March 4, 2016

{Cindy + Jesse} Destination Chinese Singapore Wedding Photography – Part 1

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Our hearts are overwhelmed with the entire experience in Asia recently brought on by traveling to Singapore for {Cindy + Jesse’s} destination Chinese wedding.  As photographers, this blank canvas gets us excited to the point of always having TOO many ideas than time!  We’re going to break up this journey into a few pieces so we don’t overwhelm the blog with 100 images in a single post 🙂  This is a follow up to their engagement and dress reveal sessions and western wedding in Central Oregon last year.

The first part of the wedding day started earlier with hair/makeup at 8 am at the bride’s family home in prep for the Chinese tradition of the ‘Gate Crash.’ It really helped that we had the best Brisbane translation services on our side so we could easily engage and understand instructions. The bridesmaids were prepping in the kitchen to put some hurt to the boys as the gate crash consists of several ‘tests’ and ‘challenges’ in order for the groom to earn the right and buy his way into see the bride and into her family as a whole.  The ladies created four dishes with extreme heat (wasabi mushrooms with chilies for example), awful bitters with local ingredients (the words for the groom), durian cake (a local fruit that you either love or hate…the groom was on the hate side) and a shot of sour lemon/lime juice.  The girls were there to also give ‘penalties’ such as shaving the guys arms, putting lipstick and eyeliner on them, etc.  It was truly HILARIOUS!  They guys had a paper toilet roll of money, fake money, real Singapore dollars and a blank check signed by Mickey Mouse in order to bribe the girls and get their way through.  Fun was had by all and was topped with the guys having to bust a move and dig for the final key in a raw squid.  OH MY!

Cindy looked exquisite in her traditional Chinese red wedding dress and was sneaking peaks of the boys below as the gate crash was happening.  When Jesse finally did reach Cindy, they shared some sweet fruits and chose their lucky numbers.  The week of wedding was the first week of the auspicious Chinese New Year (the year of the monkey) and festivities were abound all around their wedding (more on that later).  We took some fun group shots afterwards and then had a few hours to relax over a fabulous traditional buffet of Chinese food before we were all swept off to the wedding and reception at the Alkaff Mansion.  Stay tuned for Part 2 with their tea ceremony and reception!

Over the course of the entire week, {Cindy + Jesse} and their family gushed that they were so happy we were there and we gushed right back saying we were thrilled to document and share this experience with everyone.  It truly was unforgettable!

Big hugs,

B + W