You decided that the 'traditional' wasn't for you because when you sat down and really envisioned your day, you saw… Waking up slow. Exploring. Maybe even getting ready together? Intentional, private vows. Maybe you saw yourselves getting married in your favorite city hitting all of those classic spots in timeless and romantic way. Late night pizza in NYC after your elopement. Saying your vows with the Golden Gate Bridge twinkling in the background. Getting tattoos together after you say ' I do'.
The ''That's so us" energy.
Whether your dream wedding day involves hiking up your favorite mountain or exploring your favorite city, having a backyard elopement with a few of your favorite people, traveling across the world, or having an intentional but banger of a party, you deserve to have a day that is meaningful, heartfelt, and just flat out fun. You're feeling excited & over the moon...it's completely liberating when there are no rules! At the same time, you could feel like there are way too many options and you may be feeling overwhelmed and not quite sure where to start. This is where I come in!
My name is Daniela but you can call me Dani! I’m a New York Philadelphia, and San Francisco elopement photographer, adventurer, and world traveler!
My mission is to encourage couples to ditch the traditional and have a day that represents the raw authenticity of who you are.
Who says your wedding needs to look a certain way, We write our own stories.
If your ideal wedding day involves genuine authenticity, intimacy, and a touch of adventure, coupled with a desire to explore our awe-inspiring planet, then our visions are aligned!
I'm incredibly passionate about elopements and intimate weddings because my husband and I eloped and it was the best decision for us. We had so much fun getting married that we wanted to do it again! I also love a good party, so whether you're getting married just the two of you or you have all of your best people surrounding you, I am here to document your day with honesty, artistry and heart.
I'm so glad you're here.
I am so passionate about couples having support when they elope because when my partner and I made the decision to elope, we felt alone, scattered and overwhelmed. What was meant to be the 'stress-free' option, quickly turned into a massively overwhelming experience. I cried many nights in the beginning because I didn't have my family's support.
I never want my couples to feel the pain and stress I felt. Though I can't take away all of your problems, I want to be there for you in any way I can.
This day is about YOU TWO and I want to help you bring your personalities, quirks, hobbies, passions, favorite foods, your doggo...whatever floats your boat... into your elopement day.
During our initial consultation, she was so supportive, encouraging, & excited, it made us feel confident in our decision to elope. She took the time to listen to our vision & then created a detailed & thoughtful schedule, while still making the day feel relaxed. Dani has a special talent for making you feel comfortable in front of the camera. When we received our photos, we were blown away by how perfectly she captured the entire day, from start to finish. The photos truly tell the story of our wedding day.
Documenting our day authentically was the most important thing to us and Dani delivered beyond expectations. From start to finish Dani curates each experience to be truly amazing. We felt completely seen, understood, and cared for. Our day felt intimate, exciting, adventurous, and free of stress. We felt guided to look our best throughout the shoot and comfortable being ourselves, which you can see in every picture. Her experience and knowledge of elopements really shine through her work and we recommend her to everyone for the best day!
We absolutely hit the jackpot when we found Dani and it’s hard to imagine that we could have found a better person for us and our wedding. Finding a photographer was the part of wedding planning that we dreaded the most. Working with Dani was seamless from the first virtual meeting to getting our edited gallery. We had a non-traditional, courthouse wedding where Dani acted as our photographer and witness. She totally got the aesthetic and vibe we were aiming for and our photos reflect that and us as a couple.
We are so lucky and grateful to have had Dani as our photographer for our engagement shoot, rehearsal dinner, and wedding. Planning our wedding was a ton of work and Dani made the photography part a breeze. Dani instantly made us feel comfortable in front of the camera because of her welcoming and warm personality. Most important she is an extremely talented photographer and we trusted her expertise.
Booking with Dani was probably one of the best decisions we made for our wedding day! She was constantly supportive & encouraged us to do what we wanted to do! By the day of our wedding it felt like she was one of our friends! If you choose Gemini Sun Creative you get a super personalized experience & one of the kindest souls to help capture one of the most exciting days of your life & we highly recommend!
I’m SO glad that we had a photographer, and that it was Dani! Taking photos allowed for us to have time together to let the love sink in. Dani was easy and fun to be around, and joined our gathering seamlessly. She provided gentle guidance and prompting without insisting on stiff poses, but still suggested slight adjustments. She was also affirming & supportive of our LGBTQ+ wedding & family, and thoughtful and skilled in photographing bodies of varying shapes & sizes.
and of course take breathtaking photos of you!
