offers a free engagement session which we originally thought we wouldn't do... but we figured it would be a good way to get comfortable with Maddie and also having our pictures taken by a pro. BEST DECISION EVER. We took them all around Wicker Park and not to brag, but we got featured on Buzzfeed Weddings thanks to her pictures! Onto the wedding pictures. We wanted the "essence" of our wedding captured on camera and holy smokes, I'm still blown away. Everyone that has looked through them has commented how they feel as if they are there in that photo and reliving the memory with us. They're THAT incredible. If you want to check out our wedding pictures, just private message me and I'll send you our album. I've even had friends of mine book Maddie because they've seen my photos. I truly cannot say it enough--she was, hands down, the best decision we made for our wedding!

r wedding photographer we've encountered out of the water in every single aspect. She is a true professional and her photos of our wedding and engagement session were BEAUTIFUL and candid (my husband and I are very anti-staged photos). But more than that, she was such a huge help and her easy going nature calmed my nerves as I was planning the wedding myself...and she especially kept me sane the day-of, with all the moving parts involved! My husband and I are also super uncomfortable with having our photos taken, but she made us feel very comfortable and we had a blast shooting with her. So if you are looking for a wedding photographer who is friendly, lovely, professional, and down for just about any photo ideas you have, make sure you hire Maddie!

se with the slightly awkward process of getting used to posing for photos and made us laugh along the way. Her work is simply stunning and she is so much fun to work with!!! I would recommend Maddie to anyone looking for a wedding photographer or for any other life event - we sure will be!

g visuals of the city and the unique features of our venue. On a personal level, she is great to work with and was a calming influence for us. Even though we didn't have a true wedding planner, Maddie managed to keep us on-schedule throughout the day without making us feel rushed or stressed.

and unique. We couldn't be happier with our photos. Maddie is a total sweetheart and so easy to work with. She is also reasonably priced. We will definitely book her for all of our future life events!