Meet your empathetic, dance party havin' co-captains on your best adventure in love! We’re Ashley Bowling & Nicole Kilday, Wedding & Destination Photographers.
Yo!
- Wife + Mama
- Empath who cries at just about everything
- Extroverted introvert
- Cheese + German Shepherds are my love languages
- Most days my mouth could make a sailor blush
- Someone in heaven shared his passion for photography with me + so it began
meet nicole
- World’s biggest people-pleaser, guilty of being too nice for my own good
- Thrift shopping + spicy food fanatic
- Pro DIY-er who’d rather spend 5,267 hours making a birthday card from scratch than buy one at the store
- A deep thinker with big opinions on big life things
- A gal who’s super duper happy
- (+ constantly in awe!) to be doing what she does
meet ashley
The version of us you get.
At My Whole Heart Collective, you're getting the whole human experience and not just a professional front.
We value human connection, simply because we have a lot of love to give. Heck, it makes us feel so dang good to know we have the opportunity to build new purposeful & intentional connections through this career. We value inclusivity because we believe all love deserves a spotlight (no matter what) in a judgment free zone. We believe in embracing who you are, because being true to yourself means finding your favorite humans (cough cough - your lover) and surrounding yourself with light and love that brings out your best self.
Services & Resources
We’re so jacked to be sharing our combined 7+ years of professional photography experience and all that we are as creatives. We specialize in wedding, elopement, and couples' photography. We feel that it's important for our clients to understand the love and devotion that has gone into building our business. We carry this passion with us as we celebrate you on your special day. We work really freaking hard to combine our art and biggest passions with the pieces of ourselves that we value so deeply - ultimately offering an all-inclusive experience that denies a vendor/client relationship and instead, welcomes newfound friendships and deeply purposeful connections. Our goal is to document your story that speaks to your truth, wrapped in a seamless and intentional experience.
We fully feel we cannot truthfully tell your story without starting from the very beginning to running alongside you through your best day ever. That's why we offer wedding photography services that aim to make planning, prepping, & celebrating your BEST DAY EVER easy-as-heck! Our photography collections are all-encompassing and customized to fit YOUR unique love story.
wedding photography packages // start at $4,400
- 8 hours continuous coverage
- 2 photographers & new best friends
- Curated timeline creation
- Online digital gallery & print shop
- Engagement session (M-TH)
- 120 miles of travel included
elopement photography packages // start at $3,300
- 3 hours continuous coverage minimum
- Guest list of 50 or less of your fave humans
- 2 photographers & new best friends
- Curated timeline creation
- Online digital gallery & print shop
- Engagement session (M-TH)
- 120 miles of round trip travel included
- Permit(s) not included
example galleries
weddings // elopements // couples
resources:
Based in Chicago suburbs (Pingree Grove, IL) and Available for Travel.
From the cornfields, to the seas.
our mission
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the guide
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faqs
Our mission is to offer our best selves throughout this adventure with you in a way that allows us to document your story from a place of truth. This entails us being here every step of your wedding photography experience, from start to finish. It means celebrating the sh!t out of this chapter alongside you and breaking out into dance parties when our bodies can’t help but physically feel the excitement. It means being here for you when the process feels heavy and you really just need a judgment-free space to let it all out. We are here to help you gain perspective and provide encouragement to continue to the wedding vision of your dreams. Most importantly, it means welcoming you and your partner exactly as you are, so we have the full opportunity and knowledge to tell your story exactly as it is. This is our deepest commitment to you on this journey.
If we have the privilege to share all these things with you in combination with our art - we only have one request for your big day - play “Head & Heart” by Joel Corry on the dancefloor. Although our dance moves might literally scare you… we swear we feel most alive when shaking our a$$es with humans we just love so much, cameras in hand.
our mission
frequently asked questions
How do we book you two?!
First, we have a dance party. Then, we build your custom proposal for you two to review, sign, & submit your 40% non-refundable retainer. We'll countersign and send you a completed copy. Finally - return to the dance party & let's get to celebrating!
Do you offer payment plans?
We offer two different payment options, to meet every size, budget, and need: 40/60, & 40/20/20/20! Inquire to see payment plans explained!
What's included in our online gallery?
Your online gallery will include the entirety of your completed & edited images. You (& anyone you share the gallery with) will have access to download high & low resolution images for safe keeping, sharing on social media (low-res), and printing your memories (high-res)!
How many images should we expect in our gallery?
A good rule of thumb is to multiply 50 by the number of hours we shot! However, we never limit the maximum number of images in a gallery as everyone's days are so incredibly unique. An 8 hour wedding day will range from a minimum of 400 images to 2000+!
How long do we have to wait for our full gallery?
Turn around time ranges depending on whether or not you're waiting on wedding day or engagement session. Wedding & elopement galleries have a turn around time fo 4-16 weeks; whereas portrait sessions are 2-4 weeks!
What does "case-by-case" basis mean in terms of travel?
120 miles of travel is included for all wedding, elopement, and portrait collections. Once travel in full exceeds 120 miles, the remaining travel will be handled on a case by case basis. Travel begins from Pingree Grove, IL. But we'll go from the cornfields to the seas!
What's included in our complimentary engagement session?
Dance parties & celebrations as a team! We encourage our couples to slot in a minimum of an hour's time with us for these sessions. That way you two get an idea of how we work and we can fine-tune your session (& wedding day) based on what makes you comfortable in front of our cameras. Plus, this gives us the perfect opportunity to really get to know each other so wedding day will feel natural & comfortable. Engagement sessions are weekday sessions (M-TH) & we offer 1 free re-schedule just in case you need to shift dates. One photographer attends engagement sessions. And, similarly to your wedding gallery, you will also have an online digital gallery & print shop within 2-4 weeks from our session date to share, save, & swoon over!
Do you travel to Chicago, IL (within city limits)?
We love our city so so much & are absolutely there for wedding day! However, we do not travel to Chicago for portrait sessions.
What happens if i need to cancel or reschedule my session and/or event?
Be sure to check your contract for cancellation and/or reschedule terms. And most importantly - reach out to us! Keep us updated so we can play our team role in helping you navigate any changes!
Are pets allowed?
YES. YES x10000. We're most likely to die from petting something we knew we shouldn’t have.
Do you travel outside of Pingree Grove, IL?
Easy answer - HELL YES!
Will our photographers always be Ashley Bowling & Nicole Kilday?
In the rare event we are unable to attend your big day (cue the tears), our Associate Photographers on the team would step in. Our associate photographers were hand selected by us to seamlessly mesh with our brand & style of photography. In the event an associate photographer has to step in, we can assure you, you’re in amazing hands. Not to mention, we won’t be out of the loop at any point in time as we will still be here to handle all of the pre & post processing. The perks are - you gain an extra (or 2) creative to brainstorm ideas, bring additional talent to the table, and even more friends to share in this journey.
Does MWHCO deliver all raw and/or unedited images?
My Whole Heart Collective does not give out RAW and/or unedited images. Be sure to check your contract for additional details.
