Traditionally speaking, often times it is the couple’s families who help pay for their wedding. However, unfortunately that’s just not possible for everyone, especially these days when the cost of weddings can quickly and easily get out of control. Some couples find themselves in the position of paying for all of their own wedding expenses, which can be quite the financial burden to take on, and about 40% of Millennials end up in this boat. So, how can you stick to your allotted...Read more
Are you planning a short-notice, small wedding or elopement?
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS ARE OPEN - Many couples don’t want to wait. They are planning to get married in the very near future, eloping, or rushing a small ceremony with their photographer, some close friends, and family but dispensing with or postponing the reception party.
View WPJA photo stories from smaller weddings - WedElope | Choose love, not fear!
Chicago Wedding Photographers
Find Your Chicago Wedding Photographer
Chicago Wedding Photography, Engagement Photo Sessions + Elopements
YOU CAN'T STOP LOVE - In recent days, some of our Chicago wedding photographer vendors have expressed their desire to accommodate couples who don’t want to wait to be married and are rushing the ceremony.
Many brides and grooms around the globe are planning to elope and deciding to reschedule their original ideas for a big event because of current wedding size restrictions, social distancing, and mask requirements. They are getting wed on a whim, but dispensing with or postponing all else.
The WPJA has an abundance of top-ranked, documentary-style Chicago wedding photographers who are available right now who understand that some weddings and elopements can’t wait. Find yours today!
Most Recent WPJA WedElope Story Awards
Elopement Photographers for Small Chicago Weddings
Shooting an elopement or small Chicago wedding event is a wedding photojournalist’s dream: a fairly open schedule with lots of breathing space for creativity – it’s just the photographer, the couple, the officiant, and perhaps a few select companions.
Illinois WPJA members are ready to document any secret, courthouse, small, or elopement wedding, even if it is a Monday-Thursday ceremony. Search for the “Can Shoot Weddings on Short Notice!” message on the listings below.
We are anxious to create a picture story chronicling your intimate, outdoor, religious, small wedding from beginning to end. In this sense, it is no different from any other event that we have covered. The emphasis is on documenting key moments, capturing spontaneous displays of emotion, telling your real love story, as well as creating artistic portraits and details.
Map of Wedding Photojournalists Serving Chicago Couples
24 Chicago Wedding Photographers...
Wedding Venue Pictures by Chicago Wedding Photographers
Please select a venue below to view all associated contest-winning Chicago wedding photos.
Chicago Wedding Engagement Photography - Diamond Awards
Are you ready to find a creative and talented Chicago wedding photographer for an engagement portrait session to complement your story of love? Searching for some ideas and creative inspiration for your own Chicago pre-wedding photography? Pro members from the Chicago Wedding Photojournalist Association would like to help you add some unique and artistic pictures to your engagement photo gallery!
Searches Related to Chicago Wedding Photography Vendors
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can a wedding photojournalist create artistic portraits on my Chicago wedding day?
A: While wedding photojournalists strive to capture candid moments on the wedding day, our photographers also are skilled artists who can compose powerful portraits. If you have a specific vision of what types of images you want from your wedding day, look at the top-ranked Chicago wedding photographers who have earned Artistic Guild awards for portrait and detail images.
Q: How can couples find top-ranked Chicago wedding photographers?
A: The WPJA created the original wedding photographer ranking systems. Our innovative system is based on contest winning points, meaning that the Chicago photographers you see at the top of your search results page have recently won the most — and the most recent — contest awards. Our contests judge photographers based on their creativity, style, composure, and ability to capture the heart of any couple's story on their wedding day.
Q: How can couples find reviews of Chicago wedding photographers?
A: We call them Client Letters. At the WPJA, we decided more than 20 years ago to avoid incorporating those third-person testimonials and endorsements that are found all too often in advertisements. Instead, we elevated our listings with the use of Client Letters, which represent the actual words and feelings of the clients who booked those Chicago wedding photographers for their own wedding.
WPJA Communiqué: Featured Wedding Photography Articles
Not everyone has a lagoon or glacier next door, but there's no rule saying you can't have a small wedding in the great outdoors. Take advantage of natural sunshine and that open, airy feeling and give your guests some room to breathe! LESS IS MORE Instead of hemming your guests in on all sides, give them some elbow room, and legroom, too. There's no need to induce claustrophobia when you've got a wide, open space. Let your guests take in the view, especially if you've got a spectacular one. You...Read more
So your wedding is just around the corner and you’ve decided to elope , either because you want to do this on a budget , avoid a large wedding party, or simply to enjoy the day together with minimal distractions and as little stress as possible . They say 'all you need is love', but where exactly can you afford to trim the fat, so to speak? You want simplicity, but you also want to be properly married and, surely, to remember this occasion. Who, then, could be more important than...Read more
RAVES, REVIEWS, AND Chicago WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Alicia & Pawel
Photo by Aileen Ciesielski
Hoooollllyyyy smokes! Thank you so much for all the absolutely, positively beautiful wedding photos!!!! It's been so fun sharing them with our family and friends, and they've all been blown away by them. From our engagement session to our wedding day, it was so great working with you both. You made two photographically awkward people look very natural as if we get all fancied up on a regular basis. ;) Thank you for capturing our day so perfectly. It is one we will never forget, and it means the world to us to have so many beautiful pictures to reminisce over.
Jennifer & Steve
Photo by Noelle Adams
I finally saw the video today and, I have to admit, I cried my eyes out when I finally watched it at home! You captured the day so perfectly, and everyone looks so happy. I completely re-lived the day (and have watched it several times) and cannot tell you how delighted I am with the final product. I can't wait to see all of the other photo files. You are AMAZING!!!!
Sydney & Nate
Photo by Edward Ciesielski
Oh my god - they are perfect!!! We haven’t been able to stop looking at them!! You captured all the love and joy from that day perfectly and we cannot thank you enough. Thank you for making our entire year by helping us celebrate. Thank you so much, we seriously love them all!!
WPJA contest judges have been recognized by their industry peers, winning top awards as staff picture editors, staff photojournalists, and newsroom mentors while working for these and other leading publications and journalism organizations.
