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Grace Tan
In Indian + Punjabi Weddings, Weddings

Ceylonese Wedding: Kogulan & Rathinee

There is just an unexplainable feeling that you get that makes you KNOW that he’s the one. I thought that all these kinda things happens in the movies but it was only then that I believed it…

20131206_WEDDING_KOGULAN_RATHINEE_456How It Began

Kog and I first met in 2010 at a party and got introduced by a mutual friend. It wasn’t love or hate at first or anything like that. We consecutively met and got to know each other. The more conversations we had, we more attracted we got. Naturally, we just wanted more.

Finally, in Feb 2011, he asked me out on our first date. We were just so comfortable with each other from the beginning. We went out on more dates, and just after 2 weeks he asked me to be his girlfriend. I really did like him, but thought it was going too fast, and all he had to say for that was; what is there to wait for when I already feel that this is so right! And I felt exactly the same!

The closeness we felt towards each other and the sense of ease that we have with each other just makes us grow as a couple. There was no fuss about impressing each other, no sweet talks, just us being us.

Kog is the only guy who has actually made me feel so excited even thinking bout him, made me feel butterflies in my stomach and has actually made me speechless! (that’s a first). All the things that i did not go through in my teens, i went through then.

We just fell head over heels for each other!

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Grace Tan
In Indian + Punjabi Weddings, Weddings

Hindu Temple Wedding: Ravi & Padma

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Seeking Love – by Padma

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” ~ Corinthians 13:4-7

I heard a reading of this verse at my close friend’s wedding many years ago; those simple yet powerful words echoed in the cool, quiet church. Words which stayed with me long after the ceremony but which I subconsciously never prioritized when looking for a partner. Always chasing after a wrong set of values, that was me. Until I met a man who in his own quiet and simple way embodied everything that I heard in church that day.

Unfortunately we got off to a rough start. The first time we met, I thought ‘Nice guy… but not my type’. He was courteous, mature and quite serious. I found him to be rather conservative and thought ‘Gosh we’re complete opposites! This is not going to work.’  I immediately ticked the ‘Just Friends’ box in my mental checklist and thought that was the end of it.

It wasn’t the end though. He was patient and kind. He was not boastful or proud and he was never self seeking. He continued to ask me out like a perfect gentleman and as the dates progressed I found myself warming to him. Full disclosure though, I did have a moment of cold feet and did the whole ‘I-think-you’re-a-nice-guy-but-we’re-better-off-as-friends’ thing. I was prepared for some unpleasantness but there was none to be had. He accepted my decision with grace but just had one request: that we meet one last time for coffee.

In the days leading up to our final coffee date, I felt conflicted. I thought I’d be relieved that we had ended everything amicably, why then did I feel so miserable? When we finally did have that coffee date, he told me that he just wanted to meet me to thank me in person for having given him a chance and he handed me a wonderfully sincere letter giving me words of encouragement and wishing me well. I was speechless. Who does this sort of thing?? That night I had a complete change of heart, and a year later here we are.

Our relationship has grown so much since then. He has never ceased to be the wonderful, caring and sweet man that I met a year ago. It’s true, we’re complete opposites, but that’s something that we accept and have a lot of fun with (sometimes at each other’s expense!). I couldn’t have wished for a better partner. And just like I heard at my friend’s wedding all those years ago, I know we will strive to protect each other, trust in one another, hope for the best and will always persevere together. Our love may be tested, but you can be sure that we’ll try our darnest to never let it fail ;)

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Grace Tan
In Indian + Punjabi Weddings, Weddings

Hindu Temple Wedding: Ashish & Lynn

They were best friends. Their dads, I mean. Ashish and Lynn knew each other since they were kids but somehow never really knew each other. It was always a hello-bye kind of friendship…and nothing really happened. For years. But as fate would have it, something changed. It was at Lynn’s brother’s wedding, and Ashish was asked to be the rep at the wedding. Somehow, something clicked, and from that moment on, they got to know each other better. Lynn felt that Ashish was the sweetest guy she had ever met, and everything just seemed right from all aspects, including being husband-material!

And from his look at the wedding, I can certainly say that Ashish felt the same way towards Lynn… he was absolutely smitten by her!

I always feel honoured when friends ask me to document their wedding day. I too, have known Ashish and Lynn for years… from the days when we were scrawny teenagers attending tuition class together. It’s also fun when you see all your friends at the wedding too! I was in my 3rd trimester of my pregnancy when I photographed their wedding…and as with all Hindu weddings, it requires quite a bit of work out with me doing quite a number of squats! But at the dinner, Mark and Diane took over and I got the chance to don a saree, and enjoy the meal!

