Kristen Gardner Photography

Kristen is an amazing photographer! Our wedding day was windy, but she captured everything so beautifully. We stayed on schedule and got all the shots we wanted, including golden hour photos. She was very flexible to work with regarding pricing (some packages include an engagement session, which we didn't do). We are very happy with our experience and would recommend her.

Kristen Gardner is absolutely AMAZING. Her work is beautiful, and I could not be more grateful to have had her as our wedding photographer. She was super easy to work with, and made both my husband and I feel comfortable (he can be shy in front of a camera!!). The day of the wedding, she captured every moment so well. I can't wait to hire her for future life moments!!! Highly recommend.

Kristen photographed our wedding in August 2020 and was amazing! She was professional, organized, and so warm and kind leading up to the day as well as on the wedding da itself. She made sure we got all of the group photos we had requested, as well as so many great candid and unstaged photos all in an efficient manner. She did a wonderful job of taking photos while still being subtle and unobtrusive to the flow of the day. The turnaround time on us receiving our full wedding photo album was so impressive and we could not have been more thrilled with how the photos turned out! Kristen and her second shooter, Susan, really have an eye for lighting, background, and the perfect shot and I highly recommend her as a part of your wedding day!

My husband and I were so thrilled with our decision to have Kristen photograph our wedding. Her package also includes an engagement photo session. One of the reasons we really liked Kristen is because she didn’t force us into awkward, staged poses that felt unnatural to us. She had suggestions for how to stand and pose but let us adapt them to what suited us and reflected how we interact with one another. One other selling point was that we did not want to do a first look. Most photographers we interviewed tried to talk us out of it because it would be easier for their photo schedule if we did a first look. Kristen was the only one who accepted that without question and recognized the day was about us, not a schedule she had to keep. Regarding the actual photography, Kristen did an amazing job. Both our wedding and engagement photo session were in the evening, and the lighting was perfect in the photos. We were very pleased with how they turned out.

I don't even know where to begin with Kristen. She is AMAZING and you would be silly not to hire her to be your photographer! From the first day chatting with her, we knew she was so organized and would be a perfect fit for our day. She knew exactly what pictures were important to us and it was so easy to pose for pictures with her guidance. It felt so natural with her and the picture portion of the day was so easy! She also got along with everyone (us, our vendors and guests, etc) making the whole day even more enjoyable than it already was! And lastly, our gallery came back within a month (!!) and we are beyond obsessed with the high quality images and experiences she captured. Kristen is a true gem and will help make your wedding day amazing!

There are a variety of things that stuck out to me about Kristen and made my experience with her wonderful. Any individual thing can seem small, but in all they totaled to a bride (me) who felt completely at ease and is in love with the pictures. Leading up - Kristen's communications were clear, her pricing structure was tailored to fit my unique needs, and her responses to any of my questions were timely and well thought out. Day of - Kristen was clearly in command of the photography, and directed a (very) non-photogenic couple in a way that made us comfortable, and turned out beautiful and natural pictures. Additionally, Kristen is kind and thoughtful. I've had multiple family members contact me after the wedding just to tell me how nice she was to them. The pictures - it is clear Kristen captured images that are not only beautiful, but really feel like the captured the spirit of myself and my (new) husband. They aren't cookie cutter, they reflect the couple we are... and I couldn't love them more.

Kristen and Ali were AMAZING!! I wish I could give them 10 stars! They were patient, flexible, fun to be around, and made taking pictures in 100 degree weather relatively painless - keeping us inside or in the shade as much as possible. They checked in with us throughout the day/night to make sure they were getting all the right shots, and when time got tight they helped us figure out which family pictures were essential, and which we could nix - since we wanted time to enjoy the cocktail hour some. We haven't gotten all of the pictures back yet, but the ones we've seen are bright, natural, and fun - exactly what we wanted for our summer wedding. My entire bridal party GUSHED over how enjoyable it was to work with Kristen - and I truly cannot recommend her enough for those in the area!!

Kirsten Gardner is simply amazing. Before selecting a wedding photographer, my fiancé and I reviewed her work and thought everything looking beautiful but we were still worried about how the process would go, having never had professional photos done. Within about the first five minutes of meeting Kristen, that all went out the window. She is a very kind and genuine person. Any nerves we had were eased and we could not wait to work with her come wedding day! And on the wedding day, she was a dream. Everyone felt incredibly comfortable around her. She had fun with us but she was also super-efficient in capturing all of the group, bridal party, and family portraits. My husband and I were able to be natural, with Kristen gently guiding and capturing perfect memories. And the results were just stunning. I look at the pictures and relive the day over and over. We are so thankful for her. Cannot recommend Kristen more and we cannot wait to work with her again in the future!