This is really important to me because I know what it feels like to have to wait to see what your day looked like when it's just you and your partner, your dog and your officiant. You have all of those giddy butterflies in your stomach and want to share them with you closest family and friends. You just did the thing and your bragging rights need visual proof.
I've got you!
There's nothing like those 'omg we're married' feels, especially after doing it YOUR WAY. It's intoxicating, so I deliver previews lightning fast to keep those good vibes going.
You can also add polaroids to your package so you can take home some memories with you the day of.
Your full gallery will be delivered in 8-12 weeks!
You are choosing to get married in a way that not only feels aligned, but is way less stressful than the traditional wedding. You deserve to have options, and a custom-tailored experience.
I offer different base packages and then customize for every single couple
so you're getting everything you want, and nothing you don't.
I also offer custom payment plans for all couples, with the majority of my clients choosing to do 2-6 payments.
This is the actual timeline from one of my couple's intimate wedding day!
09:00 AM: Photographer Arrival Time
09:00 AM - 09:30 AM: Details @ Kat's Airbnb
09:30 AM - 10:30 AM: Kat & her gals Getting Ready Photos
10:30 AM - 10:45 AM: travel to Alex's Airbnb
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM: Alex Gets dressed
11:00 AM - 11:15 AM: Getting Ready photos of Alex, his dad, brother & Kat's brother
11:15 AM: Kat’s HMU complete
11:15 AM - 11:30 AM: travel back to Kat {Airbnb}
11:30 AM -12:00 PM: Kat gets dressed
12:00 PM Depart airbnb for First Look location
12:30 PM -1:30 PM: First Look & Portraits
1:30 PM - 1:50 PM: Travel to Fable Farm
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Family photos at the farm
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM Ceremony
3:30 PM - 5:30 PM: Cocktail hour
5:50 PM: Entrances, first dances, toasts
6:30 PM - 6:45 PM: Sunset photos
6:45 PM - 7:20 PM: EAT!
7:20 PM - 8:00 PM Dancing and hanging out/ candids
8:00 PM - 8:20 PM: Bonfire with s’mores & desserts
8:20 PM - 8:45 PM: Star photos
9:00 PM: Photographer Departure Time
This is the actual timeline from one of my couple's elopement day!
12:30 PM: Photographer Arrival Time / Get Set Up / Scout Property
12:45 PM - 2:45 PM Getting Ready & Details
12:45 PM - 1:00 PM: Photograph Melanie finishing makeup & details
01:00 PM - 01:15 PM Walk over to Pat’s getting ready location
01:15 PM - 01:45 PM Pat Getting Ready
01:45 PM - 02:00 PM Walk back to Melanie’s getting ready location
02:00 PM - 02:15 PM Candids of Melanie & her getting ready crew
02:15 PM - 02:45 PM Melanie Puts On Attire
03:00 PM - 03:15 PM: Ceremony
03:15 PM - 03:30 PM First dance & parent dances in the backyard
03:30 PM - 03:45 PM: Family Portraits
03:45 PM -07:00 PM Couple Portraits
03:45 PM -04:00 Portraits at Airbnb
04:00-04:35 PM Drive to portrait/adventure location
04:35- 05:45 PM explore the area, take portraits
05:45-06:00 PM Set up picnic
06:00 PM -06:30 PM Enjoy picnic
06:30 PM - 06:45 PM Pack up and get back to car
06:45 PM -07:15 PM Drive to dinner location
07:15 PM -08:30 PM Toasts & candids
08:30 PM - 08:45 PM Night photos
08:45 PM - Photography coverage ends
First things first, you'll fill out the contact form below and tell me some things about you two, your love story, and the day you're dreaming up.
After I receive your inquiry, I do a happy dance and send you a pricing guide that's customized for your specific location, as well as a link to schedule your initial consultation call with me!
We hop on zoom, my Golden Retriever makes a cameo, we become best friends and we dream up your big day together. It's starting to feel real now!
After our zoom, I will send your contract and invoice. It's all done online and is super quick and easy, so we can focus more on the adventure we're planning than paperwork!
And then, the fun part begins, we start making your dreams a reality!
I will send you a handful of questionnaires throughout our planning process, as well as my 95-page 'How to Elope' guide, exclusive to GSC couples.
Then your best day ever arrives and it's better than you could have ever dreamed!
You'll finish this experience with photos to pass down for generations to come (NBD) and a boatload of memories to go with them.
Love is love.
Black Lives matter.
LGBTQ+ lives matter, and trans kids need to be protected.
Reproductive rights are human rights.
No human is illegal.
Water is life.
