Hi! I'm so happy you're here! I'm a wedding and elopement photographer, based in good 'ole Elkhart Indiana.
I’m an unconventional photographer because my start is anything but conventional. I didn’t go to school for photography, I didn’t come out of the womb with a piercing love for photography. However, I’ve been slowly finding myself along the way!
I have my Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Tourism Management. After graduating college in 2017, I worked as a social media and marketing director for three years. In 2019, I decided I wanted to take better photos for my content and bought a kit lens - nothing fancy. I played around with it and decided to do a Grease themed shoot at the Elkhart 4-H Fair. It went viral on Facebook with over 12k shares and I had so many people asking why I wasn’t doing this part time. A week later, I invested in a better camera and did just that.
While still finding my footing, my grandpa unexpectedly passed away. When gathering photos for his funeral, I realized I didn’t have many photos together and our most recent was about 10 years prior. This made me want to pursue photography wholeheartedly and made me realize I wanted to capture moments that people could hold onto and look back at.
In 2020 amongst the pandemic, I went full time. I was working at my family owned business at the time and running the place. It was difficult leaving a place where I was comfortable and knew I would be set for life, but I wanted to find success on my own. I read a quote that said "like wildflowers, you must allow yourself to grow in all the places people thought you never would." A few days later, I got that wildflower tattooed on me as a reminder, and put in my two weeks.
When I’m not taking photos or editing, I’m probably laughing until my stomach hurts with the love of my life and best friend, Garrett. We've been together since May 2018 and after 5 years, got married in September 2023. We eloped at Mount Rainier and had the most intimate day. We have two dogs, a mini labradoodle named Mia and a beagle collie mix named Maverick (named after the original Top Gun). We've curated the most beautiful life and I'm so proud.
I was adopted when I was born.
I hate coffee so my hyperactive personality is me living off pure life
I'm a strictly water drinker, but the chokehold a mcdonalds coke has on me...
I’m obsessed with collecting candles & have one in each room of my home.
The Office & New Girl are my favorite tv shows.
I have 11 tattoos and am always itching for more.
I’m married to my tinder match, my soulmate.
I am a Christian and love the Lord. He has truly saved me more times than I can count.
I’m a huge empath. I have this sensory ability to feel emotions of other people as if it were happening directly to me. It can be draining but I’m thankful to be able to resonate with people on this level.
A coordinated closet and a clean house brings me so much peace.
I’m addicted to Amazon. If you think you are I promise you, I’m embarrassingly worse.
You’ll never find me without socks on (unless I’m at the beach) and I sleep with my socks on every night. I can’t stand my bare feet touching the ground!
"Marissa is a wonderful photographer and human being, with a creative mindset and a fantastic eye for small details! She was an absolute joy to work with during the wedding planning process, and we would truly trust her to capture any big life moment or event. We appreciated her clear communication and strong point of view while taking photos. The best part of working with Marissa is her ability to make sessions feel effortless for her clients. She is a true storyteller, and you never have to worry if she will capture the moment in an authentic way. She absolutely nails it every time, and selecting her as our wedding photographer was the best decision we could have made!"
— Corinne C.
"Marissa was such a huge part of our wedding from start to finish. She is more than a photographer, throughout the wedding process she becomes your friend and support in all things. She saved the day so many times with vendor recommendations, timeline help, day of coordinating. We can’t thank her enough for helping us create our dream day and capture every second. If you need a photographer for your wedding or really anything, Marissa is your girl!"
— Noelle S.
"The photographs that Marissa takes leave you speechless as they are so unique and truly match the vibe of the moment. I am so thankful that Marissa was able to be a part of our wedding to capture such special moments in our life because she has provided us with memories we can look back at and relive over and over again. I am so in love with the work that Marissa does as she literally works with such a pure heart. Not only I, but family and friends have been raving over the beautiful work Marissa does! The work speaks for itself, but after meeting her, Marissa is someone I can call a friend and forever recommend. If you are looking for a truly professional, dedicated, efficient and client-centered photographer, I would highly recommend having Marissa as your photographer!"
— Shawntel F.
"Marissa, our wedding photographer, deserves nothing short of the highest praise for her exceptional talent, kindness, and professionalism. From the moment we met her, she put us at ease with her warm and friendly demeanor. Marissa took the time to understand our vision and preferences, and she has been helpful with every question we had. On our wedding day, she seamlessly blended into the background, capturing every precious moment with her remarkable skill. Her attention to detail and unique perspective resulted in breathtaking photographs that perfectly reflect the essence of our special day. Marissa's professionalism and organization throughout the process were exemplary, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience. We are immensely grateful to Marissa for her incredible work and recommend her wholeheartedly to anyone in need of a talented and caring wedding photographer."
— Angela M.