Kristen did such an amazing job with our engagement and wedding photos! Pictures are extremely important to me on a normal day, so you can imagine how important they are to me on my wedding day. I could not ask for a better wedding photographer! She truly cares about her clients.

Wow, I cannot thank Kristen Gardner enough for capturing our wedding day (and engagement photos) so perfectly!!! She exceeded absolutely ALL of our expectations and we now have such amazing photos to cherish for years to come! She is so sweet and has such a natural talent for photography and knows all of the right photos to take (& with perfect lighting!) :) She seriously couldn't have made things any easier for us throughout our whole wedding planning process. If I can help any future brides out there, I would just say to look no further, you have found an EXCELLENT photographer in Kristen...& you will not be disappointed!!! :)

We were referred to Kristen Gardner by our wedding planner, Terry Kaye, and we couldn't be more grateful that Terry made this connection. Kristen is beautiful from the inside out and she brought so much light and love to our wedding day! She captured so many beautiful moments but was so inconspicuous the whole time. She brought an awesome second photographer with her, Susan, who was wonderful as well. Her final product was incredible. In this day in age where we all consider ourselves "photographers" with iPhones, digital cameras, etc., I can say I am SO glad we paid for the real professional - the final product she delivered will keep the magic of our wedding going for a lifetime. She is an extremely talented professional, but the fact that she is so kind and full of grace is the cherry on top. She is also very reasonably priced considering the final product she delivers. We couldn't be more grateful that she was apart of our wedding and that she captured so many joyous moments!

From the very beginning, Kristen was a true professional. When we met her in person, I KNEW it was a perfect match. Kristen is energetic and genuine. She listened to us, asked us what we were looking for, and spent time just getting to know us. She explained her process and answered every question we had. Kristen goes the extra mile during the process- she checked in on us multiple times, and even mailed us a care package!! Kristen knew that we had been so busy with wedding planning, she sent us a sweet card and some goodies... that's the type of person that she is, and she truly cares so much. I used her for a boudoir session prior to the wedding- it was SO much fun. I was a little hesitant at first, but Kristen made me feel comfortable and the pictures turned out AMAZING! We laughed about it and had such a fun time! The engagement session also turned out amazing- Kristen photographed us at one of our favorite outdoor places- she captured the afternoon sun and the leaf change PERFECTLY- seriously, the pictures are amazing!!! Kristen even expedited the engagement pictures to us because it was so close to our wedding date - again, she goes the extra mile. At the wedding, she brought a second shooter and was able to capture all of those little details that were happening. She was VERY present, but no one felt as though there was a 'camera in their face'. She was methodical and systematic in taking the family pictures- she capture all of the combinations of people and families- working tireless as the sun was setting. Kristen does her homework- she knew the names of all of the family members and wedding party too- its that personal touch that makes such a difference! We WILL be using Kristen again, and we most HIGHLY recommend her to anyone!!!!

We feel so lucky to have worked with Kristen, she is amazing! We were thrilled with the photographs from both our fall engagement session and spring wedding and know we will treasure them for years to come. Kristen is not only incredibly sweet and friendly but she is also extremely professional with a great eye. A friend recommended Kristen and we knew from the first time we met her that she was not only the right choice but the best choice. She made us feel instantly comfortable by taking the time to answer all our questions and address our concerns. Kristen was also extremely responsive and helpful throughout the planning process, making us feel as though we were her only clients. On the day of the wedding having Kristen there felt like having another friend or family member running around. She was genuinely excited to help us celebrate and made sure we stayed on schedule and felt truly beautiful in front of the camera. Kristen made sure to capture the important moments and elements but most importantly she captured all the emotion. Our photographs are not just portraits, they are memories. Kristen has our highest recommendation. Any couple or family would be lucky to work with her.

My husband and I couldn't have been happier with Kristen. My mother and I were the initial people to meet Kristen. We both fell in love with her immediately. Not only does she take truly amazing pictures, she is one of the kindest and sweetest people you will meet. My husband and I used Kristen both for our engagement session and our wedding. For our engagement session my husband and I really were hoping to do the photos in Baltimore as this is where we had our first home together. Even though this is out of the way and there is always traffic, she assured us this was not at all a problem. The pictures from both the engagement and the wedding day were spectacular despite it being not one of the most beautiful days. We are in the process of picking out pictures for our album, and looking back at the pictures she takes just really allows you to relive the day. She is incredible at capturing not only the event but the emotion. I feel so lucky to have had Kristen by my photographer to capture such a special day!

