Southwest Missouri Elopement Photographer | documentary-style meets fever dream
...BUT MAKE IT YOURS.
EDITORIAL-ish Elopement
Photography
Don't you think world’s got enough beige weddings? Haven't we seen enough tulle curtains and minimalist centerpieces to last a couple lifetimes? I heard somewhere incredibly reliable (don't quote me) that 99% of couples say they've been inspired by social media or current wedding trends when planning their own wedding... girl, whatever.
As an empath, I'm sensing YOU'VE got range. I'm sensing you're part of that 1% (and no, I don't mean the billionaires).
If you're here right now, I can tell that your love is a no-bullshit kind of love that looks a lot different from the love we're used to seeing. It has a gravitational pull, doesn't it? I bet it shotguns champagne (of beers) and sneaks out for smoke breaks and is visible as soon as you step into a room, isn't it?
EXACTLY!
So to honor that, I create visual whimsy. Sure, I capture those important elbow jabs, your best friend's tears, the hugs, and the wine spills, but beyond that, I render cinematic evidence of who you two really are. No two loves are the same, so why da fuck do all these weddings and photos look like they were made in the Boring Pinterest Board Factory? You're better than that! Your love deserves way more than that. No matter how ridiculous or unusual your connection, it's worthy of The Greatest Photos Of All Time (currently working on getting that trademarked, obviously). This is what I do. I am the LeBron James of wedding photography for little freaks.
This is for the ones whose love is a dream. A fever dream, sure, but a dream nonetheless.
DOCUMENTARY-STYLE MEETS
FEVER DREAM.
Don't you think world’s got enough beige weddings? Haven't we seen enough tulle curtains and minimalist centerpieces to last a couple lifetimes? I heard somewhere incredibly reliable (don't quote me) that 99% of couples say they've been inspired by social media or current wedding trends when planning their own wedding... girl, whatever.
As an empath, I'm sensing YOU'VE got range. I'm sensing you're part of that 1% (and no, I don't mean the billionaires).
If you're here right now, I can tell that your love is a no-bullshit kind of love that looks a lot different from the love we're used to seeing. It has a gravitational pull, doesn't it? I bet it shotguns champagne (of beers) and sneaks out for smoke breaks and is visible as soon as you step into a room, isn't it?
EXACTLY!
So to honor that, I create visual whimsy. Sure, I capture those important elbow jabs, your best friend's tears, the hugs, and the wine spills, but beyond that, I render cinematic evidence of who you two really are. No two loves are the same, so why da fuck do all these weddings and photos look like they were made in the Boring Pinterest Board Factory? You're better than that! Your love deserves way more than that. No matter how ridiculous or unusual your connection, it's worthy of The Greatest Photos Of All Time (trademark pending, obviously). This is what I do. I am the LeBron James of wedding photography for little freaks.
This is for the ones whose love is a dream. A fever dream, sure, but a dream nonetheless.
+ Off-the-Wall
+ Bizarre
+ Creative
+ An Outcast
+ Edgy
+ Different
+ Queer
+An Elder Emo
+Weird as fuck
...JOIN DA CLUB.
if
you are...
TAKE ME FOR EXAMPLE! I DID IT! We got married in a random park in Chicago then immediately got drunk on a boat, accompanied by our 5 friends and my favorite photographer of all time because I knew how important it was to have photos that truly felt like me. Any of this resonating? I'm sure you’ve been looking for a photographer who gets your weird. You’ve scrolled past 47 identical “TiMeLeSs & AuThEnTiC LoVe sToRieS” and wondered if you’d have to settle. You don’t. You’re here now, and you can, in fact, have it all.
I’m Chelsea. I grew up on a dirt road in the deep trenches of the Ozarks, feeling like a total alien in my tiny town of 700. That weird, broke kid who everyone kinda avoided because being different wasn’t exactly popular. But blah blah blah, it made me who I am today. I cuss. I joke. I wear weird shit. And my superpower is making sure you feel like the coolest version of yourself in front of my lens.
I’ve always been drawn to the kind of folks who don’t shrink themselves. Naturally, that spills into my work. I gravitate toward the kind of love that leaves marks on people and has a visible aura emanating from it. That’s who I photograph: people who love out loud. People who don’t shrink their love, who hold hands tight, and who choose each other endlessly.
If you feel that too, maybe we should talk.
Do anything other than whatever the hell you want!
Invite your whole fucking family
tone yourself down for ayyyyone or annnyything
STICK TO TRADITION
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO....
take it from me, bESTIE. it's your day.
We can't recommend Chelsea enough to everyone looking for their dream wedding photographer.
We had a lot of trouble finding a photographer that we felt would capture our vibe. That fear was put aside working with Chelsea. She is so funny and does an awesome job putting you at ease.
Our wedding was so magical, and thanks to Chelsea we will get to relive the magic exactly how we remember it, every time we look at the photos she took.
xoxo,
The Schmidtkes
CLICK TO READ
Kind Words from my favorite OUTCASTS
- STEVEN + ALLISON
"My husband and I are music loving, kinda punk, moody and wear-too-much -black kinda people and that has shone in all our photos."
- CIERA + LAUREN
"Don't hesitate, don't wait another second, book with Chelsea. Not only did she put us completely at ease, but we felt like we were taking photos with a friend (with a really good camera) and that sort of dynamic really comes through. Can't recommend her enough!"
- SOPHIE
"One of the most talented good time gals I know. She will make you look cool as hell!"
Congrats! You've reached the bottom of the page. You've made it this far, soooo I think we kinda know what this means. By now you know that I don't believe in Hallmark movie ass shit. I believe in you and your love. Two humans, getting the government involved despite it all!
You're not looking for a photographer, you're looking for someone who has a taste for your flavor of weird, and WOULDN'T YA KNOW IT! You've found her, once again, despite it all. So send the inquiry, stop the scrolling through the sea of unremarkable wedding photos that everyone else is salivating over, and go touch grass (and plan some more of your big day because I'll wanna hear all about it).
Let’s make this SHIT
