Reviews

Candid photo of groom and groom during wedding ceremony at Ovation Chicago surrounded by greenery and floral arch

We booked Emma before we were even engaged over a year and a half before our wedding. Spoiler alert: we had absolutely no regrets. While we were in the process of booking for our wedding, Emma worked with my husband and the two of them planned a surprise proposal for me. My husband was so impressed with how good Emma was at keeping up the surprise even when I thought something might be up.

In addition to our proposal shoot, Emma also shot our Engagement pics and our wedding (duh). Emma made us feel comfortable in front of the camera and was always game for any ideas we had. Logistically, Emma had everything under control and came to each meeting prepared. She was able to adapt on the fly making suggestions along the way but also never being pushy. Honestly Emma’s photos speak for themselves. If you like her style, hire Emma now. You will not regret it. She is such a pleasure to work with.

Kevin D.

Happy bride and groom walk down the aisle after their winter wedding at The Arbory in Chicago

Emma was incredible. The photos are incredible. We can’t thank her enough. We hired Emma for our engagement photos. I was really nervous and feeling self-conscious. Emma was able to make me feel so comfortable and I was so happy with how the photos turned out. We of course hired her for our wedding. We have been in a lot of weddings, and so has our wedding party, and everyone raved at how organized, efficient, and direct Emma was.

We took photos at our favorite record shop — a place I’m usually intimidated to go into as a customer, let alone a bride in a big dress — but Emma was assertive and kind and we got some of the most amazing photos! Emma also literally stopped traffic on Damen Ave to get incredible wedding party shots of us walking down the street. It is hard to wrangle a wedding party, extended family, and tipsy guests, but Emma kept all the photos going and got all of our requests.

I know I am using a lot of superlatives and exclamation points, but this is all authentic. Emma made what could have been an extremely stressful day and night, flow so smoothly. And now we have the pictures to treasure and excellent gifts for family and friends.

Emily H.

Bride and groom feed each other cake at their Cafe Brauer wedding reception in Chicago

Emma is THE BEST! If she’s still available for your wedding date, book her now. Finding the right photographer was very important to my husband and I, and we loved that the pictures in her portfolio were both authentic and gorgeous.

Emma is also so knowledgeable and easy to work with – she recommended spots around Chicago for both our engagement and wedding photos, and was happy to try out a new spot that was personal to us as well. We absolutely love our engagement and wedding pictures and would recommend her to anyone!

Brigette R.

Couple smiles at guests during their summer Firehouse Chicago wedding ceremony

Emma was perfect for us. My partner and I were on the fence about having a photographer at all and chose Emma because she was laidback and we liked her work. In particular she was so patient with our ambivalence about being photographed and delightfully encouraged us to enjoy the process. The photos came out gorgeous and exactly how we had hoped (not staged, mostly silly and candid).

If you are looking for a photographer who will listen to you, be patient with you and your family, and respond graciously and promptly to questions, Emma is wonderful. We also found her to be very queer-friendly and thoughtful around all things related to that for us and our guests. All the stars.

Erin C.

Candid photo of bride and groom laughing at head table during speeches at their winter Fairlie wedding

We had the best experience with Emma and her team – she has a true gift and our wedding photos were exactly what we were dreaming of. Beyond her skill, she is an absolute joy to work with. We first met her for our engagement shoot and, in addition to putting up with our crazy dog, she made us feel so comfortable throughout the entire session. We are so grateful to have captured those memories. On our wedding day, Emma and her second shooter did a perfect job at capturing the big and little moments, the details, and the overall energy of the day. We received SO many compliments on her professionalism (and her ability to wrangle large groups of people).

The last thing I’ll share is an anecdote – prior to the wedding, my husband and I had received a permit to take our wedding pictures in the Great Hall at Union Station. However, when we arrived, there were signs that it was closed for a private event and all of the doors were locked. Emma, along with one of our day-of coordinators, disappeared for five minutes. I’m not sure where they went or who they talked to – all I know is that we got into Union Station and were able to take the wedding pictures of our dreams! All that to say, she will go above and beyond for you. We couldn’t recommend this team enough.

Claire W.

