The Investment Guide
For the romantics, the bold, and the culturally rooted — cinematic wedding films told in the arc your love deserves.
This is your day. We are simply honoured to be the ones who keep it, always.
Watch the film
Some couples know the moment they find us. They watch one film and feel something shift — a quiet recognition that this is what they have been looking for. Not a recording of your day, but a film that captures the soul of it: the laughter and the stillness, the grand moments and the quiet ones in between.
We're Desmond & Vera — filmmakers, adventurers, and a married couple who know firsthand what it means to have a love worth preserving. Desmond grew up in Cape Town, Vera in Moscow. Within six months of our first conversation we were married — three weddings, on three continents — and we have since made homes in South Africa, Vietnam and the USA.
Desmond is a film director and scriptwriter, a Berlinale Talent with over seventeen international film awards. Vera holds a master's in linguistics, speaks five languages, and brings an artist's eye for light, angle and emotion. Together we come to every wedding not as observers, but as people who genuinely care about what is happening in front of us.
Our studio is named for Robin, our youngest child — a reminder of what love creates. Because we accept only a limited number of weddings each year, every couple receives our full attention, artistry and care.
A film, not a video
Sound, light and story, composed the way we make cinema. Press play, and imagine it is yours.
Watch on Vimeo ↗
Your story, in married hands
Married since 2011, three weddings on three continents. We know what your day means, because we have stood where you are standing.
Desmond is a feature film director and Berlinale Talent whose films have aired on Amazon and SyFy. Vera brings the emotional eye of a cinematographer.
South Asian celebrations over many days, the chuppah, the Catholic Mass, two families and two worlds meeting for the first time. Every tradition honored, every detail seen.
We accept only a few celebrations each year, so your wedding receives our full attention, artistry and care.
La Dolce Vita · Wild Romance · Under the Chuppah · Refined Elegance · Vibrant Heritage · Two Worlds · Honored Traditions · Midnight Celebration · Sacred Beginnings · Timeless Love
Movie night? Watch their films ↗The Hay-Adams · The Willard InterContinental · Meridian House · The Ritz-Carlton · St. Regis Washington DC · Four Seasons · The Watergate · Salamander Resort · Sagamore Pendry · The Plaza · The Pierre · Waldorf Astoria — and celebrations across Europe, Africa and Asia.
Every love story has its own arc
Each film we make is shaped around one of three signature story arcs. Choose the one that feels most like you — it will follow you through the rest of this guide.
Tap the arc that feels most like the two of you.
You might be a Little Robin couple if…
While everything else from that day fades away, a well-crafted story remains — a promise to hold on to the day that went by in a blur.
From the intricacies of your cultural traditions to the carefully chosen elements of your décor, you see the beauty in what makes your day uniquely yours.
An intimate ceremony in a hidden gem or a grand celebration in a historic venue — you know where you marry adds depth to your love story.
Soulful bands, mesmerizing dancers, fireworks lighting up the sky. You want all of it felt, not just filmed.
And neither does your willingness to travel. Near or far, you embrace the adventure and the stories that come with it.
You want more than posed shots and generic editing. Your love story deserves to be told in a way that's as unique as you are.
We don't make wedding videos. We make films.
What sets a Little Robin film apart
01Artful storytelling
No formula. Each wedding is a unique story waiting to be told — shaped around your arc, your people and your heritage.
02The Story Guide
A roadmap built from years of couples before you, so the moments that matter most are planned for, never left to chance.
03Editing
Your film is orchestrated like a visual symphony — pacing, rhythm and structure composed to move you, chapter by chapter.
04Editorial perspective
An eye shaped by fine art, feature filmmaking and fashion — the language of cinema, applied to your day.
05Sound design
Expertly crafted soundscapes — vows, laughter, music and breath — layered so you don't just watch your film, you feel it.
06Colour
A signature colour grade treated as an art form, giving your film a look that is timeless rather than of the moment.
The Collections
Every Little Robin film begins with the same devotion. Your collection decides how much of your story we keep, and how beautifully it returns to you.
The Sonnet
One film, made exquisitely. Like a sonnet, short by design and complete in feeling — your whole day held in minutes you'll return to for a lifetime.
- 10 hours · two cinematographers
- Short Film (7–10 minutes)
- Story Arc consultation & Story Guide
- Sound design & signature colour grade
- Your films in 4K, to keep forever
The Novella
The longer story, told like a novella. A flowing Extended Film of your whole day, a cinematic trailer to share, and the nostalgic warmth of vintage cameras, presented as an heirloom.
