As a photographer who specializes in destination weddings, portraits, and lifestyle photography, I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with so many clients to capture the magical moments of life. Through my lens, I've traveled the world to immortalize the enchanting experiences of couples on their special day, and I'm always amazed by the beauty and depth of emotion that surrounds these moments.

My background in interior design and architecture has lent a unique perspective to my craft, infusing my work with unique spatial compositions, fine details, and a keen eye for light and texture. With a style that focuses on storytelling, my aim is to capture the essence of your day and create a collection of images that reflect the uniqueness of your journey. My goal is to make each client feel like their authentic selves with a calm and stress free atmosphere. My natural posing guidance combined with a relaxed demeanor puts clients at ease.

For me, photography is not just about capturing candid images or posed portraits. It's about weaving together a tapestry of art that tells the story of your life, filled with quiet and special moments, surrounded by the people who matter most, and wrapped in the beauty of every detail that makes your day and your relationship so special.

So whether you're saying your vows on a beach or in a garden, surrounded by loved ones or just the two of you, I'm here to help you capture the essence of your day in a way that is uplifting, creative, and truly unforgettable.

Destination Weddings & Portraits

Capturing your journey

I am a destination wedding & portrait photographer with a passion for telling stories. My background as an interior designer, photographer and traveler becomes part of telling your story, weaving your environment into the images in order to transport viewers into the moments of your day for years and decades to come. Read more about the services and packages that I offer by clicking below.

Telling Great Stories

we believe in

Authentic Moments & Artful Stories

With years of experience capturing her clients' destination weddings, events and portraits, Melissa is a true artist inspired by documenting the special events of your life. Read more about her background, what inspires her and what her clients say about her work by clicking below.

MELISSA SCHOLLAERT

the photographer

"Working with Melissa for our wedding was an absolute blessing. We had to reschedule a few times due to Covid and she was a dream to work with during that process. On our wedding day we couldn't have envisioned a better individual to work with to make it as positive and efficient as possible.

From the time we met pre-wedding to the time following she was courteous, professional and gave us memories that will last forever. We love the relationship that we were able to create. We have kept in touch with Melissa and plan to use her for family portraits. "

JORDAN & KEVIN

"Melissa and her team photographed our wedding and were awesome. Melissa is a very organized and detail-oriented person with a great eye for capturing special moments. We had several meetings/calls with Melissa to talk through our wedding weekend timeline. During these meetings, Melissa provided helpful insight to ensure that all of the weekend’s special moments would be photographed.

Further, she seamlessly handled our specific photo requests and took advantage of our scenic and charming venues to make helpful and creative photo suggestions. The result were photos that captured our special weekend beautifully."

BONNIE & ENES

"Amidst the covid craziness, we had the silver lining of getting to work with Melissa twice - lucky us! For both events, from start to finish, Melissa was unbelievable to work with. Not only does her talent shine in her photography, but her skillful coordination throughout our wedding season and her ability to capture every detail without knowing she's there is truly best in class. Melissa will be our first call the next time we want to capture more memories!"

KATIE & MITCHELL

PORTER & MAX

"Melissa was wonderful to work with! We hired her for our destination wedding in Highlands, North Carolina and she perfectly captured our day while highlighting the beauty of the venue. Melissa made both of us feel so relaxed and comfortable during pictures. She kept an organized schedule and seamlessly photographed each group. We cannot recommend Melissa enough!"

"Melissa was professional and organized every step of the way! Her detailed planning made the wedding day feel so effortless and relaxed. She captured every little detail of the day and her pictures have brought us so much joy. Melissa is an amazing photographer and person!"

Porter, Bride

Darden & Richard, Parents of the Bride

DANI & LUCAS

We wanted to thank you for everything on our wedding weekend. You made our day run so smoothly, and we honestly couldn’t have asked for a better night. We are beyond excited with all the photos! You are a phenomenal photographer, and you made both Lucas and I feel so comfortable all day/night. Your assistant was great too!

