Every single postcard image I have seen of Santorini promised clear blue skies matching the blue of the famous domes and breathtaking sunsets over the caldera. I packed in my bikini (and warm clothing) since the weather forecast said it was going to be around 15 degrees Celcius for my travel duration. When I arrived, I was in for a shock. The wind was bitterly cold, it rained for the first few days we were here and I definitely could not do any swimming in my bikini! Even the locals said that it was cold for them and this was winter weather!
But the village of Oia was as charming as the travel guides describe it. I love the little paths that led to nowhere, and then suddenly, opened to a gorgeous view of the Aegean sea. You can’t help but feel your heart skip a beat as you take in the breathtaking views that Santorini has to offer. I was there to photograph the wedding of John and Hazel, shoot portraits for my sister-in-law Sarah and her husband Terence and have a holiday at the same time.
Thank God the weather cleared up after the initial first few days and then we had sunshine! Though it was still very cold when the wind blew (I was wearing 4 layers, and Sarah only had her wedding gown!), we had a great time.
The official photos will be up sometime in the future, but in the meantime, here are some of my travel photos and sneak peak images from the shoots.
We wandered around the romantic village of Oia for photos with Terence and Sarah. While we were doing so, we kept bumping into other couples on their pre-wedding photo shoots!
There’s just so much about Bali that we love. The culture, the waves crashing by the beach (with hot surfer dudes), breath-taking cliffs, lush green paddy fields, babi guling, Naughty Nuri’s, oh the list is endless!
It was a rainy evening, and Belinda had just dropped off her brother at the airport in Singapore. As part of her habit, she headed over to her favourite bar of 10 years… Wala Wala, with her best friend Samantha. The bar was crowded as usual, but by chance, Sunil and his friends had 2 seats at their table, and so, out of courtesy (and maybe because these girls were cute!), they offered those seats to them. Striking a conversation was natural, and by the end of the night, Sunil and Belinda had hit it off and even arranged a first date for the next day.
Sunil ALWAYS makes Belinda laugh, he always smells good and he can cook. They say, food is a way to a man’s stomach, but it also works for women! Sunil is always feeding Belinda, which she doesn’t complain about! What she loves most about him is that he is extremely filial, calls home everyday and truly cares for his family and friends. He’s always optimistic, genuine and independent. According to Belinda… “I know he will willingly go hungry just so I can be filled! (a metaphor of course)”. Ultimately, he always wants to make her happy.
Or if you have a little page boy or a pet dog that needs dressing up for the wedding, a bow tie can add so much character too! I mean, look at this family portrait. It is waaaay too cute for words! I wish I could bring this kid home after photographing him!
So when I heard that these friends of mine, Kian Leong and Su Foong are helping disadvantaged women and girls at risk in Chiang Mai, Thailand raise their dignity, hope and worth by giving them a means to earn a decent living through sewing, I immediately thought of ways to help them. 
If you prefer to tie your own bow tie (I heard it’s the more authentic way!), you can order those self tie bows like the navy print one on the right below.