- 10 hours · two cinematographers
- Cinematic Trailer (90 seconds)
- The Extended Film (15–20 minutes)
- Digital Vintage Film
- Heirloom Keepsake
- Story Arc consultation & Story Guide
- Sound design & signature colour grade
- Your films in 4K, to keep forever
The Legacy
Your whole weekend, held in full. The welcome dinner, an intimate portrait session, twelve hours on the day, and the complete Documentary Film with every formality and tradition — the record your grandchildren will watch.
- 12 hours · two cinematographers
- Short Film (7–10 minutes)
- Cinematic Trailer (90 seconds)
- The Documentary Film (start to finish, in chapters)
- Ceremony Film (full length)
- Toasts & Speeches Film (full length)
- Digital Vintage Film
- Rehearsal or Welcome Dinner (up to 3 hours)
- Couple Portrait Session (before the wedding)
- Time Capsule Movie Box
- Archival Master Files
- Story Arc consultation & Story Guide
- Sound design & signature colour grade
- Your films in 4K, to keep forever
| IThe Sonnet | II · Most chosenThe Novella | IIIThe Legacy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage on the wedding day | 10 hours | 10 hours | 12 hours |
| Two cinematographers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Short Film · 7–10 minutes | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Cinematic Trailer (90 seconds) | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| The Extended Film (15–20 minutes) | — | ✓ | — |
| The Documentary Film (start to finish, in chapters) | — | — | ✓ |
| Archival Master Files | — | — | ✓ |
| Ceremony Film (full length) | — | — | ✓ |
| Toasts & Speeches Film (full length) | — | — | ✓ |
| Digital Vintage Film | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rehearsal or Welcome Dinner (up to 3 hours) | — | — | ✓ |
| Couple Portrait Session (before the wedding) | — | — | ✓ |
| Heirloom Keepsake | — | ✓ | — |
| Time Capsule Movie Box | — | — | ✓ |
| Investment | $7,500 | $11,500 | $16,500 |
For celebrations that unfold across days, traditions and places
Mehndi evenings, ceremonial preparations, welcome dinners, destination weekends — each moment holds its own rhythm and meaning. Rather than fitting your wedding into a fixed collection, we take time to understand where the energy builds, where the quiet moments live, and which parts of your story deserve to be held onto for years to come.
We shape a film experience around your story, not the other way around.
More than a film. A way of being cared for.
From the first conversation to the evening you press play, every step is designed to feel personal, unhurried and beautifully handled.
- Story Arc consultationA conversation about you, not a checklist. We find your arc and what matters most.
- The Story GuideOur wedding guide, filled with inspiration and ideas for planning a day that films beautifully.
- In step with your teamWe work alongside your planner and photographer so light, timing and the moments you care about are protected.
- Calm, discreet presenceTwo cinematographers moving quietly, so you can simply live your day. Trusted at private and high-profile celebrations.
- Gentle directionDuring portraits we guide you to feel and move naturally — even the camera-shy forget we're there.
- Cinema & vintage camerasCinema-grade 4K beside vintage cameras, and genuine Super 8 film for those who choose it.
- Delivered as an heirloomYour films in full 4K to keep forever — and with The Novella and The Legacy, presented in an engraved keepsake or our handcrafted Time Capsule Movie Box.
- A film for your parentsIf you wish, a short private film made as a gift for the people who raised you.
- Your privacy, protectedNothing from your wedding is shared publicly without your blessing.
- Your First YearA gift for every couple: our guide to fifty-two experiences for your first year of marriage.
Enhancements
Begin with The Sonnet and compose the film that is exactly yours, or add a final flourish to any collection.
Cinematic Trailer
$950A short, poetic overture to your film, made to share.
The Extended Film
$2,400The longer story. Your preparations, the ceremony, the toasts and the dance floor woven into one flowing film.
Archival Master Files
$750Your finished films as full-quality masters, for safekeeping and the generations after you.
Ceremony Film
$1,200Your vows and ceremony in full, multi-camera, with clean sound.
Toasts & Speeches Film
$950Every word from the people who love you most.
Digital Vintage Film
$950Filmed with vintage cameras for the nostalgic, grain-kissed feel of an old home movie.