Seriously, THANK YOU. We will continue to recommend you to all of our friends in the future.

"Melissa was an absolute pleasure to work with. We are so pleased with how our photos turned out. Melissa was able to capture every moment of our special day in such a beautiful, natural way. Looking at the photos makes me feel like I am reliving every aspect of our favorite day."

CLAIRE & TODD

"Melissa was incredible to work with, not just for our wedding weekend, but over the course of our entire wedding planning process. Despite never traveling to our church or reception site prior to our wedding day (we live in Indianapolis), she navigated the ceremony and reception flawlessly and produced angles and close-ups we couldn't have imagined she would capture.

 She photographed our loved ones as if they were her friends and our surroundings with a familiarity of a local.  The final product revealed a candid glimpse into the most heartfelt, warm, and exciting moments of what was the best day of our lives. Casting our trust to someone to capture the most important day of our life was not easy, but Melissa proved to be nothing but the best.

Thank you, Melissa!"

KATHERINE & EVAN

"Melissa was one of three photographers recommended by my wedding planner. Her work was the first (and last) I looked at. Once I saw samples of her pictures, I knew Melissa was the one I wanted to shoot mine and my husband's special day; I didn't even consider the other two recommendations. I'm so happy that I chose her! 

MEGAN & CHRIS

I don't like to be photographed, but Melissa's friendly personality made me feel relaxed and beautiful. I'm so pleased with the way the pictures turned out! Melissa also managed to capture the way my husband and I interact with each other, the lively personalities of the wedding guests, and the beauty of the wedding space in her pictures. In addition to the quality of Melissa's pictures, I also appreciated her efficiency and she responded to all my emails within a day if not the same day. I would highly recommend Melissa to anyone looking for a quality photographer. She's amazing!"

"Melissa was absolutely amazing to work with! We hired Melissa for our engagement photos, our rehearsal dinner, our welcome party, and our entire wedding day. She captured every detail and moment perfectly and we never felt staged. Our friends and family keep commenting on how great the photos are.

AMANDA + TRAVIS

We also greatly appreciated
her organization through her detailed schedule we were able to coordinate the rest of our vendors for our wedding day, in turn helping to make the day stress free.

She is just the best!!"

"When I set out to hire a wedding photographer for our wedding, I didn't have to think hard about it; I knew I would be hiring Melissa. She had photographed my sister's wedding a few years before, and it was a no-brainer that I would hire her. Hiring a superior wedding photographer was something that my husband and I put at the top of our priority list, and Melissa certainly exceeded all of our expectations. 

Not only were our photos stunning, but they were unique--seemingly tailored to us, our wedding concept, and our venue. And what's more, the photography session was not only painless, but truly enjoyable!!! When we received our photos from Melissa. I got chills--and so did my husband! Melissa is organized and professional, friendly and approachable, and most of all superbly talented."

MEG & JEREMY

"My husband and I had our wedding on Lake Oconee this past July. It was 104 degrees the day of our wedding and we had an outside ceremony and reception. 

Melissa was absolutely wonderful despite the hot weather - she was extremely patient, stuck to her schedule, and captured every
special and little moment we could have ever wanted. Our photos are breath taking!

Thank You!"

CHRISTY & JAKE

“Melissa perfectly captured our wedding day. I still look at the photos years later and can put myself back in all of those amazing moments.

We are so thankful she was a part of our special day and are working with her again because we had such a great experience.”

MEGHAN & ZACH

client

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Conde Nast, Food & Wine Magazine, Entouriste, Martha Stewart Weddings, Real Simple, Style Me Pretty, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, Snippet & Ink, Southern Weddings Magazine, Southern Living Magazine, Brides UK

AS SEEN IN

Above all else, it is your experience on your wedding day that you'll remember most. My goal is for all clients to feel relaxed and to fully enjoy their day, knowing they have hired a trusted professional. Read all about my process, philosophies on photography and more on my signature client experience.

