International

Grace Tan In International, Musings, Outdoor Weddings, Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits, Running a Business, Weddings

Updates, thoughts on business and time

One of my clients recently asked me, how do I find the time to blog, especially when my days are filled with meeting potential clients, going for shoots, sorting photos, checking through album layouts and responding to enquiries? (and on top of that, move house, move office and actually have a social life?)

My response is simple… I make time for it.

When I think back about it, I am amazed as well. Of course, there are days when I am overwhelmed with the workload. Since I started running my own business 3-4 years ago, I discovered that time is such an important asset. Everyday is a rush to complete the backlog of work that somehow manages to miraculously pile itself on my desk. Before I know it, a day has gone by, a week, a month, a year… where did the time go?

I am still learning the art of prioritizing my time. There are certain things I know I need to do, and those things are high on my priority list. Blogging is one of them. I feel it’s so important to have fresh content on the Stories blog, that no matter how busy I am, I must make time to blog. In my mind, blogging = marketing the Stories brand. How can I neglect something as important as marketing?

So yeah… I make time for it.

Here’s a simple update to what’s been happening the past one week:

Noel & Hui Yi’s pre-wedding shoot in Putrajaya

I love Pullman hotel for pre-wedding photography. The ambience is beautiful!

Kevin & Katherine’s pre-wedding shoot in Nikoi Island, off Bintan, Indonesia

With an amazing beach like this, you can’t help but feel soooo blessed at having a job that brings you places.

Grace Tan In International, Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Pre-Wedding at Marina Bay Sands: Istvan & Shirley

Photographer: Grace, assisted by Alex
Locations: Marina Bay Sands & Southern Ridges, Singapore

Years ago, there was a possibility of me moving to Singapore. Other than the relationship pull factor (my ex was Singaporean!) plus the thought of earning a higher income… Singapore seemed like a decent place to live. Not surprising that Istvan and Shirley decided to hop over the causeway to work some time back. I met Istvan and Shirley for the first time on their pre-wedding shoot day. They were so easy to get along with. I am really thankful for clients like these because it just makes my work so much easier!

I was excited to shoot at Marina Bay Sands. The view is amazing! Thanks Istvan and Shirley for your generosity in putting us up for one night at Marina Bay Sands. Alex and I enjoyed the pool very very much. :) Hope you’ll like these images… I can still remember the heat from the deck! The both of you are amazingly sporting for doing all sorts of things under the hot sun.

Grace Tan In Chinese Weddings, International, Musings, Outdoor Weddings, Tips + Ideas, Weddings

DIY Wedding, Sails on the Bay, Melbourne: Jamie & Ann

Photographers: Grace & Alex
Location: Sails on the Bay, Melbourne
Decorations: Ann, Jamie, friends and family who laboriously worked on it

One week after Jamie & Ann’s beautiful chapel wedding in the Gold Coast, Alex and I traveled to Melbourne for her next wedding celebration. It was held at Sails on the Bay, very near Brighton beach (which I later managed to have a peek at… and did some of my own posing in front of those famous colourful Brighton beach houses). The amazing thing about this wedding in Melbourne was that everything was DIY – well, everything except the food and cake. So be prepared for a huge post on details!

Look at this gorgeous venue. I love it how the pre-wedding, wedding in Gold Coast and now Melbourne had a beach theme running through it. Sigh, I wish Malaysian skies looked this good!

Do these flowers and vases look familiar? They were used during the pre-wedding too! All the decorations you see at this wedding were a labour of love. Even Ann’s parents had a hand in it, cutting fresh flowers to put into the vases that Ann purchased before the wedding.

Grace Tan In Church Weddings, International, Weddings

Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, Gold Coast Wedding: Jamie & Ann

Photographers: Grace & Alex
Wedding Gown: Brides Desire
Groom’s Attire: Le Grand Wedding, Singapore
Make Up: Rebecca Calvert
Ceremony Location: Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove Chapel, Gold Coast, Australia
Ceremony Decorations: Watabe Wedding
Flowers: Always Fabulous Flowers
Videography: Net Productions
Cake: Deliciously Decadent Cakes
Dinner Reception: Palazzo Versace, Vanitas Restaurant
Stationery: Designed by Ann, the bride

“You’re an Asian Barbie!” gasped one of the guests who saw Ann on her wedding day. She was stunning and completely graceful. All those months of meticulous planning had finally paid off. The amazing venue, gorgeous decorations, everything down to the stationery was carefully thought through and planned (even the pre-wedding shoot). Ann even designed all the wedding stationery herself. In my books, she’s super-bride. I am still amazed at how beautiful this wedding was.

I can see how much Jamie loves Ann. They complement each other so well. Jamie & Ann, Alex and I enjoyed ourselves completely at your wedding. It is to date, the longest wedding day I’ve ever photographed (13.5 hours!). Thank you for being so hospitable and caring towards us. You treated us like long lost friends, and I truly appreciate that.

Enjoy the looong post of images. :)

Grace Tan In International, Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Portraits in Gold Coast, Australia: Jamie & Ann

Photographer: Grace, assisted by Alex
Videographer: Net Productions

Years ago, Ann was told to chase after Jamie. Literally. On the soccer field. She had never really played soccer before, so she didn’t really know what to do. Ann was told to just follow after Jamie and run after him. The fun never stopped. After many encounters and long chats, Jamie finally asked Ann over MSN whether she thought there could be more between them than just friendship. Ann, being the creative person that she is, decided not to give him a direct answer there and then. She was in Melbourne then and Jamie in Brisbane, so Ann decided to answer him by baking cookies.

Yes, cookies.

In the shape of letters.

And even then, it wasn’t a straightforward answer. Jamie had to unscramble the letters to make a sentence. But when the cookies arrived in Brisbane via post, some letters were broken, so he had a really hard time making out the words. Jamie was breaking out in cold sweat as he tried to make sense of the words. “Stupid”? It was just too difficult.

Eventually, Ann sent him a photo of the cookies with what it was supposed to say…

“Yes I’d love to”

Ann styled the shoot and brought all these props that you see in the following images. She had sourced for them in Melbourne, and it traveled all the way to Gold Coast for our shoot! All I did was choose the best location for the shoot, direct & pose them, and take the images. :)