Melissa Cervantes - Chicago, Midwest & Destination Wedding Photographer

Melissa Cervantes - Chicago, Midwest & Destination Wedding Photographer Hi, I'm Mel. I've been photographing weddings for 10 years. I'm really good at it but more than that, I LIKE it. Badass art 🤝 sentimentality.

I like meeting couples in love, hearing their stories, meeting their friends and family and CELEBRATING them. Hi, my name is Melissa and I'm into stories. Specifically, into your story. In an era that's saturated with flash, comparison and selfies, I long to get back to the basics with you. I specialize in natural light portraiture and authentic documentary. I'm for the fiercely real, wild-hearted

bride whose up for the unexpected and ready to embrace life. And by life, I don't mean perfection. Life is when things go wrong, when the weather changes, when you rip your dress and fall down and it's in this very messy life that you met the love of it. So let it all happen and let me document it. I don't promise much but I do promise that together we will make something altogehter lovely and that it is my absolute mission to make you look like the best possible version of youself on your wedding day. Based in the Burlington, Iowa, but available worldwide. XO,

Melissa

08/14/2026

mid family photos, mind you

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Been such a busy and hectic wedding season. Hard to believe I was in New York again this year for a wedding! RMV Cellars...
07/31/2026

Been such a busy and hectic wedding season. Hard to believe I was in New York again this year for a wedding! RMV Cellars was giving me major Shire vibes

My 2027 calendar is filling up, if you're getting married and want your photos to remind you how it all FEELS, reach out! [email protected]

Shot with my friend Emily Melissa ❤️

Beau and Brooke get married in just about a month!!! Ahhh!!! ☀️
07/24/2026

Beau and Brooke get married in just about a month!!! Ahhh!!! ☀️

Just something about summer time engagement sessions ☀️ Courtney + Brody are so cute, I can't wait to photograph their w...
07/24/2026

Just something about summer time engagement sessions ☀️

Courtney + Brody are so cute, I can't wait to photograph their wedding in the big 2027!

acutal footage of what I hope you're doing during this crazy heatwave 🥵
07/01/2026

acutal footage of what I hope you're doing during this crazy heatwave 🥵

Kailey + Tyler get married TOMORROW and I'm gonna be there!! Look how fricking cute their engagement photos turned out a...
06/05/2026

Kailey + Tyler get married TOMORROW and I'm gonna be there!! Look how fricking cute their engagement photos turned out at La Bohème- Burlington,IA

I don’t think two people embody Burlington Iowa more than Kailey and Tyler so it was a no brainer to do their engagement session downtown where they spend so much of their time…

Heyyyyyyy, Meghann + Adam got married this past weekend and I was there and it was great and here are some photos 🔥
06/04/2026

Heyyyyyyy, Meghann + Adam got married this past weekend and I was there and it was great and here are some photos 🔥

…Nearly twenty years later, fate—and Bumble—brought them back together. Watching them interact, it's impossible not to notice how naturally they fit. They are truly best friends, constantly laughing together and bringing out the very best in one another. Their wedding day was a perfect reflect...

Since Meghann and Adam are getting married TOMORROW (ahhh!), I thought now was the perfect time to share their rom-com n...
05/29/2026

Since Meghann and Adam are getting married TOMORROW (ahhh!), I thought now was the perfect time to share their rom-com nighttime engagement session from January

M + A wanted to show off their love for each other in nighttime vibe in the Quad Cities. And I was the right engagement photographer for the job!

I absolutely love when clients trust me! Beau, Brooke and I have been FIGHTING Iowa weather (and our schedules) to make ...
04/21/2026

I absolutely love when clients trust me!

Beau, Brooke and I have been FIGHTING Iowa weather (and our schedules) to make a sunset engagement session happen. When the right evening finally came I had a wild thought at the LAST MIN and texted Brooke: “Hey, can you bring a white sheet? I wanna try something!” She didn’t question me just a yep! And this is the result. C’mon?? ☀️

Sometimes I have no idea what I’m doing. Sometimes it works, other times, no. But that’s creation. It’s fun and can be messy and it’s all OKAY.

Ps though, I feel like I did cook on this one, I do love it 😍 would you dance around under a sheet for your sunset engagement session?

See more on the gram: Instagram.com/melissacervantesphoto

K + T get married this summer and I'm gonna be there and you're gonna see lots of photos of it and it's gonna be just gr...
04/20/2026

K + T get married this summer and I'm gonna be there and you're gonna see lots of photos of it and it's gonna be just great ✨😍

Big thanks to La Bohème- Burlington,IA for having us! 🥂

Kailey Gibbs

Address

Burlington, IA

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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