When we got engaged both my husband and I knew we'd want to work with Kristen for our photography. Having been a part of other weddings she shot in the past we were familiar with her amazing work, but we didn't know what an incredible joy it would be to have her there for our engagement and every part of our wedding day. Kristen is kind, funny and incredibly talented. She puts groups of strangers at ease and captures every moment you could imagine. We will cherish our photos for the rest of our lives. When Kristen came to find me to say goodbye at the end of our wedding night I blurted out, "Can we please be friends?!" and I meant it...she's that good. :)

I absolutely LOVED working with Kristen. She is so nice, funny, and overall great to work with. My husband and I first met Kristen at her office in Warrenton. We were immediately impressed by her work and loved her personality. Our engagement session happened to be on one of the hottest days in June, but our pictures turned out beautifully. You couldn’t even tell we were sweating like crazy! Kristen is also super flexible. She adjusted a few things within our wedding package and even stayed a bit longer to capture our late night snack at the reception. 5 days after the wedding she posted a few pictures on her blog to hold us over until after our honeymoon. The few pictures she posted are absolutely stunning! I can’t wait to see the rest! I would highly recommend Kristen for your wedding. Her work is amazing and she really makes you feel comfortable while being photographed. Kristen, it was just "awesome" working with you! ;)

Kristen did both our engagement photos and our wedding photos, and she did a fabulous job! She is so sweet and did a great job of making us both feel really comfortable. And of course, one of the most important parts is the fact that the photos turned out beautifully! We really couldn't have been happier with her, and would recommend her to anyone.

Kristen was an absolute dream to work with. She made us feel so incredibly comfortable, which is half the battle for us. The photos are gorgeous; I couldn't be happier that we worked with Kristen and can't say enough good things about her.

We haven't seen all of the photos yet - but the few on her blog are fantastic. She was everywhere and no where - so not in the way and ordering people around and able to capture the personalities and moments. Her use of light and focus just stunning and many of our friends and family have said the photos look like something from a magazine. Highly, Highly, Highly recommend her.

Kristen was amazing! She captured every part of our unique outdoor wedding in a way that anyone who was not there will be able to feel as if they were. I would hire her again in a heartbeat :)

I had been following Kristen's photographic career and new a few years before my wedding that I wanted her to be my photographer. The day after we were engaged I sent her an email to see if I could book her. She was as sweet as could be and really concerned about working around our needs and requests. On the day of the wedding she couldn't have been more wonderful. She brought along an assistant (who worked with Kristen so wonderfully) and they were busy snapping away without getting in the way! I have only seen a few sneak peaks from the wedding but the pictures are absolutely stunning! People - please put good money into your photographer, it's absolutely worth it.

It goes without saying that Kristen is very talented and knows exactly how to capture special moments, just check out her blog...but in addition to her work, she is just wonderful to have around on your wedding day. It was like having a friend hang around with us all day. She is totally unobtrusive, but also really present at the same time. She reads people really well, and is able to tell how much involvment you'd like her to have. I highly highly recommend her...I almost dont know why you would choose anyone else!

If you live in the Northern, VA area, I highly recommend you check at Kristen Gardner Photography. She is AMAZING. Also, she couldn't be more kind. She shot my sister's wedding in 2008 then I used her this past June for my wedding. It feels like she is part of our family now. She takes the time to get to know every bride and will really capture your day exactly how you want it. Check her out! :) http://www.kristengardner.com/ :) :) :)

Kristen Gardner did my husband's and my engagement photos and wedding, and she could not have been more wonderful to work with. Kristen is not only talented with a unique ability to capture emotion in every photo, but she is also extremely personable and great to work with. She has excellent rapport with clients and adds personal touches to everything she does. She made us feel like we were her only wedding, even though, as you can see from her blog, she is extremely busy and in high-demand! The images she captured are unique and so special, and the quality and value are great. We could not be more pleased and look forward to working with her again in the future to document life's special moments:)

She is absolutely a joy to work with. I really believe she is one of the best photographers I know. She has a way of capturing colors and depth that is uncanny. She is wonderful to work with flexible. She does a great mix of candid and traditional and her work is beautiful.