Maria Kandalova Photography Reviews
Reviews
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Awards
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Featured
Kylie Sent on 05/20/2025The Photographer of Our Dreams!
We feel incredibly lucky to have had Maria Kandalova capture our wedding day. From our first communication, it was clear we were in the hands of a true professional who genuinely cared about telling our story. She went above and beyond in every way—not just with the quality of the photos, but with the entire experience.
Maria is extremely professional, knowledgeable and passionate about her work. She was always in the right place at the right time, yet never intrusive. She caught the most emotional, candid moments we didn’t even realize were happening—and turned them into timeless images we’ll treasure forever.
Leading up to the wedding, her communication was flawless, she created a photography timeline which really helped in crafting our final wedding timeline and she worked closely with my planner to ensure the timeline flowed smoothly. During the wedding, she guided us with posing tips and effortlessly organized our large group for photos—no small task with a tight timeline, but she handled it with grace and precision.
Our photos are absolutely stunning—full of light, love, and life. If you’re searching for a photographer who is talented, professional, and will go the extra mile for you—stop searching and book Maria you won’t regret it! -
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Britney Sent on 11/05/2025Dreamiest Wedding Photos!
I could not have asked for a better photographer to capture our special day. Her editing style is everything I was looking for and more. We also loved that she offers smaller packages for the bride and groom who are eloping and having a smaller wedding ceremony and reception. She was very thorough with finding out what exactly we were hoping to capture and prompt with replying back. She ended up capturing every moment we had requested her to take. I am absolutely in love with how our photos turned out and can’t stop looking through them all! She was even able to make each pose look effortless considering neither of us are very good at posing our bodies. I HIGHLY recommend Maria if you are looking for the perfect dreamy photos. -
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Carly Sent on 10/27/2025Book maria!
If you want a photographer who is not only talented, but also incredibly kind and professional, then you need Maria! She took my bridal portraits shown below, then had an unfortunate accident before our wedding which led to her being unable to shoot our wedding. She sent Sarah, who was also unbelievable and wonderful to work with! She and Sarah made sure our day was perfect! Thank you to both of you for making our day wonderful!! -
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Abigail Sent on 08/06/2025Maria is the Best!
Maria was absolutely amazing and were so lucky to have had her as our wedding photographer. From the very start Maria made the wedding planning process so easy and was there throughout the whole thing. She even gave her own recommendations and we ended up hiring our hair/makeup artist and wedding coordinator from her recs. Maria is extremely professional and has everything in place to make sure our day was the best it could be. She has an eye for photography and knows exactly what poses will look best in pictures. She made sure before we even got to wedding day that everything would run smoothly. From timelines and inspo pics made sure wedding day was flawless. Once we got our photos back I was just truly stunned at how amazing they were and just so beautiful. She gave us so many photos that it is hard to even choose my favorite. These will be photos that we will truly have forever and look at constantly. She is truly the BEST. You will not regret hiring her for your big day. We can't wait to use her again in our next stages of life. -
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Danielle Sent on 06/24/2025Out of Town Surprise Proposal
I had the pleasure of assisting my daughter’s now fiance in finding the perfect photographer to capture their surprise proposal in the Outer Banks. Considering we were from out of town, I was concerned that arranging for a photographer would be a challenge, but Maria made the process easy. She was prompt with all email responses, was reassuring that she would handle all aspects of the surprise, and she made us feel confident that she would deliver. The pictures taken that evening are STUNNING, even with the intermittent storms that night, and my daughter and her fiance could not be any happier with the final result. Maria is a gifted photographer with attention to detail, and she made this moment for them so special. -
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Allison Sent on 08/30/2024Absolutely perfect!
Maria is a very gifted photographer. After talking with tons of OBX photographers, she was the only one that would let us hire her for a few hours since we were having a small intimate wedding. She was accommodating and professional. The photos are absolutely stunning. Everything about her was perfect and more importantly I ended up with pictures that exceeded my expectations! Book her now, she is a gem! -
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Aryn Sent on 07/13/2024
She is the best
She was amazing! 10/10 would recommend. She was so professional. I’m so thankful and grateful for her. Our pictures are amazing. She’s who to thank for that! -
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Kathy Sent on 07/06/2024Helped to make my daughter's dream wedding come true!