Happy bride and groom dance in courtyard of Salvage One wedding venue with CHICAGO sign

Emma has a wonderful, friendly demeanor about her that puts everyone at ease – our older parents, my young nieces, my dog, and specifically ME – I am photo shy and do not like to be center of attention. As the day went on, she directed us subtly or not so subtly, but never in our face intrusively. We took pics with our dog after the first look, at Wrigley (she is fearless and stood in the middle of the street), at Salvage One (she got us a permit there last minute, the pics are awesome), by some murals, by the El, and at our venue. During the ceremony and reception, she was everywhere but not intrusive. She worked with us to help meet our needs.

Emma is TALENTED. PROFESSIONAL. And she was just FUN to spend our wedding day with. She captured the most magical day of our lives!

Rachel D.

Happy newlyweds give speech to their guests during Chicago hotel wedding reception at ROOF on theWit

We hired Emma and her team to do photography and videography at our wedding and they were THE BEST! From the very beginning we loved working with Emma. She is positive, flexible, detail oriented, and incredibly talented. Our family and friends loved working with her too. We recently got our photos back and they are perfect. We love all of them and are so happy with the results.

Emma’s team also did our wedding videography, which was lead by Amy Lynn. Everything turned out perfect! We have watched the videos over and over again. We are so happy with the services we received and cannot recommend Emma and her team enough!

Megan C.

Chicago bride and groom's first dance at their Gallery 1028 wedding reception

We searched on-line for “journalistic” photographers for our wedding. We wanted someone who would 1) capture the essence of our evening and celebration and 2) be easy to work with. Emma was the first one we reached out to because we loved her gallery and blog so much (criteria #1), and she was an absolute delight to chat with, so we knew right away she’d satisfy #2. We signed her up immediately. We did an engagement session with her to get to know each other (highly recommended!), and those photos were absolutely perfect and used for our website and invite.

For our wedding, her husband served as the second photographer. They were both a delight. For the ceremony and reception, we honestly barely even noticed them, yet based on the photos, they didn’t miss a single part of the night… They say a picture is worth a thousand words – well Emma has given us millions and millions of sweet, beautiful, and memorable words with all her wonderful photos… We can’t recommend Emma enough.

Tommy M.

Newlywed brides kiss after their summer Chicago loft wedding at Concord Fifty Five

Emma did a wonderful job in capturing our wedding day! We couldn’t be happier with her work! She was so much fun to work with and made the whole process seamless! She communicated with us throughout the whole process and the day of the wedding. She definitely captured who we are as a couple and I’m so excited that we got this opportunity to work with her. Emma worked within our budget and made things possible for us. I would 10/10 recommend her for any type of event! We will definitely miss working with her now that our wedding day is over.

Natalie G.

Just married bride and groom smile at their guests during Grant Park Rose Garden wedding ceremony

Finding a good photographer was VERY important to me as I began my search for the right fit for my special day. Lucky for me I found Emma! She was so incredibly personable, fun, easy going, very responsive and just an AMAZING photographer!

I couldn’t have found a better fit for my husband and I’s elopement this fall. We’re not big picture takers and Emma really helped us get comfortable in front of the camera. And when I saw the photos….OMG!!! I’m still not over how beautiful these pictures came out!! Our family still talks about how great she was for the wedding day and I HIGHLY recommend her to anyone and everyone!!

Jessika M.

Candid photo of wedding party laughing at Art Institute Garden before Chicago Athletic Association wedding

We absolutely loved working with Emma. We booked her over 18 months before our wedding, so we had time to conduct very thorough interviews with our would-be photographers. From our initial conversations, she just seemed to understand exactly what we were looking for. We are not Vogue, modelesque folks. We didn’t want wedding pictures that made it look like we were or were trying to be. What we got was a perfect snapshot of the day. You can hear the laughs just looking at the photos.

Operationally, she was also a dream. We took several LARGE photographs (read 26 members in all) and she was a champion with wrangling, directing, and coaching our families. When she was with me and my bridesmaids, it was like we were all just hanging out. It felt effortless, so it was so easy to take photographs.

I’d HIGHLY recommend Emma to any and all Chicago brides.

Eliza B.

Couples love us! See our reviews on The Knot.

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Contact

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About

Chicago wedding photographer Emma Mullins of Emma Mullins Photography

Hellooo, world!

I’m Emma (She/Her): Beer nerd, cat-whisperer, Schitt’s Creek-obsessed Chicago wedding photographer. I’ve been helping couples relive their wedding memories since 2014, and wouldn’t have it any other way!

