I was so impressed with Michael J. Charles - both professionally and personally. He was always quick to reply to any of my questions, organized and was great to work with. I had never had photos taken before so I was nervous that we would not be comfortable and Michael made everything so easy. During our engagement shoot we really got to know him - and I was blown away by all the pictures, I can honestly say there is not one bad picture, and I honestly don't usually like pictures of myself!

I knew that for the wedding our pictures would be great - and they are beyond my expectations. Michael made everyone very comfortable, and worked on a tight timeline to get all our formal pictures done. He also took awesome photos of everyone having fun on the dance floor, candid photos, sunsets etc. I very highly recommend Michael!!

-Emily and Matt

We first came across Michael J Charles' work because a friend of ours used him for their wedding, and their pictures were phenomenal. When it was time for us to get married, we knew Michael would be a serious contender. After comparing numerous portfolios and prices of different photographers, Michael became the clear choice. He was always responsive but never pushy during the planning process, and even Skype'd with me one time while I was overseas. On the day of the wedding, he did a fantastic job directing us and our large families, as well as finding creative backdrops and poses for our pictures. We received our pictures within a month of the wedding and we are so happy with them. We especially appreciated the balanced mix of posed (but not cheesy) pictures and photojournalistic candids -- many wedding photographers we considered seem to favor either one type or another. (Candids are nice, but you also want to have that picture where everyone is looking in the camera.) You won't go wrong with hiring Michael J Charles as your photographer. To quote a friend after she saw our pics, "each photo is like a piece of art " :)

-Jane and Benjamin

My husband and I have said over and over again that our best vendor from our wedding was by far our photographer, Michael Charles. From the first time we met with Michael we knew he was the one. Michael is fun, professional, talented and was a pleasure to have around us on our important day. The true test of a good wedding is what people are talking about at the breakfast the next morning. So many people were talking about the photographer and what a great job he did. We were very happy working with Michael and the end product is beautiful.

-Diana and Michael

Michael J. Charles is truly outstanding! Michael documented our whole wedding day, capturing the most beautiful moments in a truly creative way. Michael is full of energy and immediately clicked with me and my whole wedding party. I would hire him again in a heart beat. He is incredibly responsible and generous. He has a true passion for the craft of photography and it shows in his work!

-Anna and Stephen

Michael was probably our most reliable and involved vendor. He helped us establish a timeline and remained composed when another vendor we hired dropped the ball with regards to time – which helped me stay somewhat calm when we were running a little late on the day of the wedding. When rain came our way, Michael and his (awesome) assistant ignored the puddles and did whatever it took to get the best shots possible. He kept us on schedule all while being friendly, funny, and professional. It was like having a wedding planner without the extra cost! 
Michael delivered our gorgeous photos to us within the agreed upon deadline and we couldn’t be happier with the final results. He managed to get stunning portraits that could grace the pages of a magazine, great group shots, and he captured the amazing energy of the dance floor. He also produced a beautiful slideshow set to music. In short, Michael’s demeanor is friendly yet professional and his work is artistic and beautiful while also being approachable and timeless. I would highly recommend him!

-Megan and Kwame

Michael was probably my most helpful vendor during this entire process. We chose him as our photographer because he had photographed at both Holy Cross and The Barn at Gibbet Hill before. We met with him so early in our process that he was able to give us advice on other vendors to use! Michael's pictures speak for themselves; they are gorgeous and sharp! He has such an eye for capturing beautiful moments. We loved our engagement photos and we are so excited to see our wedding photos as well! During our wedding day, Michael was such a calming presence for me. He was with us from the very start of the day to the very end, and it was awesome to have someone fun and patient to be with us on such an important day in our lives. Thank you, Michael!

-Liz and Kenny

Our favorite wedding vendor by far! Michael is extremely professional, prompt and organized. We are so happy to have such amazing wedding photos, couldn't have asked for a better photographer.

