It's 5 O'clock Somewhere & You're Getting Married
Destination Wedding Photography — Wherever You're Getting Married
Based in Hebron, IL — and genuinely willing to go anywhere. My destination & travel collections cover any wedding outside a 90-mile radius from Northern Illinois. Travel is already factored into the price. No surprise invoices. No logistics you have to figure out. You find the place. I'll get there.
From the cornfields to the sea, I'll be there
Destination Weddings Don’t Get Awkward Here
Your wedding day already comes with enough moving parts — flights, timelines, unfamiliar places, and people you don't see every day. You shouldn't also be worrying about the camera, how to pose, or whether your photographer can roll with all of it.
That part's on me.
I've traveled with couples across the U.S. — navigating new places, new timelines, and new logistics is already part of my process. I show up knowing the plan and ready to ditch it if something better happens. Because something always does.
Paying attention is the whole point.
Is a Destination Wedding Photographer Right for You?
You can't ask a Picasso to paint a Michelangelo. Of all the vendors present on your wedding day, your photographer spends the most time with you — and that's especially true when you're somewhere away from home. Fit matters more here than anywhere else.
You care more about how your wedding day felt than whether everything looked exactly right. You want to be in it — laughing too hard, crying because you can’t help it, completely present. You want someone who handles the details so you genuinely don’t have to think about it. And you want to feel comfortable — like the camera is just there, not like you’re being watched.
If you love the work and trust the person behind it — we're probably it.
Take me with you
Where Has Nicole Kilday Photographed Destination Weddings?
I've traveled across the U.S. for weddings — and I'll go farther. Past destinations include Springfield, Illinois. Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Martha's Vineyard. AutoCamp Boston. The middle of the woods at Electric Forest. A sand dune in Michigan. Fall 2026 takes me to Mexico.
Wherever the place means something to you — that's where we go.
If your wedding falls near one of my planned travel dates, fees may be reduced or waived entirely.
UPCOMING TRAVEL DATES
Fall 2026 — Mexico
Additional 2026 travel dates to be announced.
How Does Destination Wedding Photography Travel Work?
Travel looks a little different for every couple — and over the years I've learned what's realistic, necessary, and fair when it comes to travel expenses. Both collections include travel. Flight, accommodations, logistics — factored into the package price. What you see is what it costs to have me there.
On some destination weddings I’ll bring a photo assistant — my call, based on the scope and logistics of your day. If I need one there, their cost is already covered in your package price. Nothing extra on your end. I’ll let you know when we connect if it applies to yours.
One thing worth knowing upfront: I require accommodations within your hotel or resort’s room block. Not because I’m high maintenance — but because being close matters. Destination days move fast, lighting doesn’t wait, and I need to be where the day is happening — not 20 minutes away hoping traffic cooperates. When you’re putting together your room block, just grab one for me. Easy.
Once we book: I handle travel coordination. You handle getting married.
Holy SH⌁T you're getting married
What Are the Destination Wedding Photography Collections & Pricing?
Two collections. Both include travel. Both are built around being fully present for your day — not just showing up with a camera.
Most couples investing in destination coverage spend between $5,975 and $6,575 depending on location and coverage. A retainer ranging from $1,992 to $2,192 and a signed contract lock everything in.
Most Booked!The Whole Freaking Destination Day — Up to 10 Hours
From getting ready to the last song of the night — all of it, wherever it's happening. Marrying your best friend somewhere in the middle takes the cake.
Includes: Up to 10 hours of continuous coverage, Travel included, Timeline guidance & planning support, Sneak peeks within 7 days, Full gallery delivered within 4–16 weeks, Print release included
$6,575
The Half Destination Day — Up to 4 Hours
Less boogyin' into the night & more love. For intimate days that might require less me & my camera.
Includes: Up to 4 hours of continuous coverage, Travel included, Timeline guidance & planning support, Sneak peeks within 7 days, Full gallery delivered within 4–16 weeks, Print release included
$5,975Non-refundable retainer & Signed Contract Required to book Your Wedding.
Make your wedding photography experience your own
What Can You Add to Your Destination Wedding Photography Package?
Additional coverage — $150 / hour
More time means nothing gets rushed and nothing gets missed.
Engagement session — $1,250
For couples who want professional photos before the big day.
