Midwest + Destination Fine Art Photojournalism
Chicago Wedding Photographer
Being deeply devoted to capturing every couple as they are is what helps me create genuine art in the photos that I take. My top priority is to produce timeless photography that helps preserve the memories from this important time in your lives. I'm a natural empath, a great communicator, and the ultimate fan of people making their own rules when it comes to their wedding.
Award-winning documentary & fine art Chicago wedding photographer
AS SEEN IN
Junebug Weddings
W|PJ Awarded Member
Chi Thee Wed
Chicago Style Weddings
Green Wedding Shoes
Equally Wed
The Knot: Best of Weddings for 2021, 2022, 2023, + 2024 / Hall of Fame Award
Party Slate
Award-winning documentary & fine art Chicago wedding photographer
Forever looks pretty good from here
Let's make your wedding EXACTLY how you want it! Your big day has no limits or rules. I always encourage my couples to do things their way on their terms, no matter how crazy. Remember– your wedding should represent you!
I will always make you feel as comfortable as I can. We'll laugh, play around, and get those authentic natural-looking candid shots that will convince your friends & family that you were most definitely a model in a past life.
I form a bond with all of clients throughout the wedding process and our relationship continues even after the big day has ended! Choosing me as your wedding photographer means you're choosing to work with a close friend.
No matter who you are and how you identify, I am here to document your incredible love. I am a body-positive photographer and a proud supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community. I do not tolerate bigotry, anti-semitism, racial slurs, or shaming of any kind. I actively work to create safe spaces and will ensure that you and your person will get to be your most authentic and beautiful selves on your wedding day.
No. 1 / Your day, your way
No. 2 / Painless posing
No. 3 / I want to be best buds
No. 4 / I see you and support you
Why I am the
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
for you
Want to LEARN MORE?
I'm pretty biased, but my clients are a lot of freaking fun
"Madi is quite literally one of the most talented, capable, and fun event photographers in the game. I believe her services are something else compared to other photographers, especially in the wedding industry. She works closely with you and your partner to tailor your experience based on your needs and preferences, and her institutional knowledge and experience of the wedding industry, best practices, and event flow. Her work is bar none. She has a warm personality that managed to calm my nerves and instill confidence. She even shows up on the day of the wedding with an "emergency kit" for anything that could go wrong! She's a star and thinks of it all - an excellent vendor to have in your corner. If you're on the fence, here's your sign to book Madi ASAP."
Rebecca + John
"My husband and I could write pages and pages about how beautiful the photos that Madi takes are. Her eye for detail, soft direction on the best angles and poses, and knack for capturing pure emotion are unmet, and come across beautifully in her photos. On the wedding day, we had numerous guests and family members compliment how well Madi directed our guests for group photos, and how she took the most beautiful shots. That easiness and lightness shone through on our wedding photos, all thanks to the wonderful and talented Madi Ellis!"
Sarah + Drew
"Madi is an incredibly talented artist and we are absolutely in love with her photos. And maybe just as importantly, she is such a warm and kind person who immediately put everyone in the wedding at ease. Are you worried about being photographed for hours and made the center of attention? Madi will make what could be an awkward encounter feel second nature. Are you worried that your venue has weird lighting? From getting ready to the ceremony to the dance floor, every photo perfectly captures the emotion of the day. Are you stressed about logistics? Madi was super-human levels of communicative leading up to the wedding and helped us plan and navigate various logistics without even batting an eye. Planning a wedding involves a lot of difficult decisions, but this one is easy."
Laura + Nathan
"Madi was amazing to work with throughout the planning process. From putting together a realistic day of schedule, giving helpful planning tips, delivering a gorgeous engagement photo gallery, going above & beyond to scout locations for portraits at our very large venue, soothing our anxieties and keeping us on schedule day of, and delivering the wedding album of our literal dreams... Madi is incredible and you should absolutely book her. Madi was also so deliberate in capturing the small details of the day (that were a blur for us!), pictures of so many of our guests, and candid moments with people who mean the most to us. To top it all off, Madi is fun and friendly, and we loved getting to spend time with her throughout this process."
Hanna + Nick
"Madi was so easy to work with - from planning everything, to her communication, to how comfortable she made us feel in front of the camera. She is so knowledgeable about all things wedding and was so helpful to us in more ways than just photography. BUT THEN THE PHOTOGRAPHY!! Her photos were absolutely stunning. She captured our goofiness in such a beautiful way, caught all of the little moments between us and guests, nailed all of the little detail shots. She was so amazing to work with and we loved our experience with her."
Becca + Trevor
"We LOVED working with Madi. I feel like she really understood me and my husband's wedding vibe from the beginning! Taking so many photos can feel awkward at first, but she made us feel so at ease, and we got to know her fun personality even more that day! Many of our friends and family commented on how great she was! We had a big wedding (300+ people) with a lot of family and friends to take photos of/organize and she handled it like a true pro. On top of that, she repeatedly checked in on me and my husband and made it a priority to ensure we were calm and happy throughout the day. She is so gifted at her craft; we are just in awe at how well she captured our day. We are so grateful to Madi for making our day so special; she truly went above and beyond for us. We cannot recommend her enough!"
Maggie + Tom
"If we could give Madi 100/5 stars, we would! Not only does she have a stunning portfolio, but she had great insight on how to structure our wedding day. For the wedding itself, Madi truly went above and beyond though. She helped keep us to our timeline without feeling rushed and made sure that every moment we wanted was captured (and probably then some). Madi Ellis is worth every single penny and should probably be paid royalties every time her works of art are shared because they're that good. She's INCREDIBLE and truly the best in the business!!!!"
Mattie + Chris
"From start to finish, Madi made our special day feel so graceful and effortless. She felt more like a friend tagging along than just a photographer, seamlessly blending into the celebration. Her warmth, friendliness, professionalism, and incredible organization truly shone through. The humor she brought added to the incredible vibe of the day, making everything feel relaxed and joyful. Madi has an incredible talent for finding the most beautiful moments, from candid laughter to the most heartfelt glances. Every shot tells a story, preserving the joy and love we felt throughout the day. If you’re looking for a photographer who not only delivers stunning images but also enhances the overall experience, look no further."
Alex + Ian
"I was on the hunt for a photographer that would capture two things: color and emotion. What we got with Madi was not just color and emotion in photography style, but a soundboard to get ideas off of, a great communicator, someone who was genuinely invested in our engagement and wedding day experience, and truly a wonderful human who is respectful of all backgrounds and identities. In the first intro call, Madi really showed an authentic yearn to get to know me and my husband's background and history together. I feel like I can remember every moment just by looking at our wedding gallery. It makes me emotional and so grateful that we picked her as our photographer."
Sam + Freddy
"When we told our venue vendor that we were working with Madi Ellis, her response was, 'the queen.' She was 100% right. I can't say enough good things about Madi. She was super engaged and responsive from the jump, and she went above and beyond to help us integrate our photo plans with our wedding day schedule, making sure we didn't miss out on opportunities to capture the night. On our wedding day, Madi was prompt, prepared, and ready with a contingency plan when downtown traffic threatened to throw off our shoot schedule. Throughout the night she helped our coordinator keep things rolling smoothly and was ready to take advantage of candid moments and set up group shots on the fly. And the photos are all stunning and captured us so well!"
Will + Jeff
KIND WORDS
I can't wait to get started
