Everything you might want to know

Sakinah Studio is a camcorder rental and film-editing service for weddings, nikahs, and every milestone in between. I hand-deliver a professional 4K camcorder to your door, your own loved ones film the moments that matter, and I edit everything into a cinematic highlight film. No outside crew, no strangers at your event — just the people who love you most behind the camera, and me bringing it all together afterward.

Chicagoland and the surrounding suburbs. I personally drop off and pick up every kit, so everything stays local — no shipping, no waiting on a courier, no stranger at your door. If you're in the Chicago area and not sure whether you're in range, just send me a message and I'll let you know.

No — and that's the heart of how this works. I deliver the kit before your celebration and collect it after. Your family films entirely on their own. There's no outside camera person to manage, no one navigating your guest list, and no stranger present for moments your family would rather keep between you.

A Sony FDR-AX43A 4K Handycam, three batteries and a charger, a 256 GB memory card, a padded carry bag, and a printed shot list guide tailored to your event. Everything arrives tested, charged, and ready — all you do is press Record.

The Sony AX43A is made for exactly this. Press Record, point, and shoot — the built-in stabilization handles the rest. I walk through the basics with whoever will be filming at drop-off, and the printed shot list covers every key moment with simple prompts like "close-up of the rings" or "film the walima entrance." Most families are surprised at how smooth their footage looks.

The AX43A has optical SteadyShot — a stabilizer built into the lens itself, not after-the-fact software. Even footage filmed while walking through a crowded hall usually comes out smooth, and the camera performs beautifully in dim ballrooms and candle-lit spaces with no settings to fuss over.

In editing, I work with whatever you give me and do my absolute best with it. Because I'm not physically there, I can't promise that every single moment was captured — that depends on whoever is holding the camera — but the shot list is designed to make sure the important ones are.

Every package includes a cinematic highlight film (3–8 minutes depending on your package) — the heart of your celebration, edited with intention. You also receive your full organized raw footage, so the unedited moments are always yours to keep.

Yes. Your organized raw footage is delivered within 10 days of me receiving the kit back, via a private, secure cloud link. You keep full ownership of everything filmed of you, your family, and your event.

One draft of your highlight film, plus up to two revision requests, are included with every package. If you'd like additional rounds beyond that, each one is $75.

Always — this is available on every package, at no extra cost. I can edit with natural audio only (ambient sound, vows, laughter, du'a), with a nasheed you provide, or with a nasheed I select from a curated collection of permissible tracks. Just let me know your preference at reservation.

If your event was gender-segregated, or your footage includes sisters who'd prefer not to be filmed by or shared with a male editor, you can request the sister editor option at reservation. Your footage is then handled entirely by a sister, from intake through final delivery. The editing, color grade, and film quality are identical — the only difference is who sees it. There's no additional charge.

Your footage is an amanah, and it's treated that way. It's stored on encrypted drives, accessed only by me — the founder. No contractors, no outsourced editing. All footage is permanently deleted within 30 days of delivering your final film and raw files. You keep full copyright and ownership of everything.

Never without your explicit written consent. Not a single clip, still, or identifiable frame of your event is used in any portfolio, social post, or public material unless you've specifically said yes. If I'd ever like to feature something, I'll send you a clear request describing exactly what and how — and you can decline for any reason, with no effect on your service.

Start with the reservation form to share your event and dates. I'll review and respond within 24 hours, in shaa Allah. Your reservation becomes a confirmed booking once you sign the rental agreement and pay the 50% deposit — at which point your dates are locked in and held just for you.

You can see full pricing on the packages page. Right now, Founding Hearts pricing takes 15% off every package for the first 25 families to reserve — applied automatically and confirmed in your booking. Sunnah celebrations (aqeeqah, hifz completion, naming) have their own accessible pricing as well.

A 50% deposit is due within 7 days of your reservation being confirmed, which secures your dates. The remaining 50% is due 14 days before your first event. Prices are locked in once your reservation is confirmed.

Before I drop off the kit, I send a Stripe link to place a refundable authorization hold on your card. This is not a charge — it's a temporary hold, much like a hotel places at check-in. Your card is never actually charged unless the equipment is lost or significantly damaged, and even then only up to the capped amounts in the Rental Agreement. The hold is released within a few business days of me receiving the kit back safely.

Cancel 30+ days before your event for a full refund of your deposit; 15–29 days before, 50% of the deposit is refunded; 14 days or fewer, the deposit is non-refundable, since your dates and equipment are already reserved. In the case of a qadrAllah circumstance — a death in the family, serious illness, and the like — please reach out directly and I'll work with you compassionately.

Wedding weeks are busy — small scratches, fingerprints, and ordinary wear are never charged. For significant damage or loss, replacement fees are capped (and clearly listed in the Rental Agreement) so there are never surprise costs beyond those amounts.

Your organized raw footage arrives within 10 days of me receiving the kit back. Your edited highlight film follows within 6–8 weeks — carefully color graded and paced, never rushed.

Your final film is delivered as a downloadable high-resolution file, and your raw footage through a private, secure cloud link shared only with you. After delivery, everything is removed from my servers within 30 days — the only copy that remains is yours.