I can't say enough about Maria Kandalova, Outer Banks Photographer!! If I could give her more than five stars, I would. From day one of planning til the big wedding day (and even beyond), Maria's patience, kindness, expertise, guidance, attention to detail, talent behind the lens, talent working with all of our guests...she is a true gem! Maria's energy, professionalism and friendliness really set her apart. She truly went above and beyond to help capture all of the special moments and little details of my daughter's day. She listened to my daughter's special requests and made so much magic happen. The pictures she has already shared with us in the days following the wedding amaze me - I can't wait to see them all! Maria's photography skills shine through - as does my daughter's and her husband's beautiful personalities. Maria also provided a photo booth for the wedding day which was a HUGE hit with our guests and super fun because we were able to see those pictures right away! Again, Maria is a true pro! THANK YOU! -
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Micah Sent on 06/25/2024We love Maria!!
Maria is amazing!!! She photographed my wedding this past weekend & also was able to jump in and take welcome party photos at late notice! All of the welcome party photos we got back look incredible and I can’t wait to see the wedding pics!! 💕 My new husband & I (mostly me haha) have 0 idea what to do in pictures & Maria gave us super specific guidance to get the best possible shots. She was patient with us and super friendly!
At the welcome party, she was running around the whole time getting photos of every single guest & my whole family was raving about her energy & positivity. On the day-of, she arrived to the venue early to make sure everything was set up properly, & was fantastic at keeping us on track with bridal party photos, family photos, & sunset portraits! She coordinated with the venue & our DJ to make sure everyone was on the same page which led to a smooth evening!
For our sunset portraits, I had a vision of wanting to get in the water in my dress, and she gave me lots of ideas to help those pics look dynamic! She also took videos on her phone (and on her drone which looks cinematic) for social media throughout the day which was fun to get to see the day after as a little teaser! I’m soooo excited to see our gallery!❤️
10/10 would recommend! -
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Jennifer Sent on 05/17/2024Excellent photographer
Maria is an outstanding photographer and also a really great person! She has a wonderful sense of style and what makes a great photo. I am very happy to have had her as my photographer for my wedding, I highly recommend her!! -
Lara Sent on 05/02/2024
Maria is absolutely wonderful! Highly, highly recommended!!
We could not have asked for a better experience. Maria is so talented and she really took the time to capture our wedding day perfectly. I can't even express how thankful I am that she was our photographer. -
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Ronald Sent on 10/17/2023
She moved things around for us and se was very responsive
She made made the whole experience very comfortable and enjoyable, highly recommended her. -
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Sarah Sent on 10/13/2023
Amazing!!!
Maria was amazing to work with from beginning to end! Wonderfully professional and personal. She made sure that we got the shots that we wanted and then some! We just got some of our sneak peeks back from Maria and all I can say is WOW!!! She made even the most mundane photo spectacular!! -
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Annie Sent on 08/19/2023
Timeless photography!!
Maria photographed both our engagement session & wedding and we could not be happier with our photos. If you want timeless, vivid, dreamy photos, that is exactly what you will get with Maria! She made us feel so comfortable and was so good at posing us and giving direction. We had never done a photo shoot together prior to our engagement session so we were definitely a little nervous and unsure how to pose but she made us look so natural in front of the camera. When we look at our wedding photos we are brought right back to how incredible the day was and how much fun we had on the dance floor. She captured all the candid moments and so much more than the typical formal wedding photos. She was exactly what we were looking for in a photographer and we are so thankful for how beautifully she captured our day! Thank you so much Maria! -
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Beth Sent on 08/13/2023
Beautiful artistic photos by Maria Kandalova
Maria Kandalova photography was a very positive experience for our family photos. Maria made all of us comfortable in front of the camera especially the children. She was so friendly and had all of us smiling and laughing capturing some sweet moments. Maria has an artistic eye and paid attention to details that left us with stunning photos. Her technical expertise and artistic talents contributed to the beauty of every photo. She was so pleasant, professional and open to the type of pictures I wanted her to capture. -
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Emily Sent on 08/09/2023Great at Providing Directions and Gorgeous Work!