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I currently reside in Chicago with my designer-turned-handyman partner and our two spunky felines. When I’m not photographing couples in love, I’m either hanging with these three, managing our West Town studio space, or traveling someplace new!

A Few of My Favorite Things:
  • Black coffee
  • Buttercream frosting
  • Road trips
  • Watching the sun rise
  • Pretending I sound like Mariah Carey
  • Belgian beer
  • The Green Bay Packers
  • My little fam (Jeremy, Rex and Miike)
  • Halloween (the holiday – not the movie. Okay, the movie’s pretty good too.)
About You

You want stunning, true-to-life wedding photos that look and feel like YOU. You don’t want to feel stiff or look too “posed.” And most importantly, you want to ENJOY your wedding day while we capture all the good stuff! 

Whether you thrive in the spotlight or cringe at the thought of being photographed, we are there to capture your memories. And let’s be honest: your wedding day is going to be AWESOME. No matter what goes according to plan or how many things surprise you, at the end of the day you’ll be married to Your Person. And, spoiler alert: that’s what this is all about!

My Approach

My relaxed, documentary approach allows couples to feel totally comfortable in front of the camera (it’s the number one thing mentioned in my Reviews!). Expect a mix of candid moments and contemporary portraiture, with the occasional embarrassing (aka HILARIOUS) dance floor photo. I will be your hype girl during portrait time (seriously!). We’ll get to know each other throughout the process, and it doesn’t stop on wedding day. I want to show up with hugs and handshakes – not as just another vendor.

Sound like what you’re looking for in a documentary wedding photographer? Inquire about your wedding HERE!

Emma Mullins Photography embraces diversity and inclusivity. We are LGBTQ+ friendly and happy to serve humans of every background, gender and identity. 

The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame winner Emma Mullins Photography
2024 Best of Weddings winner Emma Mullins Photography
2023 Best of Weddings winner Emma Mullins Photography
2022 Best of Weddings winner Emma Mullins Photography
2021 Best of Weddings winner Emma Mullins Photography
2020 Best of Weddings winner Emma Mullins Photography
2019 Best of Weddings winner Emma Mullins Photography
2018 Best of Weddings winner Emma Mullins Photography
2023 Couples' Choice Awards winner Emma Mullins Photography
2022 Couples' Choice Awards winner Emma Mullins Photography
2020 Couples' Choice Awards winner Emma Mullins Photography
2019 Couples' Choice Awards winner Emma Mullins Photography
2018 Couples' Choice Awards winner Emma Mullins Photography
Emma Mullins Photography named one of the Best Wedding Photographers in Chicago by Expertise.com in 2024
Emma Mullins Photography named one of the Best Wedding Photographers in Chicago by Expertise.com in 2023
Emma Mullins Photography named one of the Best Wedding Photographers in Chicago by Expertise.com in 2022
Emma Mullins Photography named one of the Best Wedding Photographers in Chicago by Expertise.com in 2021
Emma Mullins Photography named one of the Best Wedding Photographers in Chicago by Expertise.com in 2020
Emma Mullins Photography named one of the Best Wedding Photographers in Chicago by Expertise.com in 2019
Emma Mullins Photography named on of Chicago's top wedding photographers by Party Slate
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Pricing

Wedding Day coverage averages at $7500 (couples typically spend between $6000-$9000). Associate Collections begin at $4000. All Collections include a fully edited digital download gallery, print release, custom photography timeline, and Welcome Guide to ensure the BEST possible photography experience!

Photography collections are fully customizable to meet your needs. For detailed pricing and availability, inquire HERE.

Engagement sessions begin at $750. Special rate available to Wedding Clients.

Videography services begin at $3000, with Live Streaming at $1250. More information can be found HERE.

Photo Booth rental begins at $750. Learn all about the booth HERE!

Microwedding coverage begins at $3600.

Elopement coverage begins at $2750.

Surprise Proposal coverage begins at $900.

Destination wedding coverage begins at $9000, including travel and accommodations.

Other sessions offered include Lifestyle, Maternity, Content + Branding and other life events! Contact me for rates and availability.

Things on my current Wish List include photographing a Las Vegas elopement and destination wedding in Italy! If you are planning either I would LOVE to chat!!!