-Marilyn and Tommy

Of all the decisions that went into planning our wedding, hiring Michael was the best choice we made. We became familiar with his work a year prior at a family wedding, and as soon as we got engaged we wanted to make sure that he was the one that would document our special day. We were also fortunate enough to work with him for our engagement shoot at the Museum of Fine Arts, and he was very accommodating to our schedules and helped make what could have been an awkward experience in a public setting a very fun and enjoyable one. We had high expectations for our wedding photos and Michael got them back to us within a few weeks and we could not be more pleased with how they turned out. He has an amazing eye and was able to capture all the important moments throughout the day, and some of his unique night shots are now among our favorites. We are still getting compliments on our photographs and we will recommend Michael to anyone and everyone!

-Sarah and Matt

I am the MOG (mother of the groom) and had not met Michael prior to the event. When he we first met, he introduced himself, even though he was obviously the photographer (you know the only guy with a BIG camera), which was a very nice touch. From the beginning to the end of the festivities he sort of mingled as though he were one of the guests, never intruding on any intimate moments, be they emotional or humorous. I actually spoke with him, something I have never done before, to tell him how pleasant he was. In the posed pictures, which I hate to do, he once again was unobtrusive, giving mild instructions when necessary and performed his task quickly so that guests could rejoin the party. His manner and professionalism at the event was the least of his attributes: what is really striking is the outcome. I have attended numerous weddings, have a very large family and have been privy to many, many unedited bridal pictures. Until Michael, every single one has been highly staged and artificial, often leaving the viewer cold, the participants too often striking regal poses. You get the picture (ugh, no pun intended). When my daughter in law sent me the initial sampling of the photos, I was delighted as even though there were perhaps 30 photos they managed to tell a very nice story. When I then received the full 760+ photos, I was thrilled as Michael enabled me to re-live the day, from the second we arrived at the front door in the sunshine, to the actual exchange of vows, to the festivities and into the darkness. Table settings were beautifully captured, guests participating in the nuptials were shown in all of their genuine participation, the bride and groom (my son, yeah) were captured with all of the love and intensity that we experienced live. Numerous guests were candidly photographed portrait style. Not even the food was neglected and every time I look at the sushi cones, my appetite stirs. Thank you, Michael, for preserving the day so beautifully. 

-Felica, Mother of the Groom / Katherine and Jon

My husband and I are SO HAPPY we hired Michael J Charles to photograph our Wedding Day!!! 
The photos are absolutely stunning. He goes out of his way to capture the most creative shots and is a BLAST to work with! We felt so comfortable around him, like we had known each other for years, and that is so important when you are trying to "act natural" in photos! His assistant was great at the wedding too and we never felt bombarded. We got the photos back quickly and could access them from an app to share with family AND he put together a BEAUTIFUL slideshow of some of the best shots which brought us both to tears...so special. He also took our engagement photos and suggested a beautiful outdoor location in the fall ...amazing & unique shots we will treasure forever! You absolutely will not regret hiring Michael J for your special event!

- Bethany and Brian

Simply stated, Michael's work is unbelievable! His ability to capture emotions and moments is second to none. Looking back at our wedding photos there are so many stunning ones to pick from, but more importantly he captured the love and joy we felt on that day perfectly. Our photos were unique to us, reflecting our personalities, our love, and our wedding. They were far from simple stock wedding photos. They captured a moment in time we look forward to reliving through the photos!

-Maya and Michael

When my husband and I were looking for a wedding photographer, we were very particular. We both have backgrounds in visual arts and photography and didn't want to end up with cookie-cutter, cliche photos, and we certainly did not! Michael J Charles was not only down to earth, friendly & funny, but also extremely professional. His style of shooting was very artistic and everything looked like it was straight out of a magazine. The images were extraordinary. In addition, he did not miss a single shot. The wedding day flies by, but when we reviewed the pictures it felt like we got to relive the whole thing. I don't even remember seeing him through most of the ceremony and the reception, but then saw the photos and realized that he was there capturing every single moment. He was very discrete. The photos came out so beautiful that I wish I could create more events just so we could hire him again. If I could give any advice to future couples, I would say make sure you hire a very talented photographer to capture your day, and Michael J Charles will capture it like no other!!! He has a true gift.

-Jenny and Jason