Maria is a true professional! She knew exactly how to direct my husband, our family, and our wedding party, so that our loved ones could be included in our wedding day. She knew exactly how to instruct poses, take the perfect angle, and edit beautiful photos. My husband and I highly recommend her services to anyone looking for a photographer in the Outer Banks for their wedding day! -
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Shannon Sent on 08/09/2023A memory to cherish!
Hi Maria,
I hope that your day is starting well. I received our fantastic family and vowel renewal photos and posted one of us with the rating. Thank you with all of my heart for planning such a wonderful surprise for us on our 21st wedding anniversary. You are a great gift, and this will always be a special memory for us to cherish. We did it!
You are the best!
XOXO,
Mark & Shannon -
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Ali Sent on 07/03/2023Beach PRO!
Maria was so wonderful to us and our families on our beach trip. She had no issues being flexible and changing our date and time when I confused the date on our trip for photos. She is timely and efficient. She is so sweet and fun to talk to! I cannot wait to see her for years to come in the OBX area. Thank you, Maria! You are lovely.Maria Kandalova Photography's reply:
Thank you so much for your kind words! I would be honored to photograph your family's milestones for years to come! -
Rusty Sent on 06/06/2023
Amazing and Beautiful Work
From our very first conversation with Maria, we knew we made the right choice. She captured our day perfectly and the pictures are all beautiful. She was fun to work with, very detailed and thorough. She did an amazing job of capturing all the moments we hoped for and then some. So happy that we found her and can't recommend her highly enough! -
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Caitlin Sent on 08/21/2022Exceptional Photographer
Maria is a miracle worker!! I’m in awe of the beauty that she captured from our day. I can’t stop looking at our photos. The feedback I’ve gotten from friends and family is overwhelmingly positive and complimentary. 😍 We would recommend Maria to anyone who wants a high quality, easy to work with, professional and sweet photographer! We are forever grateful to have these beautiful memories because of her talent and hard work! -
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Courtney Sent on 06/11/2022
Absolutely amazing!!
Maria was absolutely incredible! I had a small intimate wedding ceremony at a beach vacation house in Nags Head, NC. It was late March and pretty chilly out and the photos turned out amazing. She talked me (bride) through each picture and exactly how to pose and what to do. She was fun, interactive, and so creative. She also did incredible touch ups on a select amount of photos that are stunning!! We absolutely loved her and still talking about how good our photos are and how much we love them!Maria Kandalova Photography's reply:
Thank you, Courtney! I am so blessed with clients like you! Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness! -
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Sidney Sent on 12/16/2021The best of the best!
1000 gold stars!! Working with Maria is the best! Anyone can scroll through her photos and see that she’s beyond talented - but behind the photos she is also professional, organized, prepared, calm and fun! My husband and I felt so comfortable behind the camera and enjoyed our time with Maria! She captures the most beautiful and candid moments. My wedding day was a breeze. She took care of everything and I never had to worry if she captured everything. There really isn't any other option. Our entire wedding would have been different without her and I can't thank her enough for eternalizing our experience.
We left our wedding with STUNNING photos and a new friend. Thank you so much, Maria! -
Kate Sent on 12/16/2021
Best photographer!
Maria went above and beyond with our beach wedding pictures, they are beautiful and better than I even imagined! She was very diligent and so kind ! Would definitely travel back to have her take pictures again ! Thank you so much Maria ! -
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Kylie Sent on 12/16/2021Couldn’t have wished for a better photographer!
Maria was top notch from start to finish; from our first meeting, I knew there was no sense in even interviewing another photographer, she was personable, funny and professional. Before the wedding, she even went above and beyond - not living in NC, she even helped us scout a location so that we could fill out our beach permit! Our wedding day was perfect, and Maria captured every minute beautifully; she knew exactly how to position us for stunning portraits. I cried when I received our preview, and was even more stunned when the entire collection came through!
