Chadwick Weddings
In the beginning: Photography
I started off as an amateur photographer in New York City capturing performing arts and artist profile photographs. In early 2008 some good friends were getting married, and I took images of that day informally and not as the hired photographer. I did the same for a family wedding which took place that summer. The photographs I captured of my friend’s wedding were deemed better than the professional ones, as my background in opera stage direction and storytelling informed my direction as a photographer. So, I put out a little web page to see if anyone would bite.
I photographed my very first wedding in November of that same year. I didn’t think much of it, and suddenly I had a massive surge in requests. We were all in a huge recession following the collapse of the housing market, and I came to find out that The Knot had published an article on how to get married in New York City for less than $10,000 and had listed me as an affordable photographer.
In 2009 I photographed 14 weddings. In 2010, I photographed 24 of them and added that friend to my photography team. In 2012 I moved from New York City to Medford, NJ and things sort of reset a bit. But, by 2013 I was photographing around 60 weddings each year. My studio has now captured more than four hundred weddings across the United States and even one wedding in Scotland. I myself have been the lead photographer on nearly four hundred weddings myself. I love capturing the wedding day story for my couples!
Over the years my team grew into a half dozen members, with many of them eventually moving on to form their own very successful wedding photography studios. While I hated losing some of them, I couldn’t be happier with their professional growth! I have a couple of excellent photographers working with me now, and I look forward to many years of providing an excellent wedding customer service experience to my couples.
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Chadwick Weddings
And then. . . Wedding Ministry
In 2014 I was photographing a wedding and the priest was more than a half hour late. This wasn’t the first time I had seen a wedding almost crash because either the officiant or the couple were late. Part of my customer service approach with wedding photography was to have a backup plan to help my couples in case of any emergency that might come up. To that end, I got ordained online though the Universal Life Church. Just in case.
As time went on, I always felt like I was missing out on the most beautiful part of the wedding: the ceremony. As a photographer it is my job to be invisible (not easy at 6’7″), but I always wanted to take a more active role in the wedding ceremony. I knew that my background in opera and musical theater performance, combined with my excellent public speaking skills, would make me an excellent officiant should the need ever arise that I should have to step in. It never happened to be a need, but I kept thinking about it.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, the wedding industry shut down along with the rest of the world. Couples no longer needed a photographer, they just needed someone to marry them so that they could hopefully have a proper celebration later. I was already ordained, and very knowledgeable about weddings, so when a friend was getting married I asked her if I could officiate. Thankfully she said yes, and I absolutely loved it. A couple of months later, a local venue who knew me and my work asked if I could possibly perform a wedding ceremony there, and I jumped at the chance.
I teamed up with an officiants service called Ceremony Officiants, and through them obtained my license to perform weddings in Pennsylvania (which does not always recognize Universal Life Church as a proper ordination). I was taught, took an examination, and received my second ordination. I am an interfaith non-denominational minister.
Three years later, I have now performed dozens of wedding ceremonies in four states (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland) and I’m looking forward to many more years of giving my couples and their guests a wedding ceremony they will treasure forever!
463+
Weddings Photographed
76+
Ceremonies Performed
Why Choose Chadwick Weddings?
Reason One: Experience.
Between photography and ministry, and even wedding coordination, I have experience with nearly five hundred weddings since 2008. I have learned what works and what doesn’t. I have seen the fails and the successes, and I am prepared for just about anything. I have put people out who were on fire more than once (literally, not metaphorically) and that kind of experience has made me the calm in the storm, the “Wedding Swiss Army Knife” as one couple put it.
Where does a boutonniere go? How do I put it on? Who can help bustle this complicated dress? Does anyone have scissors? Earring backs? Bobby pins? Fashion tape? A spare cufflink or stud? Does anyone know why these tuxedo pants have holes in the pockets?
I do.
Reason Two: Customer Care.
I have a rather high benchmark for customer service: Disney. WWWD is my motto (What Would Walt Do?) and I base every decision I make on how I can help my couples and their guests have an excellent wedding day experience. The result? People are happy with themselves in their pictures because they look happy. They have fond memories of their wedding day because those are the memories I help them create.
Being a professional wedding vendor is a lot like being a life coach. Helping couples and guests navigate a day that can be stressful is just one of the many services that I provide.
Our Team
Michael Chadwick
Photographer, Officiant
I love both performing and photographing weddings (not at the same time, of course) and I love being of service to my couples. Sharing the excitement of a wedding day, getting to meet new people on the happiest day of their lives, and being able to tell their story in a way they will treasure forever fills my heart and soul with joy!
Megan Chapman
Photographer
Originally from a quaint small town, I’ve cultivated a deep appreciation for storytelling through photography. I thrive on capturing the individuality of each couple’s special day. Every wedding is a unique narrative, and I cherish the opportunity to preserve these genuine moments.
Chris Kellyman
Photographer
Chris has been a team member with Chadwick Weddings since 2017. In addition to wedding photography, he is also an experienced sports and real estate photographer.
Jaclyn Rodriquez
Officiant
Jaclyn is an experienced and fun ceremony minister based in Philadelphia. She has performed many weddings and can perform ceremonies in English and Spanish.