• meet Maura •
Hello there!
I’m Maura (pronounced “Mara”…..it’s a long story involving a Pittsburgh accent and a lot of confusion): indigenous Cheesehead, Irish transplant and Chicago based wedding and lifestyle photographer.
More than anything else, I believe that everything about your wedding experience should feel absolutely amazing and every one of your incredible photos from the day should bring it aaaalll back!
You should focus on having an absolute blast celebrating with those you love most and leave the rest to me! I’ll be sure to capture those fleeting hugs, the laugh-until-you-cry moments, all of your carefully chosen details and the odd stray happy-tear all while helping you and your fiancé stay in the moment and enjoy the living heck out of your wedding day!.
Honestly, my greatest high comes from making people happy (hello middle-child-syndrome ;-)! The fact that I get to do this on what are the most important days of your lives is incredible. And to do it while creating art in real time through the documenting of your most powerful moments?! It’s a dream come true and no amount of pinching myself will make me fully believe that I get to do this for dozens of people each year.
The result of all these shenanigans?!
Photographs that not only look incredible, but capture how it felt in the moment for you to relive forever.
Drop me a line. I can’t wait to get to know you!
• fun factoids •
I married my best friend from middle school.
Ah, life. you really never know what’s around the corner. the foxy fellow giving my temple some love is my main squeeze, mark. we met in sixth grade art class and became close in middle school (harboring dormant little crushes on each other all the while) and stayed in touch for a few years after my family moved to europe. as our lives drifted, we eventually lost touch. he reached out in spring of 2014 via facebook messenger, a catch-up turned into a never ending date and we were engaged by the winter of 2015. despite people probably (definitely) thinking we had lost our minds and were moving way too quickly, things have worked out perfectly and we thank our lucky stars every day! I truly believe that our marriage makes me a better wedding photographer and vice versa! I have a hard time not misting up at least twice during each wedding I’m lucky enough to shoot - they always make me appreciate My husband all the more (say it with me now, “aw!”).
*wedding photo credits to the wonderful krista scarlavai photography!
I lived in Ireland for almost a decade.
I moved to beautiful county Sligo on ireland’s stormy northwest coast in 2004 when I was a freshman in high school. while my 13 year old sister may have “dragged her heels” (she literally ran away into some nearby woods and hid when we were on the way to the airport), i definitely still count it as one of the best things that has ever happened to me. though I moved back to the states a couple of years after completing university, my best pals from the Sligo grammar school will definitely be in my life for keeps. We meet up at least once a year despite the distances and crazy paths our lives take and I know our adventures are here to stay! (cheeseball, party of one!).
And for those wondering, we did, indeed find my sister and she did, indeed, acclimate….eventually!
I can play six instruments . . . kind of.
As a result of never being able to sit still (just ask my husband!), when I’m not out taking photos, meeting my amazing clients or editing, I’m probably trying out a new recipe, knitting yet another scarf, reading, out on a jog, making plans with a friend or tinkering around with my ever-growing collection of instruments which - at present - include the guitar, piano, irish tin whistle, violin, ukulele and banjo. while definitely master of none, i love getting down the basics of a new instrument and moving onto the next. I’ve asked Mark for a trumpet next christmas…..we shall see….!
I’m obsessed with New Orleans.
Oh, yes. That’s right. obsessed.
Life and love keep me in chicago (which is, of course, an amazing city in it’s own right) but my heart is in New orleans. The architecture, the history, the music, the food (the food!), the ancient live oaks. If I’m not in New orleans, i’m probably dreaming of new orleans and planning my next trip down south!
Side note: massive discounts are always available to couples looking to elope/have a wedding/engagement session in NOLA! ;-)
“In addition to the amazing images she captured, Maura has a wonderful sense of humor and immediately set our wedding party at ease; I’m still getting comments from guests about how much they loved our photographer! ”
