Wedding Photographers Chicago | Melissa Diep Photography | Blog bio picture

Background

Remember the scene in Sex and the City the movie when Louise from St. Louis gives Carrie her Love charm? That’s Melissa Diep. She’s in love with Love. She’s the kind of gal who wears her heart on her sleeve and cries a little when her brides and grooms take their First Look. She loves the thrill of photographing the magic that exists between her couples, the innocence of a sleeping newborn, and the simplicity of a family in their own backyard.

Melissa is always on the hunt for the new and interesting in her hometown of Chicago, by way of Saigon, Vietnam. It is because of her family’s hardships and tenacity during their flight from the communist North––spending 10 days on a cramped fishing boat, then living in a refugee camp in Thailand for nearly two years––that have shaped who Melissa is today as a woman, wife, mother and photographer.

Armed with only a handful of pictures from her early childhood––one single baby photo and just a few as an infant in her family’s camp––it’s easy to understand why Melissa employs a photojournalistic approach behind the lens. She aims to deliver photo memories with stunning visual impact; natural and unscripted while telling your story effortlessly.

Melissa’s upbringing motivates her to live fully and to appreciate the grand, the small, and the in between. In her everyday, Melissa rocks girly dresses with blazers on photo shoots and drinks Vietnamese coffee. She believes in finding beauty in unexpected places, always doing her hair and lusting over shiny red Minis (regrettably, but dutifully, she upgraded hers to a more baby-friendly vehicle).

Melissa lives in Chicago with The Giant and Little G, also affectionately known as her husband and one year old son, of whom she religiously takes one 100 photos a day.

A Groomsman That Likes To Bite

November 17, 2010

The first time I’ve ever met the groom, Vijal, he was biting the arm of a bride’s brother during her Baraat ceremony. And I have the picture to prove it!! That was definitely memorable. When Vijal contacted me to document his engagement session, I was thrilled! Puja and Vijal will be getting married in India but they wanted their e-session in Chicago. I wonder if there’s going to be more biting on Vijal’s wedding day? Lol! I met Puja for the first time in front of the Shedd Aquarium for their e-session and immediately we all bonded and started chatting away. I could tell they were a bit nervous at the beginning of the session (who isn’t) but thank God they love my crazy laugh. Lol. Thanks Puja and Vijal for allowing me to be a small part of this wedding process. It was definitely a lot of fun laughing and us women getting blisters on our feet (well…maybe this part isn’t much fun) afterwards. Good luck in India!!!!