Stories We've Lived.

The venue is not the most important decision. I'll say it again because most couples get this wrong. The most important decision is your timeline.

A ruracio that runs late steals every other beautiful thing you planned. Golden hour disappears. The photographer is shooting in fluorescent overhead light. The drone can't fly because it's too dark. The cinematic shot you saw on Instagram doesn't exist anymore.

Here's what to actually plan:

1. Build in 90 minutes of buffer. Not 30. Not 60. Ninety. Things will run late. Your photographer needs that time to set up the shots that make your album look like a movie.

2. Pick a venue with at least one outdoor space. Even if you don't use it for the ceremony, you need it for portraits.

3. Get your makeup done two hours before you think you need to. Then add another 30 minutes.

4. Book your photographer first. Before the venue, before the catering, before the dress. Great photographers book out 6-9 months ahead. Compromising here is the one thing you can't fix later.

5. Have a "details" basket ready. Rings, vows, perfume bottles, shoes, family heirlooms. Hand it to your photographer when they arrive. The flat-lays you see on Pinterest start with this basket.

Here's the truth nobody tells you: the human eye remembers events the way they were photographed, not the way they actually happened.

That's why aerial coverage matters so much. From the ground, your 200-guest wedding looks like a 200-guest wedding. From 80 metres up, it looks like the opening scene of a Disney film.

I bring a DJI Mavic Air 2 to every major event. Here's what it captures that nothing else can:

The arrival shot. Bride stepping out of the car, family circling around, the entire scene framed by the venue.

The ceremony pull-back. The moment you say "I do" — held for three seconds — then the camera slowly pulls back to reveal everyone you love, watching it happen.

The reception establish. Dance floor full, fairy lights on, drone hovering above for that one frame that makes your wedding film feel like cinema.

Drone coverage on our packages is KSh 15,000 add-on — and it's the single best money you'll spend on your day.

I've shot executive portraits for CEOs at Lifecare, Ngao Credit, the Architectural Association of Kenya, and dozens more. The pattern is identical every time.

The person walks in nervous. Says they hate photos. Asks me to "just take a few."

An hour later, they're laughing, posing confidently, and looking at a portrait that doesn't just photograph them — it photographs the version of themselves they want the world to see.

That's the difference between a photograph and a portrait.

A photograph captures what's there. A portrait reveals what's possible.

If your LinkedIn photo was taken with a phone, in fluorescent office light, against a beige wall — it's working against you. Quietly. Constantly.

An executive portrait session takes 45 minutes. The results work for you for years.

Kenya is one of the most globally distributed populations in the world. The number of weddings where 30-40% of family can't travel is staggering.

And here's the painful truth: most of those families end up watching a shaky phone video on someone's WhatsApp 48 hours later.

It doesn't have to be that way. A professional livestream — done right — means your aunt in Manchester sits down at 6am, opens a private link, and watches your ceremony unfold in real time. With clear audio. Multiple camera angles. Branded overlays. The whole experience.

The biggest mistake people make is assuming venue WiFi will work. It won't. Or it will, until the moment it doesn't.

We bring two independent 5G connections to every stream. If one drops, the other catches it. If both somehow fail, we record locally and deliver the full broadcast within 24 hours.

Your family deserves to be there. Make sure they can be.

In Kenya, we're blessed and cursed by the equator. Blessed because we get consistent year-round shooting weather. Cursed because the harsh midday sun is brutal on faces.

Here's the cheat sheet I give every client booking an outdoor shoot:

6:30am - 8:30am (Morning Golden Hour). The softest light of the day. Cool tones, long shadows, dewy ground. Perfect for romantic portraits and wedding party shoots.

4:30pm - 6:30pm (Evening Golden Hour). The warmer cousin. Honey-coloured light that makes skin glow and rim-lights every strand of hair. This is the famous "Instagram golden hour."

Avoid 11am - 3pm. Unless we're shooting in deep shade or with strobes, the overhead sun creates harsh shadows under the eyes. Even with editing, recoverable but not flattering.

When you book an outdoor session with us, we'll plan the timing around these windows. The difference is night and day — literally.

From the moment you message us on WhatsApp to the moment you hold your finished album, here's the full journey:

Day 0 — Inquiry. You message us. We respond within 2 hours. Always.

Day 1-3 — Consultation Call. 20-30 minutes. Free. We learn about your event, your vision, your concerns. No pressure to book.

Day 3-7 — Custom Quote & Contract. Sent via email. Includes everything: deliverables, timelines, deposit terms, our commitments to you.

Booking Confirmed. 50% deposit secures your date. Welcome email with planning timeline.

2 Weeks Before Event — Final Planning Call. Shot list, schedule, key people, surprise moments. We become the photography family member.

Event Day. We arrive early. Always. With backup gear. Always.

72 Hours After. Preview gallery: 20-30 hero images so you have something to share immediately.

10-14 Days After. Full edited gallery delivered via private Pixieset link with download access.

2-3 Weeks. Full video delivered if you booked videography.

Every step communicated. Every promise kept. That's the Frank Standard.