We are in the Outer Banks often as we have family in Avon, and we will 100% be hiring Maria again for family portraits in the future - I wouldn’t want to be photographed by anyone else!Maria Kandalova Photography's reply:
Thank You, Kylie!!
You are so sweet! I really felt like I was at a friend's wedding! YOu and your family are the sweetest and I cannot wait to see you again!! -
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Rebecca Sent on 10/12/2021Can't say enough...
I had the privilege of hiring Maria for my wedding at at the end of August.
She was amazing through the entire process, from the initial inquiry to random pictures I wanted added in, to the day of, and even the weeks leading up to getting the full portfolio. I could not have asked for a better photographer. She is the sweetest person and I immediately felt comfortable with her, which helped me not worry as much during the wedding (all brides know that anything to help relieve stress is great).
My entire family loved her as well! I had people telling me after she had left that she was the best photographer they had ever seen. And I couldn't agree with them more!
She sent me our sneak peek not even 2 weeks after the wedding, and we got our full portfolio in a month!! (Our wedding was August 29th and we had the full portfolio by September 30th)
I honestly can't recommend her enough! I have coworkers who now want to relocate their weddings to the Outer Banks just so they can use her because she is THAT great! Definitely book with Maria! You won't regret it. -
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Tatiana Sent on 08/27/2021
Best in obx
From the second I messaged Maria I knew she was going to be excellent. She has such an infectious personality and makes you feel so comfortable! She is funny and SO sweet. I got my pictures back yesterday...i was crying, my mom was crying, everyone was crying from how she captured such beautiful photos. Not to sell myself short, but I have never looked good in photos, I almost didn’t want to hire a photographer for my own wedding! However, After an extensive search I found Maria and She gave me the greatest wedding gift of the most beautiful wedding photos I have ever
Seen. She has a true talent and art. BOOK HER. You won’t regret it!!Maria Kandalova Photography's reply:
Thank you soooo much Tatiana ad Corey! I am so glad you loved your images! It was a pleasure working with you both. Your ceremony was so magical and heartfelt! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness! -
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Jessica Sent on 06/02/2021She’s the best of the best
How she captures the emotions and feelings in each and every picture is unreal. Definitely one of the best! So glad I found her, couldn’t have asked for anyone better! -
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Beth Sent on 02/13/2021Maria is the most AMAZING photographer!
Maria did a FABULOUS job for our small wedding! She went above and beyond to make sure we got all of the images we wanted from the ceremony, on the motorcycle, and then the beach. Maria was very flexible and patient. Our family and friends loved her! We love all of our BEAUTIFUL pictures! Thank you for making our wedding perfect! -
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Valeriya Sent on 01/20/2021Beautiful wedding pictures
I really enjoyed our photo shoot. Maria went above and beyond. The ceremony was at Blue Point on the sound side so she took some pictures there and then she took us to the beach and took some more breathtaking images. My husband was impatient as he doesnt like take pictures but thankfully Maria managed to take romantic photos like I wanted. And now my husband just loves the pictures. He says it was totally worth it and now he understands why I wanted those photos. We ordered a beautiful canvas of us taken by her. I’m so glad we went with Maria! -
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Aleah Sent on 12/19/2020
Such an amazing photographer!!!
I would recommend Maria to anybody that would ask me! She did such a phenomenal job with my elopement and captured every perfect moment for us to remember years from now. If your looking for the best photographer for your big day look no further! -
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Brandi Sent on 12/12/2020
Photography
She is fun, exciting, professional, and does beautiful photos. I recommend her services to brides who want to capture the best moments of their wedding. Her photography tells a beautiful story.Maria Kandalova Photography's reply:
Thank you, Brandi! Thank you for choosing me to be your wedding photographer! It was a pleasure to work with you and Tommy. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness. -
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Erick Sent on 09/13/2023Intimate and Very comfortable setting that transitioned seamlessly from our ceremony to 2hr of Photo poses that were Fun sexy and Adorable
I could tell from the moment I arrived she was good. She got all the angles and let us make a lists of all poses and pics we wanted. She was patient with us and really captured our true selves on our most delicate day. We Appreciate you a thousand times for your beautiful images. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND Maria as your wedding venue professional photographer 📸 -
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