Weddings

Grace Tan In Indian + Punjabi Weddings, Wedding Films & Videos, Weddings

A Ceylonese & Malayalee Wedding: Vijay & Anuja

20150829_WEDDING_VIJAY_ANUJA_0864 It was Vijay’s tall frame with his broad shoulders that caught Anuja’s attention. They were studying their A-levels at the Methodist College Kuala Lumpur, and it was somehow fate that connected Vijay and Anuja together. Fate that came through the hands of Thanuja, Anuja’s twin sister. She was the best of friends with Vijay, and through her, Anuja got to know Vijay. According to Vijay, “Somehow, Anuja caught my attention as she was the lesser evil, quiet and quite shy!” (insert cheeky emoticon!)

Ten years later, they tied the knot.

Anuja said, “We wanted a traditional Southern Indian wedding (I a Malayalee and him being Ceylonese) that was celebrated in private with close family and friends. For the temple decorations, I wanted jasmine and marigold with a peach and gold cream colour so we worked around that theme with my wedding planner. For the reception, it was dark red roses with white hues.

Ensure you do your research before hand. We did ours at least one year prior to our wedding and knew what we wanted and where we would and would NOT compromise in terms of cost. For eg ,we booked our wedding venues a year before the wedding as to avoid the GST that was to be implemented April 2015. We had friends and relatives all over the world that came for our wedding- London, Australia, Bali, USA, Spain, Mauritius, New Zealand – so ensure you spend quality time with your family and loved ones and enjoy every moment! It is, after all, once in a lifetime!

Practicing the Viennese waltz (first dance as husband -wife) from scratch one week before our wedding reception was the highlight of the wedding for me. We did a crash course but it was really fun and allowed the both of us some personal time and a breather from the crazy wedding preparations.”

20150829_WEDDING_VIJAY_ANUJA_0002 What a fun wedding it was. Have a look at their wedding video highlights and you’ll see what we mean!

Grace Tan In For Photographers, International, Life, Musings, Wedding Films & Videos, Weddings

Two Middle-Eastern Weddings

libyan-wedding01 Traditional Libyan wedding outfit

A few months ago, I was approached to photograph two very interesting weddings. Both were Middle Eastern weddings and required an all-female photography and videography team here in Kuala Lumpur. Since I love a challenge (despite not speaking Arabic) and have always been fascinated with Middle Eastern culture (I’ve read lots of biographies especially of women living in this region), I decided it would be wonderful if I could photograph these weddings! Somehow, I gained favour in the eyes of the couples, and my team was engaged to cover their events.

The first couple was from Yemen. They were originally meant to be wed in their home country, but because of the civil war that is still ongoing, they had to move their wedding to Malaysia. Up to one week before the wedding, they weren’t sure if their family could come for the wedding as the Yemen airport was closed due to unrest. Thankfully, the couple had already left Yemen by then, and were sure that at least they would be there to attend their own wedding! This couple have known each other for a few months before getting married.

yemeni-wedding03 The second couple was from Libya. I really had a tough time communicating in English for this wedding but thankfully, even though I couldn’t understand their verbal language, I understood universal body language! I found out that this couple have only known each other for 2 months and that the groom worked with the bride’s father.

One common theme during the two weddings were the separation of gender during the parties. I knew that it would happen, but I never understood how it would unfold on the wedding day. Interestingly, both cultures had different standings on how strict they were on allowing men to view them unveiled. I am not sure if it was specific to these families, or it was a cultural thing. The Yemeni family I photographed was particularly strict about this, so there were two grand entrances (one with the bride only to a roomful of unveiled women), and then the bride and groom to the same room of women who covered themselves again before the groom entered the room. There was a lot of cheering, clapping and singing as the couple made their entrance. Many of the women who were at the Yemeni party specifically told us not to photograph or film them, so it felt a little strange for me to mainly focus on the couple during the wedding. Naturally, I had to respect their wishes but it was not possible to completely ignore all guests! (one lady specifically made me delete her photo from my camera when she saw that I had photographed her). I found it challenging knowing who I could photograph and who I couldn’t.