Rehearsal dinner or welcome coverage — $1,795
Because the celebration starts before the ceremony — and those moments deserve to be documented too.
Destination Wedding Photography — Frequently Asked Questions
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My own wedding photographer offered payment plans — and it made a huge difference in how we budgeted. I offer two options because every couple's financial situation is different, and with everything else you're paying out to vendors, manageable matters.
Option One — Split Payment Plan
⅓ non-refundable retainer due at booking
⅓ due at the midpoint between booking and your wedding date
Final ⅓ due one week prior to your wedding
→ Sneak peeks delivered within 7 days of your wedding.
Option Two — Extended Monthly Payments
⅓ non-refundable retainer due at booking
Remaining balance divided into monthly payments based on how far out your wedding date is
Final payment due one week prior to your wedding
→ Sneak peeks delivered within 7 days of final payment.
Use the wedding photography investment estimator calculator below to see exactly what both options look like for your package.
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Flight, accommodations, and logistics — all factored into the collection price. You're not paying a base rate and then calculating what it costs to get me there. What you see is what it costs.
If your wedding is near a date I'm already traveling, that cost may be reduced or waived entirely. Worth asking about when you reach out.
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I've been doing this since 2016. In that time I've navigated COVID shutdowns, 20+ reschedules, a 42-wedding season, pregnancy during peak season, gear failure mid-ceremony, injured second photographers en route to destinations, and a second shooter coming down with the stomach flu mid-event.
I have never missed a wedding. Not once.
Not because I'm invincible — but because I assume something will go wrong at some point and I build for that reality. I'm fully insured, deeply networked, and my hand-selected second photographers are my backup. If something happens to me, you have someone I trust completely already in my corner.
You won't be left hanging.
→ Want the full story? Check out my blog post: ‘How to Choose a Reliable Wedding Photographer’
So You're Ready — Here's What Happens Next
You reach out and tell me a little about your day. We can keep it over email or hop on a quick call if that feels better. No pressure. Just making sure we're a good fit.
If it's a hell yes — a signed contract and non-refundable retainer lock your date on my calendar. From there I've got you: timeline, travel coordination, logistics, all of it.
I'll get back to you within 24–72 hours. If it's a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday — I'm likely out documenting another couple's big day.
I'm ready when you are.
I'm ready when you are. Drop the details in my contact form.
How Much Should You Budget for Wedding Photography? Use My Estimator.
Real numbers in real time for your wedding photography package.
Wedding Investment Calculator
No gatekeeping. Pick your coverage, add what you need, and you'll see what it takes to lock it in + how payment plans break down.
This decides whether you're looking at my local wedding collections or my destination & travel collections.
Used only to estimate monthly payments (final payment is due one week prior).
Local wedding collections (within 90 miles). Hebron, IL radius
If you're like "Nicole… we're gonna need more time." Cool. Same.
Included with full & half day collections. Optional for The Courthouse.
Outside 90 miles = destination & travel collections. Travel included
Need more time? Add hours here.
Total Estimated Investment
$—
Choose radius + collection to see totals.
Retainer Due at Booking (⅓)
$—
Non-refundable. This is what officially locks your date.
Payment Plan Options
- Option One — Split Payment Plan: ⅓ at booking, ⅓ midway, final ⅓ one week prior. Sneak peeks within 7 days of your wedding.
- Option Two — Extended Monthly Payments: ⅓ at booking, remaining balance split monthly, final payment one week prior. Sneak peeks within 7 days of final payment.
Split Plan Breakdown
$—
⅓ / ⅓ / ⅓
Monthly Plan Estimate
$—
Add your wedding date to estimate monthly payments.
Friendly heads up: this calculator is an estimate for planning. Your exact payment schedule is confirmed in your contract once we book.
Did we just become best friends?!
Destination Wedding Photography from Illinois to Anywhere
Nicole Kilday is a destination wedding photographer based in Northern Illinois who photographs weddings across the United States and beyond. While many couples book her for weddings throughout Chicago, Lake Geneva, and Southern Wisconsin, Nicole also travels for destination weddings in places that hold meaning to her couples — from mountains and coastlines to cities across the country. Her documentary approach allows couples to fully experience the place they chose to get married while their story is documented honestly as it unfolds. Destination wedding photography collections include travel coordination and coverage designed to make photographing weddings outside the Midwest feel easy and stress free.