The Client Experience

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nORTH cAROLINA wEDDING

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tOP 5 PLACES TO ELOPE

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bRAND IMAGERY

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PUBLISHED:
FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE

oN THE jOURNAL

Ready for an adventure?  Me too!  I can't wait to meet you and start planning your wedding or portrait session.  Reach out to me via the link below to receive a complete guide to my services along with pricing and additional details about booking your shoot.  All services include a complimentary consultation free of charge so please reach out as I'd love to hear about your story and your imagery needs.

Let's Collaborate

book your wedding

-THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

"To see the world, things dangerous to come to,
to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life."

Click here to read more about Melissa and her work

I am a brand photographer for businesses and a destination wedding & portrait photographer with a passion for telling stories. My background as an interior designer, photographer and traveler becomes part of telling your story and bringing your world to life through environmental lifestyle images.

MELISSA SCHOLLAERT

the photographer

Click here to read more about Melissa and her work

I am a brand photographer for businesses and a destination wedding & portrait photographer with a passion for telling stories. My background as an interior designer, photographer and traveler becomes part of telling your story.

PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY

images that sell

Click here to read more about Melissa and her work

I am a brand photographer for businesses and a destination wedding

brand PHOTOGRAPHY

elevate your business

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Conde Nast, Food & Wine Magazine, Entouriste, Martha Stewart Weddings, Real Simple, Style Me Pretty, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, Snippet & Ink, Southern Weddings Magazine, Southern Living Magazine, Brides UK

working with me

MY PROCESS

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AS SEEN IN

At home on the road. A passionate artist inspired by stories, guided by wanderlust and driven by the art of photography. Ever an adventurer, seeking new lands and unique places that inspire a love of travel.  Living for takeoffs & landings, always looking for beautiful light, forever chasing sunsets, hunting for the best gelato and soaking up all of the beauty in this world. 

ABOUT
MELISSA

I am a Brand Photographer, specialist in Destination Weddings & Portraiture, and teller of stories that capture your journey; Journeys to unseen worlds.  Photography that goes beyond the surface to show the people, places and inspiration behind your story, your business, your love.

Scroll below to learn more about me.

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I am a photographer that loves to create imagery that tells your story, visual journeys of your brand, your business or your love story. I'm a passionate artist that captures images that evoke a sense of nostalgia, have a feeling of adventure and tell the story behind the people, places and products in your photographs.

Searching for the magic in your world, I go beyond the surface looking for authentic & unseen moments that exist behind the scenes that will reveal your true self and the beauty behind your environment.  
Moments that invoke a sense of nostalgia and provide a glimpse into your world.

Whatever journey you may be taking I would love to tell your story.
Explore my site via the links below to see my work and learn more about me and what I can create for you.

to unseen worlds

JOURNEYS THAT CARRY US

MELISSA SCHOLLAERT

Creating imagery that tells your love story, I am a photographer and passionate artist that captures images which evoke a sense of nostalgia, have a feeling of adventure and tell the story behind the people, places and special moments in your photographs.

Searching for the magic in your world, I go beyond the surface looking for authentic & unseen moments that exist behind the scenes which reveal your true self and the beauty behind your environment.  
Moments that invoke a sense of nostalgia and provide a glimpse into your world.

Whatever journey you may be taking I would love to tell your story.
Explore my site via the links below to see my work and learn more about me and what I can create for you.

"Words cannot begin to describe how much I loved my branding session with Melissa. During the entire shoot, she made me feel so comfortable and relaxed - which is saying a lot for someone who is not used to being photographed! Before the session, she took the time to ask me meaningful and intentional questions about my brand and what I was looking to portray through these images. The final product is everything I wanted and more! The photos are absolutely beautiful and I couldn't be happier with how Melissa captured my brand and me as an artist. "

What Clients Are Saying

kind words

KELSEY, LAIRSEY PAPER CO