The story behind Madlene

The wedding that started it

I got married in September 2025. After the big day, I realized how hard it was to actually collect everyone's photos. We had the official shots from our photographer, but also dozens of phone photos from guests and even a few rolls from disposable cameras.

We couldn't find a great way to put them all together. Most apps are either great for storage but boring to browse, or they only work if everyone has the same phone.

So I built Madlene. It's a simple space designed for browsing memories together, without the noise of a public social network.

The name

The name comes from "La Madeleine de Proust." It refers to those moments when a small detail, like a single photo, suddenly makes a memory feel real again.

That's what I wanted for Madlene. I didn't want another app for "content" or "engagement." I just wanted a place to preserve the moments that actually mean something — and to share them with the people who were there.

What we stand for

• Preservation over storage: Not another place to dump photos. A place to keep the ones that matter.
• No ads: We don't sell your data or your attention.
• No distractions: No endless feeds or "for you" algorithms.
• Collective memories: Share a link, everyone contributes. The best moments are shared.