Grace Tan

Grace Tan In Church Weddings, Indian + Punjabi Weddings, Weddings

Church Wedding: Vignesh & Rubini

The thought that struck me when I first met Vignesh and Rubini was that, “She is a really meticulous person, with perfect memory!” It was because of her comment… that she remembered meeting my son, Kyle, 3 years ago in church. I was amazed that she could recall such detail and Vignesh reaffirmed that she has the memory of an elephant. (good luck to you, Vignesh… *just kidding*)

Their wedding was simple and beautiful. I loved how Rubini’s dad surprised her that morning by walking out in a tuxedo when she didn’t expect it. Their family connections were strong and the love shared is real. Rubini looked gorgeous in a white saree and Vignesh looked pretty hot too! It was my first time at the Tamil Methodist Church in Brickfields, and seeing this quaint little church made me all excited.

Grace Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Portraits

Leaving on a Jet Plane: Samuel & Griselda

We have photographed a number of expat families in Malaysia, which is really special, because we feel as if we are part of this transitionary stage of their lives. For expats, the experience of moving to a new country, settling in, finding new friends and then, finally uprooting again is one filled with emotions and nostalgia. Between these seasons, it’s wonderful to remember the place you called home for a few years. It’s quite common for us to have sessions in homes before the big move happens, just like what Samuel and Griselda did.

We are so honoured that they chose us to photograph their family twice in the time they were living in Malaysia. We’re glad that we are part of their special memories.

If you are an expat thinking of how to document your journey visually, have a look at this beautifully written article by a diplomat’s wife, and be inspired.

Grace Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Musings, Portraits, Tips + Ideas

Photographing Children With Autism

We rarely photograph families with children with special needs like autism, and we wondered if it was because parents were simply too intimidated by the whole process. We decided to work with the nice folks from Early Autism Project Malaysia to equip ourselves as well as make a video to provide some tips on how to manage a family photo shoot session with a child with autism.

We started off with an interview with Jochebed Isaacs from EAP Malaysia who gave us some insights into the specialised therapy offered at their centre for children with autism. We were later introduced to Juan and Nancy, who welcomed us into their home for a photo shoot session with their sons Danny and Tommy. The experience proved to be quite tough but we soldiered on and even received hugs from Danny at the end!

Here are some of the pointers we picked up through this experience:

1. It is important to communicate with the child
Prepare in advance before the session. Communicate clearly what is to happen and what is expected of him. The use of visuals like schedules, social stories and role-plays help to familiarise the child to the event and venue, the people involved (especially if they are unfamiliar to the child), the flow of events and the special equipment used (like the camera!). It should also spell out the rules and expectations.
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Grace Tan In Chinese Weddings, Church Weddings, International, Weddings

Wedding in Brunei: Brandon & Alison

Brandon, being an avid photographer, naturally was very involved in the selection process of a wedding photographer for his big day. We chatted over Skype months before the wedding, and I got to know that he and Alison had been together for 7 years, but they were currently living in two different countries – he in Hong Kong and Alison in China, her home country. Brandon’s family moved from Sarawak to Brunei years ago and this was where he grew up. It was my first time to Brunei, and it reminded me of Malaysia years ago… the wealth of the country doesn’t seem to reflect in its architecture. Jamie and I spent the night before the wedding going to the local night market and tasting red durian for the very first time.

Brandon’s wedding was held at the famous Church of Our Lady of Assumption in Brunei. The dinner was held at this location which I was told, is one of the best in Brunei – The Empire Hotel & Country Club. I was blown away at the grandeur of the decorations at their wedding. It was just so breathtaking. There were royalty VIPs present at the wedding, and from his dad’s speech, it was obvious that he was proud of all Brandon had achieved in life so far, including being listed under Forbe’s 30 under 30 list.

Thank you, Brandon for your hospitality and for making us feel so at home. I wish the both of you years of happiness and joy!

Grace Tan In Comma Videos, Life, Musings, Relationships

Comma Pre-Marital Series 03: Communication & Conflict

Our tongue has the power to build or tear down. With our words, we can either encourage someone or make them feel like the lowest person on earth. How do you handle conflict? Do you recognize these harmful ways of communicating in yourself?

After being married for 11 years, I realized that staying connected with each other is one of the biggest issues I face. When conflict arises, it’s easy to just ignore the problems and then carry on with life. We go to work, we come back, deal with kids, and the relationship becomes functional. Dealing with issues is hard but it is necessary. We need to work hard at maintaining each other’s emotional tanks. So learning to communicate and deal with issues is a huge part of it. I hope this video helps you! Do also subscribe to our newly launched YouTube channel so that we can have more than just my family and friends watching this. :)

Credits:

Script & Content Development: Grace
Filmed & Edited by: Chi Yin