Today we’d like to introduce you to Maureen Adler.
Hi Maureen, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
From Real Estate Broker to Award-Winning Photographer: A Leap at 50.
When I was approaching my 50th birthday, I found myself standing at a crossroads. After decades as a successful real estate broker, my company was being sold, and for the first time in many years, I felt an openness to change. It wasn’t a crisis—it was an invitation: after building a long career helping people
navigate through their real estate transactions, I wanted to create something new that still revolved around people, emotions, and meaningful moments.
Life has a funny way of aligning timing. At the very moment I was anticipating a shift, my daughter, Kelly Adler Hinman, was returning home to Missouri from California. Years earlier, she had owned a thriving photography company before selling it when she relocated. As she came back, she was ready for a new chapter too.
The idea of going into business together wasn’t originally part of a grand plan—it was a conversation, an opportunity, and then a spark. We combined my love of business and people with her deep artistic talent, experience, and passion for photography. Together, we chose a name that honored our heritage and personality: Irish Eyes Photography.
The response from the community was immediate. We grew quickly—faster than either of us expected—gaining loyal clients, referrals, and a following who appreciated not only beautiful images, but our approach to service. Weddings, families, seniors, newborns—people trusted us with the moments that only happen once.
As the business expanded, Kelly and I reorganized to focus on what we each loved most.
I took ownership and leadership of the wedding division—Irish Eyes Photography and Weddings by Irish Eyes—an area where my organizational skills, relationship-building, and ability to manage high-emotion situations felt right at home. Weddings became not just a service we offered, but a specialty we refined, elevated, and became recognized for.
Along the way, we’ve been honored with numerous awards and local recognition—not because we chased them, but because we’ve consistently delivered a level of service that people remember long after their day is over.
Growth brought another transformation: the need for a team. Not just anyone, but the right people. We’ve intentionally assembled an amazing team of talented photographers—artists with skill, personality, humility, and a genuine love for celebrating couples. We’re particular because we have to be. Talent matters, but character matters just as much.
Today, we’ve carved out a strong niche in the industry and continue to grow through reputation, referral, and the relationships we foster. At the core, our success comes down to something simple:
We treat others the way we’d want to be treated.
We know a wedding day can’t be redone.
There’s no reshoot, no second chance, no “take two.”
We get one opportunity to capture it—perfectly, joyfully, and with care.
And that’s exactly what we do.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Challenges Along the Way
Like many businesses, our most significant challenge came during the pandemic. At the start of 2020, we had 94 weddings on the books, and virtually overnight everything changed. Weddings weren’t canceled—they were postponed, reimagined, and rescheduled, often more than once.
In total, we had to reschedule 68 weddings, each with its own set of timelines, vendors, venues, and family dynamics. The logistical challenge wasn’t couples making changes; it was managing the sheer volume of moving pieces while ensuring every client felt supported, heard, and taken care of. We were committed to accommodating everyone—and we did. No couple was left without a plan, and no one walked away unhappy.
The tougher challenge, however, wasn’t scheduling. It was the financial reality of operating an event-based business with little revenue coming in. We were responsible for a triple-space studio, payroll, and ongoing business obligations, with no clear timeline of when normal operations would resume.
Those months were incredibly stressful. It wasn’t just the work; it was the anticipation of the unknown—not knowing how long the shutdowns would last, or what the long-term impact would be on our business, our team, and our clients.
Ultimately, we navigated that period far better than we anticipated. Our clients were gracious, our team stayed committed, and in the end, every wedding was fulfilled, every obligation met, and the business survived intact.
Looking back, we feel profoundly blessed. That season sharpened us—it strengthened our systems, taught us flexibility, and reminded us that resilience isn’t just about adapting to change, but doing so with grace, integrity, and community.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
What Sets Us Apart
After years of photographing weddings, I hung up my camera around the age of 58, when crawling around on ballroom floors for the perfect shot stopped sounding adorable and started sounding like a chiropractor’s retirement plan.
But stepping away from shooting didn’t pull me out of the business—if anything, it pulled me deeper into the part I love most: getting to know people, building relationships, and helping couples feel taken care of long before the wedding day ever arrives.
Now my job begins at “Hello.”
I meet with every couple personally, and I don’t just ask about dates and venues. I want to know who they are, what matters to them, what they dread, what they dream of, and whether we’re a good match. Because weddings are too emotional, too expensive, and too important to force a bad fit.
If we’re a great fit—and they secure their date with us—then I roll up my sleeves and start planning. I walk them through how a wedding day actually flows, how much time they’ll need for portraits, why Uncle Bob can’t disappear during family photos, and how to make space for both joy and sanity.
I don’t do this alone.
I have two incredible humans—Kristin Neporadny and Nicki McGuire—who are equal parts organized, creative, compassionate, and just the right amount of bossy (the helpful kind). Together, we:
• Assign photographers who are the perfect match for each couple
• Create family shot lists that don’t read like the U.S. Census
• Schedule engagement sessions with the best-fit photographer
• Manage logistics, personalities, timelines, and random chaos
• Translate everyone’s romantic vision into something workable
We plan obsessively so our photographers can show up fully prepared, fully present, and ready to capture magic instead of juggling confusion.
And we don’t vanish after the “I do.”
We stay with our couples through editing, delivery, album decisions, and all those late-night emails that begin with, “I know this is a silly question, but…”
In truth, what sets us apart isn’t a marketing slogan—it’s a mindset:
We know a wedding is beautiful, messy, stressful, emotional, and impossible to redo.
So we treat it the way we’d want someone to treat our daughter’s wedding:
with care, humor, patience, and the belief that every person in front of our lens deserves to feel seen and valued.
We don’t just take pictures.
We cheer people on, calm nerves, herd families, fix veils, pin boutonnieres, and occasionally serve as unlicensed therapists with cameras.
Because weddings aren’t perfect.
But with the right team, they can feel perfect in the moments that matter.
And that’s the work we wake up grateful to do—every single day
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Yes—Irish Eyes Photography is actually three businesses under one umbrella, because apparently we don’t believe in doing anything halfway.
I run the Wedding Division, which means I spend my days managing timelines, emotions, and relatives who swear they’re “not crying, you’re crying.”
My daughter, Kelly, runs the Baby and Family Division, where she photographs every milestone from newborns to teenagers who suddenly hate everyone.
And Nicki McGuire runs the Seniors, Pets, and Headshots Division, which is perfect because she has the patience of a saint and can get a dog, a CEO, and a grumpy 17-year-old to look good all in the same afternoon.
We operate separately, but clients bounce between us like a family reunion gone right.
We’ve watched seniors turn into engaged couples, engaged couples turn into parents, and parents turn into people who email us every six months saying, “We need a new picture because everyone grew or got weird.”
It’s a perfect marriage of talent, personality, and caffeine, and it works because each of us is doing the part we love most.
At Irish Eyes, you don’t just get a photographer—you get a long-term relationship with people who will document every chapter of your life, whether you planned it or not.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.irisheyesphotographystl.com
- Instagram: IrishEyesPhotographySTL
- Facebook: Irish Eyes Weddings
