We weren't able to get newborn photography at the hospital when our son was born, so we looked into a photographer coming to our home. We found Maddie on Instagram and her photos matched the vibe we were going for. She was the best, everything she did was so professional. She took all the necessary precautions, making sure we were comfortable with her touching items in our home and she wore a mask the entire time. She was great with handling our son, and she even taught us a few tricks to soothe him! She made the entire experience fun for our whole family. I appreciated that she took the time to walk around and ask about our story in order to capture our family the best way possible. The entire shoot took maybe 3 hours. She never rushed us and even gave us time to feed him. I was a little nervous before with timing and fussiness, but Maddie knew exactly how to space it out and be accommodating to his schedule. Most importantly, the photos turned out amazing. All the shots were beautifully edited. And she captured a wide range of photos: of our boy, us as a family, and great detailed shots (hands, feet, sentimental props). I would recommend Maddie to anyone for newborn photography needs!!! read more

Maddie Blecha Photography - Event Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stop looking and book Maddie. I've searched high and low, went through spurts of stress/anxiety to breakouts on my face, all thanks to wedding planning. And finding the perfect photographer (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! read more

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Although Maddie was referred to me by a friend as being the best photographer, I still reached out to roughly 10 other Chicagoland photographers. Among my search, Maddie made an impression from her overall photography style and that I could tell she really cared for each of her clients individually. We decided to go with Maddie for our wedding 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! read more

Maddie Blecha Photography - Event Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Gorgeous photos, and a wonderful experience--hire her! After an exhausting search for a photographer (so many options, and it feels so high stakes), we are so grateful that we finally 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. read more

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Can't say enough good things about Maddie! She was a dream to work with. Her presence alone is so calming and she's so insanely kind - and her work is impeccable. We did both our engagement 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!! read more

We enjoyed our newborn session with Maddie so much and will cherish the pictures forever! She made the environment stress free - allowing for feedings, diaper changes, and casual conversation. She is so talented and the pictures turned out amazing! read more

Maddie took the time to get to know us when we first reached out to her. We felt much more comfortable with her than with any of the other photographers we considered. Our engagement 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! read more

Maddie Blecha Photography - Heckuva view! - Event Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Maddie was amazing! The effort and precision she took into consideration while taking photos is just great. She is very easy going and captured our wedding day exactly how we wanted. Our wedding guests still talk about our photos! read more

Maddie did my son's new born shoot and she was fantastic!!! I got her information from a gal I work with and the day of the shoot was the first time I met her. She was prompt, professional and totally sweet. When our photos came back, my husband and I couldn't have been more happier with them. I've already started to recommend her to friends and family. I cannot say enough about how great I think she did and I get compliments on the pictures all the time. read more

Maddie Blecha Photography - Event Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

SIMPLY. AMAZING. The amount of photographers to chose from feels infinite because it is. And to be honest, a lot of them are pretty fricken amazing. But we can tell you with full confidence 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 read more

We booked Maddie for our wedding and she far exceeded our expectations! (Which were already set high based on her portfolio) Maddie has the expertise, artistic eye, and temperament 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! read more

Maddie was so fantastic to work with and captured amazing photos and moments with our family that we will cherish forever. She made the entire process so fun and easy and I highly recommend her!! read more

We didn't realize how important engagement and wedding photos were to us until we met Maddie. Between her gorgeous photos and professional yet calm demeanor, we knew we had to have 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. read more

Maddie captured our wedding day so beautifully, we are so thankful we had the opportunity to work with her! In the months leading up to the big day, Maddie was available for questions 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! read more

To put it simply, Maddie is an absolute joy to work with! She is extremely talented and professional with a quick and sharp eye to capture the exact right moment every time. We worked 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 wife 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! read more

Maddie was an absolute pleasure to work with and has such great talent! We are so pleased with our newborn photos and are so happy we chose Maddie as our photographer. We love her unique style that is timeless and stands out from other photographers. We will recommend her and hope to have the opportunity to work with her for future newborn photos! read more

I am so glad that my husband and I chose Maddie to shoot our engagement session and our wedding - I honestly couldn't have imagined a more amazing photographer for both occasions. She is super easy to communicate with (responds to emails, questions, etc. right away), warm, friendly, and a true professional. We had a blast shooting with her and her photos were beautiful and candid, just like we had hoped. She went above and beyond to help us with everything from creating a day-of schedule to giving us ideas for shooting locations. Maddie is the absolute best! read more

5 stars isn't enough! Maddie is such a joy to work with. Having professional photos taken can be fussy and uncomfortable, but not with Maddie. She is so funny and easy going, and puts everyone around her at ease. She has amazing style and puts so much time and care into the photos she delivers. Such professional and thoughtful work. read more

Maddie is amazing! E-mail her - you will be so happy! We were searching for someone to photograph our family (with two young children) and found Maddie, recommended by another professional photographer. We could not be happier. Maddie has been wonderful to work with, from beginning to end. Maddie is professional, extremely personable and kind (even our kids asked to see her again after our shoot), very patient, and she got GREAT pictures! read more

Maddie is as phenomenal as they come. Not only are the photos she takes absolutely beautiful, she's a wonderful human -- inside and out. She truly cares about her clients and delivers exceptional service with a kindness and sincerity that will put even the most camera shy at ease. She makes her clients feel important and gives them her full focus -- even in the case of our near-Christmas baby that had Maddie at our house shooting photos on New Year's Even without complaint. I can't say enough good things about Maddie. Our newborn photos are ones we will treasure always, and I know we'll be calling her for all family photo shoots moving forward. Thank you, Maddie! May all your good come back to you. read more

