fbpx Skip to main content
Category

Weddings

Grace Tan
In Indian + Punjabi Weddings, Weddings

Sonia and Reyhan’s Sikh Wedding

It has been a while since I last photographed a Sikh wedding. I love the wonderful details that colour cultural weddings like these. It makes me really happy. :) Sonia and I used to be colleagues years ago. She was a really good project manager and is a really detailed person. It really showed in her wedding, because she had wrapped and labelled all her items needed for the wedding… placed in bags for when she needed them. Row upon row, she detailed everything in her excel sheet. She also had an emergency kit for the day which included an umbrella, drinks, food, toiletries, and even a Rubik’s cube! (I think the Rubik’s cube was for the driver in case he was bored! haha).

Reyhan completes Sonia by being her solid rock. He’s patient and kind, one of the traits that attracted Sonia to him in the first place. What amazed me was that he used to drive all the way from his home to hers to send her to work even though it was an hour off his route to work! That’s dedication and love!

Reyhan and Sonia’s wedding was really memorable because they are really sporting and fun people. So many different expressions, lots of laughter, silly faces, and amazing dancing! No Punjabi wedding will be complete without dancing! We had heaps of fun photographing their Sikh temple wedding and then a church wedding the day after.

20131213_REYHAN_SONIA_SIKH_WEDDING_0683

Sonia and Reyhan says:

We’ve known for a few years now that we would love for you to photograph our wedding day. We’re grateful that we were able to book your time on the 13th and 14th of December! Thank you for all your hard work over those two days in taking all those lovely photos for us and preparing them for the slideshow at dinner.

We appreciate that you guys woke up at insanely early hours to come over to our homes to take photos of us getting dressed. Grace, I was yawning away during my makeup and hair session on the 13th so it was awesome when you arrived and helped wake me up with your chirpiness.

Thank you for your creative input throughout the events. We have had at least 15 guests tell us that your slideshow at dinner was amazing. And we agree wholeheartedly! Some of the feedback we received was from people whose photography styles we ourselves look up to, so it was really very exciting for us to hear from them. One person said that you took unique photos and expressions that they have never seen before and another told us that it was so beautiful, they nearly cried.

Thank you for your patience with us when we ate into your portrait time as we kept getting caught by guests! And thank you also for your patience with some guests who got in your way while you were working.

Diane, thank you for all the preparation work and for your prompt communications in the months prior to our wedding. Of all the vendors at our wedding, Stories gave us the best experience from asking the right questions to being patient with us when we had delays in responding to you.

All in all it has been a wonderful experience working with you.

20131213_REYHAN_SONIA_SIKH_WEDDING_0029

Continue Reading

Grace Tan
In Chinese Weddings, Weddings

Love Birds: The Wedding of Tim and Brenda

If I could sum it all in one word, it would be “Expressions”. There were so many funny and candid expressions that we caught on camera during this wedding. It kept us laughing, and we were perpetually entertained through out the wedding. I still remember my Skype conversation with Tim and Brenda before they hired us for the wedding. What struck me most was how open and willing they were to share the story of their lives with a stranger like me. I knew at that point that this connection would carry on through to the wedding.

Brenda’s the kind of girl that wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s chirpy, laughs a lot and loves a lot too. A hopeless romantic and fiercely loyal. Tim is her anchor…he’s the steadfast kind of guy that is also really fun to be with. Together, they are like fireworks, exciting with lots of interesting moments!

It did take them a while to get a relationship going though, and in Brenda’s words, it was a rough start. Both of them had their stubborn nature but it was Tim’s perseverance that convinced Brenda to keep on trying to make things work. She says that it was mainly 70% hard work and 30% luck.

Brenda says, “There were heaps of frustrations but also a lot a lot of moments when we could say it was worth it. For any relationship to work, be it as boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife, it takes many factors; trust, communication and love but above it all, its the commitment in wanting things to work out.”

Which makes me think about most marriages. I really think hard work is the key to make marriages last. After all the excitement wanes off, you have this deep sense of security, but eventually, little things start to surface and you begin to annoy each other. What keeps it all together… the vows you have made and the hard work that goes into keeping passion alive. Tim and Brenda, may the vows that you have made be the glue to hold you together through the good and hard times. Lotsa hugs.

20131006_WEDDING_TIM_BRENDA_0432

20131006_WEDDING_TIM_BRENDA_0001

Continue Reading

Grace Tan
In Bangladeshi Weddings, Boudoir, Casual Portraits, Chinese Weddings, Church Weddings, Family + Children Portraits, For Photographers, Indian + Punjabi Weddings, International, Life, Malay Weddings, Maternity, Musings, Outdoor Weddings, Portraits, , Relationships, Running a Business, Studio, Wedding Films & Videos, Weddings

What Motivates Us

If I could sum up everything in one word, it would be LEGACY. What connects us and brings us together as visual storytellers? It is the idea that we are creating something that will far outlast ourselves. The love that you share as a couple, the memories of your parents, your child as she takes her first step… we want to record these precious moments and build a family legacy that you can look back on, years from now… and remember.

I hope this video will give you a glimpse into our thoughts and motivations and why we keep on doing what we do.

Lots of love,
The Stories Team

Credits:
Filmed by: The Stories Team, Edited by Felicia.

Grace Tan
In Chinese Weddings, Church Weddings, Indian + Punjabi Weddings, Life, Malay Weddings, Musings, News, Outdoor Weddings, Portraits, , Promotions, Running a Business, Weddings

It’s a Brand New Year!

And we have a brand new website! It’s been 3 years since Stories first opened its doors to brides and grooms, families and children. Since then, we’ve photographed more than 200 bridal couples and 100+ families. From a business that started with one person (me!), we now have 5 full time staff.

I am truly grateful to God for providing for our needs. Running a business is probably one of the scariest things I’ve ever embarked on in my life. Even during the low seasons when we didn’t have a single booking in a month… God saw us through. Honestly, I never thought that one day, I’ll be running a photography and videography business. The worry that business owners face is something I never wanted for my life. I just want to live a carefree, easygoing life… pretty much take on whatever comes my way.

But I guess He had other plans.

I read this verse in the Bible recently.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

It sounds simple but often times, worry is a condition that usually doesn’t just ‘go away’. How often have you heard someone say, “Don’t worry…” but it made no difference whatsoever to your lives?

However, when I read the verse before that… “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice.” The little devotional I was reading reminded me that I can’t just start by praying and then expect my anxiety to simply vanish into thin air. We have to start by habitually drinking at His well for joy, with an inclining of our heart toward Him throughout every moment of each day and every moment of life. (Quoted from Worklife.org)

If this doesn’t really make sense to you, what it basically means is that I should focus on the positive things that God has blessed me with, and not on the negative. And ultimately, my source of joy… God Himself.

I look forward to another year with our team, creating amazing images for our clients and making a difference in people’s lives.

And so, with a thankful heart, we are feeling generous this season.

We hope you will join the hundreds of Stories alumni who have graced our cameras with their presence.

Have a look at the promo details here or contact us to make an appointment.