Congratulations, Ashish and Lynn! Do join the parent club really soon… and our kids can all play together!

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Grace Tan
In Casual Portraits, International, Outdoor Weddings, Portraits, Wedding Films & Videos, Weddings

Destination Weddings: Bali

Some time back, I blogged about Destination Weddings, a TV program that I worked on for the Travel Channel with Deborah Henry as the host. I finally got my act together and managed to sort through some photos that I took during the shoot. This episode is my favourite out of all the episodes I directed, so I’d like to share some images from 2 very different weddings that we covered in Bali.

Firstly, a traditional Balinese Hindu wedding that was held in a small village about 1.5 hours away from Kuta. One of the sights that greeted us when we arrived was this man walking his giant pig! It was seriously huge and apparently a gigolo pig! I got so excited, I ran across the road to photograph it. Ok, I digress…back to the wedding…

The local wedding was held at this home which was a dedicated space for community events, and even for tourists to come and learn cooking from Pak Wayan. The couple dressed up in elaborate costumes with ornate headgear. I heard that some foreigners actually go through a traditional Balinese ceremony like this for their wedding. Personally, I still prefer my groom to be in a suit… (more of this wedding in a bit).

The second wedding was a western beach ceremony held at the Westin, Nusa Dua and dinner reception at the Melia, Nusa Dua. The weather was perfect, and it was a really breezy day… I wish all my Langkawi beach wedding shoots would be as cool (temperature wise!) as this! Here’s Deborah posing for a promo shot.

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Grace Tan
In Indian + Punjabi Weddings, Weddings

Hindu Temple Wedding: Chris & Anusha

It was a case of love at first sight.

It felt almost like a fairy tale, except this story came true. Christopher had traveled all the way from UK to Malaysia, for his brother Robert’s wedding in early 2011. Incidentally, Robert was marrying one of Anusha’s girlfriends. About a week before the wedding, everyone went out for a party, and it was there that Chris met Anusha for the first time. At that moment, they clicked instantly and chatted for a long time… and they were both smitten. It happened out of nowhere, yet it felt so right.

The next few days, Anusha brought Chris around KL sightseeing and even met his parents for dinner within the short 2 days that they got to know each other. By the time they left for Langkawi, they were practically inseparable and started to really fall for each other…

“We were totally oblivious to our surroundings… What was even more romantic, was that he told me during dinner what he’d wear one day when he got married and that he could imagine me in a white dress and that I’d be really beautiful. It was all so genuine and real. Even my friends were noticing that this was more than just a holiday romance. It was something really serious, especially for a couple who had just met.” – Anusha –

Soon, realization set in that Chris was due back in England in a couple of days. They had a serious conversation about their relationship and mutually decided that they were going to do what it takes to make this relationship work. That was the start of a heartbreaking long distance relationship (not to mention expensive!). But thank God for technology, they could also date via Skype, whatsapp, viber… and what was amazing that the distance did not break them apart, but brought them even closer to one another.

Chris started making plans to move to Malaysia, but he didn’t have a job… yet. He googled for potential expat jobs in Malaysia and Anusha was scrutinizing countless recruitment websites and newspapers. Some time in June 2011, Chris heard from a local international school who wanted to give him a phone interview as a design and technology teacher. Within 2 weeks, he got the job, and he would have to start work in Malaysia by August!

However, Chris had to pack up his 27 years of UK life, all the way from North Yorkshire, into a suitcase and move to a totally foreign country, to the hustle and bustle of PJ!

“We had no doubts, no fears… just excitement of being together and starting a life. I sourced for potential accommodation for us (made sure it was near a gym, supermarket, etc so that it would be accessible for him) and helped him make the move. It was not easy, initially leaving everything he has been used to in the UK… the lifestyle, his flourishing DJ-ing and music career, his parents and family members, his best friends, the food (he still can’t take nasi lemak!), the weather, the culture… but I can honestly say that going through this journey together has brought us a lot closer. And I too, was willing to give up my time and effort to make sure that he was truly happy and settled here in Malaysia. 

On Sept 28th, my 27th birthday, much to my surprise and happiness, he proposed to me and of course I said yes! I had no idea it was going to come this soon, but it felt sooooo right and we were ecstatic!” – Anusha – 

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