Phenomenal. Maddie did our engagement and wedding photos, and truly went above and beyond. She listened to us, helped make us feel comfortable, and ultimately delivered a set of wedding photos that we will cherish and proudly share with friends and family. Our wedding day featured quite a bit of rain, and Maddie was unfazed. She was out in the rain, camera gear and all, without an umbrella! The pictures came out extraordinary and we are so thankful for everything. read more

My husband and I chose Maddie as our wedding photographer, and we couldn't be more thrilled with her work. Maddie is responsive, organized, professional, and passionate about her work. She gave us great advice on the timing and locations of photos during the planning stages. On the day of the event, she and her assistant kept everything on track, while remaining an upbeat presence. Maddie managed to beautifully capture each moment of our wedding day, and the photos that she produced are of outstanding quality. We have received so many compliments on the photos from our family and friends. We highly recommend Maddie. She is a very talented photographer and a pleasure to work with! read more

Maddie recently shot our wedding and engagement session. All of her photos were absolutely great. She has a natural style and capturing the emotion of the moment is one of her greatest skills. We loved working with Maddie because she is friendly, calm, helpful and prompt in answering questions, and just naturally felt like she should be a part of our wedding. I cannot wait to recommend Maddie to anyone looking for a photographer. read more

Maddie photographed my wedding in December of 2014 so this review is long overdue! Not only is she talented, creative, and highly motivated...but she is a ton of fun too! She helped ensure that our timeline ran smoothly and was always there to capture every unique, candid moment--even when I had no idea she was there. We were absolutely thrilled with our wedding photos and plan to work with Maddie again in the future for other photography needs. read more

One of my best decisions for my wedding day was having Maddie as our photographer. Every aspect of the planning, engagement shoot and wedding was perfect. From the moment I met Maddie I felt like she completely understood our vision. She was quick to respond to my questions and went above and beyond to even give me suggestions and help when I needed it. I still cannot get over how wonderfully she has captured our day! Since our wedding she has done two of our friends and I cannot wait to see the pictures! read more

I have known of Maddie's work for the past couple years and I can attest that she truly has a gift for photography. What sets Maddie apart from other photographers is that she captures the true essence of a moment-- doesn't appear staged at all. Not only is she extremely talented but behind the lens she is a kind hearted easy going flexible gal that loves what she does. Highly recommend. read more

We could not have been any happier with the photos Maddie captured on our wedding day. Everything from planning process, to the day of could not have gone any smoother. Her unique 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. read more

Our wedding was just a week ago so we haven't seen the photos yet, but judging by our engagement photos they will be incredible. Working with Maddie was fantastic. She is super friendly 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! read more

Maddie is just so freakin' awesome! We had friends comment that our engagement pictures looked like they came straight out of a fashion magazine. Not only is Maddie a sweetheart, she truly has a talent and an eye for capturing special moments. You can tell that she loves what she does and it shows! I honestly can't say enough amazing things about Maddie. We are super excited to receive our wedding photos! Can't wait to work with her again! read more

Maddie recently shot a family session with my husband, myself, and our then 6 month old baby boy. Maddie was so easy to work with, and so understanding when it came to baby mood swings! The pictures are absolutely beautiful; we could not be more thrilled with the final product! We have received so many compliments. We will cherish these photos forever, and we will definitely be using Maddie again! read more

I can't express how thrilled we are by Maddie's photography. She captured every emotion of our wedding day with gorgeous detail. She is so talented; her work is nuanced, balanced, 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! read more

Maddie did a fantastic job as photographer for our wedding last summer! Her photography style really meshed with our expectations for the day, and she did a great job incorporating 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. read more

I first met Maddie when I hired her to be my second shooter during the wedding season. She was always prompt, helpful, motivated, talented and a quick learner. It was pretty clear from the beginning that this was someone who really and truly cared about people. She wanted to provide the best memories she could and really capture the essence of their day so they would have something to enjoy for years to come. I've now worked with Maddie for over 3 years and was lucky enough to use her on my own wedding day. Knowing that my wedding images and memories were in Maddie's hands made me able to relax and enjoy the night because I know just how important doing a great job is to her. I trusted her 100% and I was completely blown away by the final product. Now that Maddie is branching off on her own and shooting for her own studio, I wanted to be sure to let everyone else in on the secret: This is an amazing photographer who take the responsibility and pressure of being a wedding photographer very seriously. You can trust her to do a great job and to be helpful and communicative every step of the way. She has the talent and experience to get the job done and is well on her way to being one of the top in Chicago. read more

I am so happy and thankful I found Maddie to capture my wedding and engagement shoot. She does absolutely amazing work! Besides being one of the sweetest people ever, she was so on top of everything, organized, and has an eye for catching the details that others may miss. She was extremely helpful in the planning process, and promptly answered any emails with questions we had. She really takes photography seriously while at the same time makes you feel relaxed and ready to have fun! The final photos were stunning! Along with beautiful portraits, she captured so many candid moments and we truly felt like we were able to re-live the day while looking at all her photos. At one point, she stopped traffic in order to get the perfect angle of us from the street! Other photographers of her caliber charge double the price. We found her services to be very reasonable for the service and final photos. I only received 100% positive feedback from my mom, bridesmaids, and everyone else about Maddie's nonintrusive, yet in control presence, and professionalism during the wedding. The only problem we're having is choosing which photos to put in the album, because there are just too many great ones :) My new husband and I can't recommend Maddie enough! read more