Super 8 Film
$2,800Shot on genuine 8mm film, developed and scanned. Light leaks, grain and a romance only real film can give.
Black & White Poem Film
$1,250An additional artistic, poetic edit of your wedding in black and white.
Love Story Film
$2,500A conceptual short film about how you fell in love, with interviews, scripting, storyboarding, voice-over and reenactments.
A Film for Your Parents
$1,200A short, private film made as a gift for your parents — their moments, their faces, their day.
Rehearsal or Welcome Dinner
$2,500The toasts, the families meeting, the evening before it all begins.
Couple Portrait Session
$1,800An unhurried cinematic session with gentle guidance, in a place that means something to you.
Cinematic Social Teaser
$850The energy of your day, crafted for the vertical format made for sharing.
Content Creator
$1,800Extra share-ready moments captured on the day for sooner viewing: montage, reels and behind-the-scenes, while your film is carefully crafted.
Still Extracts
$1,100High-resolution photographs extracted directly from your 4K film.
Raw Footage Archive
$1,250Every unedited angle and moment on a hard drive, to keep or use for your own edits.
Heirloom Keepsake
$450Your films on an engraved keepsake, presented in a linen box.
Time Capsule Movie Box
$1,500A handcrafted box to hold your films and memories, made to be opened again for years to come.
Third Cinematographer
$1,500An additional artist for larger celebrations, simultaneous preparations or grand venues.
Your film, in your hands
Choose your collection, tailor what's inside, add the enhancements you love, and see your investment come together. When it feels right, request your date — we'll confirm availability and send your agreement.
I. Your collection
II. Your story arc
III. Tailor your collection
Everything included is ticked. Prefer something simpler? Untick an extra and we'll credit its value to your investment.
IV. Enhancements
V. Coverage
From first hello to heirloom
Share your day
Tell us your date, your place and what matters most to you.
Let's connect
A 15–20 minute call or meeting to listen to your vision and find your arc.
Design your film
Choose and tailor your collection here, or receive a custom proposal.
Reserve your date
A signed agreement and 50% retainer make it official. Your Story Guide follows.
Your heirloom
Relive every look, laugh and heartfelt moment — for generations.
Before you ask
Why is The Sonnet a single short film?
Because it's the film you'll actually return to. Seven to ten minutes, shaped around your arc, holds the feeling of the whole day. If you'd love more, the Extended Film, your full Ceremony Film and Toasts & Speeches Film can be added, and The Legacy holds everything.
Can we remove things to make a collection simpler?
Yes. In "Design your film", untick an extra in The Novella or The Legacy and its value is credited to your investment. Your two cinematographers, your main film and The Legacy's Documentary Film always stay.
How many hours are included, and what if our day runs longer?
Ten hours with The Sonnet and The Novella, twelve with The Legacy. Additional hours are $650 each, or choose "Until the last dance" and extend to fourteen hours for a single $2,200.
Will you share our film publicly?
Only with your blessing. Your wedding is yours; nothing is shared online without your approval, and private celebrations stay private.
How do you work with our photographer and planner?
As part of one team. We plan the timeline together, give each other space for the moments that matter, and keep the day calm and unhurried for you.
What is a story arc, and do I have to choose one?
An arc is the creative direction of your film — Romanticized, Daring or Intentional. It shapes the pacing, the soundscape and the structure of your edit. Not sure which is you? We'll find it together on our first call.
What is the difference between Digital Vintage and Super 8?
Digital Vintage is filmed with vintage cameras for the nostalgic feel of an old home movie, and is included in The Novella and The Legacy. Super 8 is the real thing: genuine 8mm film stock, developed and scanned, with the grain and light a digital camera can only imitate.
How do we reserve our date?
Design your film and send it with "Request your date". We'll confirm availability personally and send your agreement. A signed agreement and a 50% retainer officially reserve your date. We take on a limited number of weddings each year, so we recommend reaching out early.
Do you film destination weddings?
Yes — we've followed love across Africa, Europe, Asia, Russia and America. Travel is quoted separately and tailored to your location.
Our wedding spans several days and traditions. Which collection fits?
The Atelier. We often work with couples navigating multiple events, complex timelines and cultural traditions, and we shape the film around your celebration, not the other way around.
No matter how big or small, how far or close — tell us about your celebration, and we’ll craft a film inspired by the two of you. With anticipation and gratitude.