Climate change and science are real.
"Dani, the amazing photographer-artist behind Gemini Sun Creative, is EVERYTHING you want and need in a wedding photographer.
Starting from when we first sent her an inquiry, her way of communicating to us is very personal. Of all the photographers we contacted, she’s the only one who followed us on instagram and introduced herself. This simple gesture made us feel special—it makes you aware that there’s a real person behind this IG handle who genuinely wants to connect, get to know you and offer help.
I moved to New York City (from the Philippines) two weeks before our wedding. A day after I arrived, my husband and I had the pleasure of meeting Dani and her husband at a Cuban dancing bar. We shared stories and belly-laughs. She’s easy to get along with, her vibe makes you feel safe and comfortable to be yourself.
When we told her we want our photoshoot in Brooklyn Bridge Park because we saw it in the movie Past Lives, she eagerly watched it for us, “so I can nail it”, she said.
The day of our wedding came and there was a heavy downpour in New York City (this was a day before the flood). Dani was so sweet to get us umbrellas prior meeting up.
The rain, which one might think of as an inconvenience on a wedding day, actually turned out to be a blessing. Because of it, there were only few people in the park; it also left some puddles you can see light reflections from, which Dani keenly noticed and took advantage of. She has the eye for great photo composition that makes the subject really stand out.
At the start of the photoshoot, she gave us a few pointers and shared tips. And because she took the time to get to know us and our love story, she reminded us about how special that day really is—how we braved LDR together for more than 2 years; that now we’re finally living in the same city, married, and starting a new life together. That sweet reminder made us feel grounded, it helped ease us up to just savor the moment.
We were still riding our wedding high when we received her email with our entire gallery attached. We weren’t expecting our photos to be available so fast! In only 90 mins of shooting, we got 200+ professionally edited and graded photos we can treasure for a lifetime.
They turned out exactly how we dreamed of—beautifully captured, dreamy, indie film vibe. She really nailed it! Whenever I look back on our wedding day, I remember feeling grounded, calm and in love. Then I would look at the pictures and see those same feelings.
The movie Past Lives introduced to us the concept of “in-yun”—it’s a Korean word for fate that connects people. My husband and I strongly believe that meeting Dani and having her do our elopement photoshoot is in-yun.
I know words fall short when expressing your thoughts and feelings. Believe me when I say, if Dani is your wedding photographer, you can focus all your energy on just enjoying your special day, as you should. She will make sure you have all of your fond memories immortalized on photographs."
new york city
The sweet spot is 6 to 18 months in advance. Having plenty of time to craft your dream day takes time and planning. I also use this time to get to know you two as a couple so I can curate your experience.
Absolutely! I love helping couples with the dreaming phase of planning a wedding day. If you need help with a location I will send you a fun questionnaire. Your responses will help me narrow down the environment that will make your heart flutter. I'll send over some options for you to choose from. I love to geek out with Google Earth Pro and my many other apps and websites to 'virtually' location scout if I can't get there in person. I will also come up with backup plans in case weather!
Nope! I don't send any un-edited/raw files! Most of the magic happens during the editing process, so without that step your photos are only halfway done! This is why I only deliver the final product, which are hand edited, high quality, print-ready, jpegs.
You'll receive a sneak peek of a few photos within 48 hours of your day (I know you're anxious to 'gram!). Delivery time depends on the season, my queue and other factors, but typically Engagement session photos are delivered within 4-6 weeks and Weddings & Elopements are delivered within 6-8 weeks.
Yes, I offer in house, custom payment plans. I require a minimum of 25% upfront. You can choose to break the remaining payments up however you'd like. Most of my clients pay for my services in 2-4 payments. All payments are due no later than 2 weeks prior to wedding day.
Believe it or not, many of my couples come to me worried that they will be awkward or that they won't know what to do. Don't worry babe! I am here to make you look and FEEL good. The secret to good photos is being present, relaxed and being yourself. I will guide you and also give you plenty of space to just be your weird selves. I'll be weird with you, while simultaneously trying to not breath too heavy as we hike. I promise, we're going to have a lot of fun!
Heck yes I do! I am down to travel anywhere, and offer all inclusive packages with my travel included. If you're curious about a certain place, reach out and I'll send info over!
My base packages cover eastern NY, eastern PA, NJ, and Northern CA.
You are beautiful as you are. I use photoshop to remove distractions from the background, but never for body-altering editing. I will happily spot out a blemish or two if they're noticeable but the way I shoot and the way I edit are super flattering for all body and skin types. I've got you boo, don't worry!