We Believe your photos should feel as good as your wedding day did.
Here's something we hear all the time: "I'm so not a photo person." Maybe you've already pictured it — standing stiffly somewhere, not sure what to do with your hands, half-smiling while someone tells you to "look natural."
We get it. And we want you to know: that is not your wedding day with us.
We're Ni and Xiao — best friends and Virginia wedding photographers who believe you should never have to choose between gorgeous photos and genuinely having the time of your life. The best images only happen when you feel completely at ease, completely yourselves, and fully present in every moment.
We're here for the real stuff. The laugh that surprises you mid-vow. The way your person looks at you when they think no one's watching. The tears your dad tries to hide. The dance floor at 10pm.
Think less "hired photographers, "more" your two best friends who never put the camera down.
ABOUT Ni and Xiao
We're Ni & Xiao. Our photography style is joyful, authentic, and timeless. The perfect blend of candid moments and intentional portraits — for couples who want to remember exactly how every moment felt.
COFFEE ORDER
black Coffee, no sugar & cream
secret talent
making camera-shy people feel like natural models
We'd rather be
anywhere with good food and golden light
on my bucket list
a destination wedding
in Tuscany
perfect day includes
golden hour + happy tears + your people
favorite ice cream
Dark Chocolate
favorite season to shoot
golden hour autumn in Northern Virginia
obsessed with
the look couples share when they don't know we're watching
guilty pleasure
rewatching wedding galleries we've shot
COFFEE ORDER
black Coffee, no sugar & cream
Secret Talent
making camera-shy people feel like natural models
we'd rather be
anywhere with good food and golden light
on my bucket list
a destination wedding
in Tuscany
Perfect day includes
golden hour + happy tears + your people
Favorite Ice cream
Dark Chocolate
Favorite season to shoot
golden hour autumn in Northern Virginia
obsessed with
the look couples share when they don't know we're watching
Guilty pleasure
rewatching wedding galleries we've shot
QUICK FACTS
FOR THE SKIMMERS
60+ of weddings across Northern Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland — and we still feel the same rush of joy walking into a ceremony. Every couple is a new story. Every wedding is a new reason this is the best job in the world.
loving my job more than ever
Our work was recognized by The WeddingWire, and NOELA — a milestone that meant a great deal, and one that pushed us to keep showing up for every couple like it's the most important wedding we've ever shot. Because to us, it always is.
featured & recognized
When the world slowed down and weddings got smaller, we discovered something that changed how we shoot forever: the most powerful photographs come from the most honest moments. We carry that lesson into every wedding we photograph, no matter the size.
intimacy changes everything
We started Ni & Xiao Photography with a clear vision: to be the Northern Virginia wedding photographers who made every couple feel so at ease, so celebrated, and so genuinely cared for that their photos couldn't help but be extraordinary. We photographed our first wedding and never looked back.
launching the dream
OVER THE YEARS
We intentionally cap how many weddings we take each year. Not because we have to — because we refuse to show up to your wedding anything less than fully present, fully prepared, and fully invested in you. You are not a slot in a schedule. You are a couple with a story that matters, and we treat your day accordingly.
We prefer quality over quantity
The invitation suite on the bed. The way the veil catches the light. Your grandmother's ring on the dressing table. The handwritten vow cards, slightly crumpled from being held too tightly. We see all of it. We photograph all of it. And those details end up being some of the most treasured images in your entire gallery.
We are extremely detail oriented
The perfect blend of candid and intentional — that's our sweet spot. We'll guide you through portraits that feel relaxed and genuine, and we'll stay sharp for every unscripted moment in between. The vow that makes your voice crack. The toast that has everyone crying and laughing at the same time. The quiet moment alone after the ceremony. We live for all of it.
