So I was a bridesmaid for my buddy’s wedding last Sunday. She’s a muslim, the groom is a muslim, but I’m a Chinese with totally zero experience being a bridesmaid for a muslim wedding! It being my second time being a bridesmaid (first was for my cousin many, many, many years back), I was really excited!!! Especially when it comes to my buddy’s wedding! So I had to research online on the customaries and rituals to make sure I know what’s happening on the day even though I had an itinerary printed out for reference already (was a condensed version though).
I actually grew up with muslim neighbours when I was really young. Because the entire level of households were ALL muslims, us kids would just run along the corridor, vandalise the walls and have fun throwing bicycle down from the 12th storey. We weren’t of schooling age yet and our parents spoke to us in their native tongue. English then was quite an alien language to us, so we communicated in Malay. HAHAHA! That’s when I picked up a bit of the malay language and I had a lot of malay friends. Years passed, we started shifting houses and stopped keeping in contact. I started to have more chinese friends, and hence the Malay language became rusty to me. Therefore when it came to the terms such as Emak Pengantin, Mak Andam, Hadang, Kadi, I knew I had to do some googling which was quite a challenge!
But thankfully everything went well on that day, and now she’s finally married! Ahhhh, one heavy rock off my shoulder.
After so many years in the industry, I must say I still love doing weddings. So much joy and emotions… I don’t know why but I don’t ever get sick and tired of it.
Anyway here’s one set of actual day wedding images taken by photographer Raymond for Yao You and Evelyn. It’s been a loooong looooong while since we last shared images from actual day weddings, so hope you guys will enjoy this series.
The first time I met Evelyn, she gave me the impression that she’s someone who knows what she wants and takes good control of the situation. Someone very independent and mature to make decisions, yet at the same time very friendly and approachable.
Not forgetting super skinny too. Hehehehe.
It’s so nice to see friends and relatives gathering around in the morning, chatting and laughing.
My first impression of Yao You… kinda soft spoken and reserved but hardworking and driven! Not forgetting someone who knows how to have fun. I actually first met him in Sydney in Year 2009 though. Hahahaha! Time really flies man…
And as with most Chinese weddings, there’s the usual gatecrashing with disgusting food and drinks for the groom and brothers to consume.
And then you see the super happy faces of the sisters, laughing and enjoying the scenes of how the groom and brothers twist their agonising faces from the yucky drinks.
Other than the lovely hand bouquet, Yao You also presented Evelyn with a cup of coffee! Hahahaha! It’s a special request made by Evelyn cos she wanted coffee. So before Yao You even arrived at Evelyn’s place, he had to make sure he gets that cup of coffee just for her.
Or else no kisses! :p
Then at the tea ceremony, the couple’s parents and relatives will give them an ang pow in return. Some will present the bride or groom with jewellery.
Raymond Phang’s signature motion car shot of the bridal car!
Once the groom fetches the bride to his place, they’ll usually eat a bowl of desserts. Could be mee sua with egg, could be red dates soup with longan, could be glutinous rice ball, and for some rare ones – half cooked fish. I guess it all depends on your customs and dialect group, so do check with your parents on this. But nowadays people tend to rojak everything together though.
More jewellery!
Then the couple had an outdoor solemnisation by the sea side right before the dinner.
As with most of Raymond’s actual day wedding photoshoot, as long as there’s time for shoots, Raymond will pull the couple aside for some quick mini shoots like this.
The couple held their wedding dinner banquet at Peony Jade – Keppel Club.
Love the angry birds trapped in the bird cage! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Trapped inside cage already see how you hit the pigs.
Raymond specialise in capturing the candids, the natural expressions and reactions of people interacting with each other. It could be anything from guests laughing like hyena, guests trying to pocket the entire sweets and pastries at the candy bar, uncle Tom digging his nose, young couple sneaking a kiss at the corner etc…
So if you require a lot of group photos on your wedding day, it is best to engage a second photographer to help you with that while Raymond focus on doing what he’s best at doing. THEN with all the candid photos, who knows, maybe you can blackmail your friend who was caught on the camera when he was scratching his backside. Muwahahahaha!
“!!! Why is this botak guy standing there blocking my angle like an uncle bob??”
Here comes Yao You and Evelyn dressed in a white wedding gown by Rico A Mona!
The wedding is a nexus of many different emotions, from the laughter to the heart-warming and touching moments shared between daughter and parents. It’s true you know! I’ve never been to a wedding where everyone looks stern, no laughing, no smiling, no hugging no kissing, no drinking, no crying. I wonder how will a wedding like that looks and feels like, and I wonder how is the photographer gonna approach the shoot.
I tell you, kids nowadays are soooooooooo freaking smart! They absorb really fast, even faster than any magic sponge in this world, and they will really learn from the adults! So whatever you say or do, remember to think twice before saying or doing, especially in front of a kid! O_O”
Ok, you’ll see a lot of drinking from here onwards. :p
Ooooh I love the candids!!! Don’t you???
*Cough*
Wah, all the guests were so thirsty that night.
Even Yao You also very thirsty…
But seriously, drinking is only fun with the right company. But… must…. moderate. :p
Then the night ended with hugs and more hugs… and more drinking afterwards… Heh heh heh heh…
Okie dokies! That’s all for this series…
For couples interested in our actual day/conceptualised pre-wedding/bridal pre-wedding/casual lifestyle/solemnisation/post wedding photography service, feel free to drop us an email to contactme @ raymondphang.com and follow us on our Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/raymondphangphotography] for regular updates!
Looking forward to receiving some love note from you guys!
Lots of Love,
Angeline
by Raymond Phang Photography
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