"Marissa has shot in my venue multiple times, has shot my own engagement pictures and wedding pictures, and I have referred her to multiple clients. She is not someone I just recommend, she is someone I regularly refer to others because of her talent, her professionalism, her attentiveness, and how quick she can turn a gallery around. Have you ever heard of a bride getting her wedding pictures back in 10 DAYS?! Even having a wedding planner on my big day, Marissa was a HUGE help that truly went above and beyond to make sure everything went perfectly. We have flown to the Midwest for her to photograph us, we have flown her down to Miami to shoot for us...she is worth every penny!"
— Faith B.
“I found Marissa through searching on IG because I needed a new photographer for my wedding. When I came across her page I loved all of her photos. The colors and tones were just what I wanted for my pictures. Not to mention I love golden hour photos and Marissa does too so I knew she was the one. She even helped me with my wedding day timeline and went above and beyond to reach out if I ever needed anything for my wedding. I absolutely loved my wedding photos! I wish she could come take pictures for every event or special occasion I have in the future. I would HIGHLY recommended Marissa to capture your special moments and I promise you will not be disappointed.”
— Cheyenne B.
“Marissa was absolutely amazing!! The one thing I was told to get was a good photographer because the pictures are what's going to last a lifetime. I was truly blessed when I came across her work! Her portfolio matched my theme completely. Not only was her work amazing but she is also the most kind hearted person I've met. She made my wedding so much less stressful! She even helped me put together my wedding day timeline and helped me coordinate with other vendors. We were even surprised with client gifts after the wedding! I knew I picked a good photographer when my husband and bridal party kept raving about her! She was so easy to work with, super amicable, fast paced and organized. She’s a keeper, 10000% recommend!”
— Itxel B.
"I initially found Marissa through a wedding giveaway on Instagram and even though I didn’t win, I ended up booking Marissa as my wedding photographer and flew her to California for my wedding because 1) I was instantly drawn to her warm, friendly personality and similar sense of humor and 2) have you SEEN her work??...Marissa’s ability to capture emotion in every single photo is incredible. Her edits are so unique and moody and they tell the story of every photo she captures. If she lived in my area, I would honestly hire her to photograph every single major event I have for the rest of my life. If you’re looking for your perfect wedding photographer, look no further. You’re in the right place.”
— Irene Y.
“Whether you’re looking for a photographer for engagement pictures, wedding pictures, family pictures, pictures of just yourself or with your friends, or even of your animals, Marissa is definitely who you should choose! Not only does she have wonderful poses, ideas, and locations—she also has skills bringing comfort, ease, and lots of creativity! If you’re looking for someone with an eye for detail to ensure that your photos are perfect, choose Marissa. She took my engagement photos and truly captured the love between my fiance and I while capturing the tiniest details to make each photo more perfect than words can describe. I would recommend her to anyone and everyone looking for a photographer. She also has great prices and works with you to find what works best for you! She is the definition of a great photographer, communicator, and loving person. Please don’t hesitate to book her. You will not regret it, I promise.”
— Holly O.
"Marissa has shot in my venue multiple times, has shot my own engagement pictures and wedding pictures, and I have referred her to multiple clients. She is not someone I just recommend, she is someone I regularly refer to others because of her talent, her professionalism, her attentiveness, and how quick she can turn a gallery around. Have you ever heard of a bride getting her wedding pictures back in 10 DAYS?! Even having a wedding planner on my big day, Marissa was a HUGE help that truly went above and beyond to make sure everything went perfectly. We have flown to the Midwest for her to photograph us, we have flown her down to Miami to shoot our wedding for us...she is worth every penny!"
— Faith B.
"Marissa is by far the BEST photographer I’ve ever worked with! She is so talented and was so helpful with every step of my wedding planning process! She has the best return time I’ve ever seen with photos and her work shines in every photo! Marissa became such a good friend during my wedding - I couldn’t imagine having anyone else there to capture our day! Highly recommend her services!!"
— Reilley G.
"Marissa is always our go-to. She’s personable, comforting, and the most thoughtful photographer I’ve ever encountered! After we shot with her our first time, I’ll never not want her services! As soon as I think she’s absolutely nailed it, she whips out even more beautiful photos! Most recently, she shot our wedding. I unfortunately got sick during our reception. She then let me go at our own pace, didn’t rush me through anything, and even bought me different items to help me feel better—while I took a breather and sat down for a bit. Not only is she a master at what she does, she’s one of the sweetest souls I’ve ever met! I couldn’t be happier to have all of our photos to look back on for years to come because she truly does a phenomenal job!"
— Kaytee G.
"It would be an understatement to say that Marissa is an outstanding photographer. She is more than that! She kept me on track during all of my wedding planning. Her communication was superb and she always made sure we were satisfied. The photos we got back were STUNNING. My wedding was months ago and I literally look at the pictures every day. I already have fall photos on the calendar with her to get some shots with our doggo."
— madi c.
Follow along @marissaraephotography