However, at the Libyan wedding, the guests kept on asking for photos (repeatedly and in many different poses)! It was quite entertaining, really! Continue Reading

Grace Tan In Outdoor Weddings, Weddings

Garden Wedding at Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu: Daniel & Evonne

We felt welcomed, just like family. Ever since the day I met Evonne, we just clicked. It’s one of those weddings that you’ll remember for a very long time. When I look at Daniel and Evonne, I am reminded that marriage is a covenant of love, strongly bonded together not just by their love for one another, but also by their love for God. I am reminded that kindness is a virtue we should always have… because it goes a long way in making other people feel like a friend and not just a vendor. I am also reminded that we sometimes have to make selfless decisions and think of others even though most people’s instinct would be to do everything their own way, just because it’s ‘their wedding’.

Daniel and Evonne’s wedding was held on the lush gardens of Shangri-la Rasa Ria Resort & Spa, Kota Kinabalu, overlooking the sea. Gorgeous floral arches and lots of little finishing touches by the Mint Events & Soirees’ team made this wedding so pretty to look at, and totally instagram-worthy. When Jamie and I flew over from KL to KK, we were worried about the haze, but thank God it was a great, clear day! (and I got sunburnt!).

This wedding was also quite emotional because Evonne made it a point to leave two empty seats for her sister Elaine and boyfriend Emiel who passed away in the MH17 crash over Ukraine last year. Daniel and Evonne, thank you for giving us this privilege of capturing moments for you. Lots of love and hugs from Jamie and I.

20150912_WEDDING_DANIEL_EVONNE_0131 Continue Reading

Grace Tan In Outdoor Weddings, Weddings

Beach wedding at Four Seasons, Langkawi: Chris & Lydia

Langkawi’s one of our favourite locations for beach weddings in Malaysia. The blue skies and gorgeous sunsets never cease to amaze us. No wonder some city folk I know have uprooted themselves and made Langkawi their home over the past few years! Chris and Lydia had their KL wedding ceremony a week before their Langkawi leg, and what a good choice it was! After their church ceremony in KL, it was party time in Langkawi! The vibe was relaxing and everyone was just out to have a good time. Enjoy the wonderful photography by Weiming and Nigel.

20150711-WEDDING_CHRIS_LYDIA_LANGKAWI-01 Here’s some advice from Chris and Lydia on how to plan a beach wedding:

We chose Four Seasons because we wanted our guests to feel like they’re on holiday at a resort the moment they arrive. Furthermore the beautiful architecture of the bulidings and the landscaped gardens by the beach helped add to the getaway feel.

It is essential to have a Plan B for outdoor weddings and we felt comfortable with Four Season’s in case it rains. The rhu bar at Four Seasons is an open air shaded area overlooking the beach which can be converted to accommodate the wedding ceremony if needed. And since we wanted to be as close to the beach as possible, rain or shine, this was perfect!

The beach can be extremely hot especially during the dry, hot months. So choose the cooler months and dress appropriately. We wanted a more casual wedding and thus didn’t opt for the full suit and tie. Our overseas guests certainly appreciated that they could pack light :)

We also provided some additional items for our guests like sunglasses, mosquito repellent, heel stoppers, sun block, hand fans, and snacks. There were also rental cars for their use in case they needed them to head out to the city. Guests will definitely appreciate these little thoughts when they arrive at your location.

Lastly, it’s important just to enjoy the moment and the whole occasion with the family and friends who have made the journey. Talk and mingle, laugh and reminisce. Time really flies when you’re having fun and before you know it, the day will be over.

20150711-WEDDING_CHRIS_LYDIA_LANGKAWI-02 Continue Reading

Grace Tan In Musings, Tips + Ideas, Wedding Films & Videos, Weddings

5 Reasons To Have a Lunch Wedding Reception

Ep2-TWS It’s our second episode of The Wedding Stories video, created in collaboration with The Wedding Notebook. If you ever wondered why you should have a wedding lunch reception instead of a dinner reception, here are some reasons for you to consider. Thanks once again to the team of amazing actors (who also worked behind the scene to make this video happen!) and with a special appearance by Jon Low.

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