Dan and Val

OUR FAMILY

LET’S INTRODUCE OURSELVES

Hi, I’m Dan.

I've been a storyteller all my life. That keen interest in art and embracing my creativity since childhood has brought me to this point in my artistic journey of capturing couples in love. As a visual artist, I can memorialize the love between two souls in a unique style. Anyone can take a picture, but not everyone can tell a good story. As an *award-winning film producer/ director & screenwriter, I know what it takes to reconstruct your day with vision and beauty. Your big day should be one to remember and one that should be captured in true fairytale fashion.

I’m madly in love with Val, my incredible wife, and I am the proud daddy to our amazing son Luke Gerard. They are Blessings from the Lord and inspire me to do better daily. I am honored that you have taken the time to learn more about us and our services. Be Blessed!

Backstory: 

I am an avid weightlifter and consider the gym my second home
My MFA is in Script & Screenwriting for Film & Television
Current a postgrad Ph.D. student in Communications at Regent University, VA
I love destination travel with my family, especially our favorite international location, Paris

Photography Awards

2024: Winner: “Cliodna Rising” Best Portrait @ European Art Festival, Budapest, Hungary.

2023: Winner: “Caliginous Christmas” for Best Boudoir Photography @ Avalonia Festival - Jacksonville, FL

2023: Winner: “Suivez nos coeurs, un elopement parisien” for Best Portrait (Paris Elopement) @ European Photography Awards - Bucharest, Romania

Film Awards & Nominations

2024: Oniros Film Awards® - “Frozen Hearts” for Best Student Screenwriter, New York

2023: Official Selection: “The Lost” for Best Short Film Script @ Chicago Screenplay Awards, IL

2022: Honorable Mention: “The Eye of Rufus T. Jones” for Best Screenplay @ Golden Giraffe International Film Festival, Nice, France - Official Selection: “The Lost” for Best Screenplay @ What Will They Think of Next, Austin, TX - Semi-Finalist: “The Eye of Rufus T. Jones” for Best Screenplay @ ARFF Berlin, Germany - Official Selection: “The Bottle” for Best Short Film @ Golden Short Film Festival in Abruzzo, Italy

2021: Winner: “The Bottle” for Best Original Short Film @ MLC Awards, Green Bay, WI

Bonjour, I’m Val.

I believe in love at first sight and falling in love quickly. I know it’s real because I have experienced it firsthand with Dan. Every love story is unique and special. As an interracial family, I can appreciate the beauty between every loving couple we work with. In my home, we embrace love, laughter, and the Lord. You can be sure that I bring that same spirit with me when supporting your enchanted day. I find joy in assisting my husband to cultivate a blissful experience with wedding film and photography knowing it will grace your home for years to come.

Backstory:

My first language is French

I am a native of Cameroon Africa, and a proud American citizen

I have my BA is in Marketing

I LOVE being a mom to the dynamic Luke Gerard aka, “The Schmoo”

I’m an active model with a flair for fashion and a fondness for interior design

EDUCATION
BA Marketing & Advertising, University of Douala (UDLA) Cameroon, Africa

Je crois au coup de foudre et au fait de tomber amoureux rapidement. Je sais que c'est réel parce que je l'ai vécu de première main avec Dan. Chaque histoire d'amour est unique et spéciale. En tant que famille interraciale, je peux apprécier la beauté entre chaque couple amoureux avec qui nous travaillons. Chez moi, nous embrassons l'amour, le rire et le Seigneur. Vous pouvez être sûr que j'apporte le même esprit avec moi lorsque je soutiens votre journée enchantée. Je trouve de la joie à aider mon mari à cultiver une expérience heureuse avec le film et la photographie de mariage, sachant que cela embellira votre maison pour les années à venir.

FOLLOW ALONG

@valdanfilms

The Prep

Your wedding day is unlike any other day of your life. One of our favorite parts of the day is bridal prep. All your best girlfriends will be in matching robes, drinking mimosas, getting their hair & makeup done, doting on you, and the wedding day excitement buzz will nearly be palpable. We absolutely love that wedding day buzz; it’s a rare flavor of excitement that only comes around once-in-a-lifetime. We feel so honored to get to capture this amazing time for you.

The Ceremony

It is a sacred event to document the intimacy of a wedding ceremony. Nothing will pull at the heartstrings more than the tears of your groom as he looks at you, his beautiful bride, or the faces of your parents as they watch you, their beloved daughter, saying your vows. As parents ourselves, we know the bitter sweetness they are feeling as they go through the videos and photos of your childhood and young adulthood to now. These emotions are what we love to capture.

The Reception

Your reception will be full of once-in-a-lifetime sights and sounds. Every wedding reception is full of magical surprises; like your priest swing dancing with your maid of honor and your uncle on stage singing a ballad with the band. Knowing the emotion your parents have during those mother-son/father-daughter dances is what inspires us to engage with every moment. Every parent will remember bringing their baby home from the hospital during these dances. That is why we are there, to capture that nostalgia and emotion.