Maddy Sims

Former Associate Editor

Maddy is a Brand and Social Content Manager at Birdy Grey, and was a former associate editor at The Knot.
Maddy has written for several different publications, including HUM Nutrition, Insider, Bustle, Real Simple and Apartment Therapy.
Maddy has a Bachelor's degree in magazine journalism and a Master's degree in health, science and environmental reporting (both of which are from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism).

Maddy Sims is a Brand and Social Content Manager at Birdy Grey. She was also a Content Editor for HUM Nutrition, and an Associate Editor at The Knot.

As Associate Editor for The Knot Worldwide, Maddy produced a variety of content for The Knot. Before she joined the The Knot team, she was already in love with weddings. At a young age, Maddy spent her free time flipping through wedding magazines and watching Say Yes to the Dress with her mom. She now covers weddings full-time, focusing on beauty, sustainability, trends, planning and mental health.

A Chicago native (Go Hawks!), Maddy currently lives in Los Angeles. She loves to stay active, as she spent over 20 years swimming competitively. You can find her doing anything outdoors (going on a hike, riding a bike, practicing stand-up paddleboard) or taking a spin class on her Peloton. She's passionate about clean beauty products, delicious vegan food, and making the wedding industry a more inclusive space.

Experience

Maddy began her career as an editorial intern for Bustle, where she discovered her passion for beauty, astrology and mental health. Afterwards, she interned for Real Simple, where she covered everything from the latest beauty launches to shoppable gift guides. She was also a contributing writer for Insider, Apartment Therapy and Better Chicago, where she wrote about relationships, mental health, beauty, travel and weddings. She's also contributed content to WeddingWire.

Education

Maddy attended Northwestern University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism at the Medill School of Journalism and Integrated Marketing. She went on to complete an accelerated graduate program at Medill, where she earned her Master of Science in health, science and environmental reporting. While she was there, she interned at three different publications and a luxury public relations firm. In addition, she worked as a freelance writer for two different online publications.

Awards & Associations

Maddy had the prestigious honor of being awarded the Harrington Award for Magazine Writing and Editing, Medill's highest graduate student award.
As the skin care industry took social media by storm, Maddy wrote about which skin care trends people shouldn't be following.
When Project Runway announced it will feature size-inclusive models, Maddy covered the breaking news.
At a time when cyber-bullying was capturing the attention of the nation, Maddy penned an article about how bullying helped actress Bella Thorne learn about self esteem.
Upon graduating from the Medill School of Journalism, Maddy was inducted into Kappa Tau Alpha, a college honor society that recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication.
Maddy graduated Cum Laude in 2018 and Magna Cum Laude in 2019. She was on the Dean's List throughout her entire academic career.
As a Division I student athlete in the Big Ten Conference, Maddy was recognized as Academic All-Big Ten all the years she competed.

Important Questions From The Knot

Best advice for to-be-weds?

Take time to sit down together and think of small, personal details to incorporate into your wedding day. Can you base your menu off of your go-to date night spot? Are there details from your favorite TV series you can include into your decor? All of these small touches will make the wedding feel even more intimate and leave your guests saying "that was so them."

What’s your all-time favorite wedding song?

"You Make My Dreams (Come True)" by Hall & Oates. Everyone knows the words, it's easy to dance to, and the lyrics are so cute!

Dream celebrity wedding guest?

I'd have to say Chet Baker. I'm a huge fan of jazz music because it reminds me of my grandparents. I love all of his songs, so having him play at my reception would be incredible.