ambi photography » Hotel

Chen Kan & Han Jing

Yu-Shan — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:53:22 +0000

At times I’m reminded of my greater duties as a professional, full-time wedding photographer. A common misconception about wedding photographers is that of an anonymous “cameraman” loaded with gear furiously clicking away, returning your photos on DVD the following weekend. That would be setting yourself up for a major disappointment. And snapshots are exactly what you will get.

The way I see and feel it is as follows: a couple has entrusted you with probably their most monumental day of their lives. Your job is to gather their wedding memories with your pair of eyes, and occasional sense of humour. You need to be ready and absolutely spot-on with all the natural moments that happen. Most importantly your photojournalism needs to delight and evoke past emotions from your client. Mediocrity has no place here.

My name’s Yu-Shan, I’m a wedding photojournalist in Singapore and this is my philosophy as I approach every wedding.

THERE are certain immutable truths about traditional wedding customs from China that happen in Singapore.

Number One. The groom has to carry the bride from the bridal room and down to the waiting car. All without stopping or propping up the bride on something convenient. This is no laughing matter if she resides on the 21st floor.

Number Two. The bride will invariably hold her drink better and — graciously — outdrink the groom. All the more so when the potent fire water is baijiu, a clear distilled liquor whose alcohol content and fragrance are eye watering to the unwary.

Wedding date: Saturday, 30 July 2011
Lunch: Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel, Singapore

Congratulations Chen Kan & Han Jing.

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Leslee & Liz

Yu-Shan — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 02:43:02 +0000

ROMANTIC Paris was the theme for Leslee & Liz’s wedding lunch. From the laser-cut miniature Eiffel Towers to the French-inspired menu, everything was sprinkled with joie de vivre and a splash of pink.

Wedding date: Saturday, 16 July 2011
Wedding dress: Alfred Angelo
Lunch venue: Garden Suite, Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
Solemniser: Dr Phua Tan Tee, PBM

Congratulations Leslee & Liz.

Roger & Flora

Yu-Shan — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:09:41 +0000

ROGER joked with me that I’ve never been to a real wedding until I’ve attended an Eurasian wedding. He was right. Their wedding invite card said “WEDDING PARTY”. The alcohol started flowing from the time he hit Flora’s hotel suite door.

However the one big thing that I took away from his wedding — not alcohol — was a memorable chat with Flora’s amazing grandpa who was all of 90 years young. A dapper and spritely Englishman who lives by himself, he proudly told me that he flew all the way to Singapore by himself. That he lovingly tends to his cottage garden. That he still drives. Utterly inspiring.

Wedding date: Saturday, 25 June 2011
Venue: Grand Copthorne Waterfront, Singapore
Solemniser: Dr Phua Tan Tee, PBM

Congratulations Roger & Flora! And take care Grandpa.

Roger & Jasmine

Steven & Jane

Yu-Shan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:54:18 +0000

STEVEN and Jane are another gorgeous pair of teachers who tied the knot in a resort-style wedding. True to their teaching roots they came well prepared with their wedding folder, an immaculate stationery box, tape and probably a hole punch somewhere.

Wedding date: Monday, 20 June 2011
Venue: Amara Sanctuary Resort, Sentosa, Singapore
Lunch: Shutters, Amara Sanctuary Resort

Congratulations Steven & Jane!

Gene & Jocelyn

Yu-Shan — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 01:55:56 +0000

FEW people can successfully pull off getting married in bright red skinny jeans for him and black stilettos for her along with a life-size teddy bear in the audience. Well, Gene and Jocelyn did on their decidedly very unconventional wedding day.

Wedding date: Friday, 10 June 2011
Venue: Carlton Hotel, Singapore
Solemniser: Mr Chan Kai Yau, JP, PBM

Congratulations Gene & Jocelyn!

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CH & Amanda

Yu-Shan — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:15:00 +0000

AMANDA laughed all the way to her solemnisation and throughout their wedding lunch despite having no sleep the night before. Wedding adrenalin powered both of them — including two march-ins and singing a duet to their guests — before they collapsed in a well-deserved heap at the end of it all.

Wedding date: Sunday, 30 January 2011
Venue: Imperial Ballroom, Mandarin Orchard, Singapore
Solemniser: Assoc Prof Yu Shi Ming, PBM

Congratulations Amanda and CH!

Hardeep & Pearl

Yu-Shan — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 05:53:06 +0000

LONDON. New York. Mumbai. Singapore. Harpdeep and Pearl’s family and friends flew in from all corners of the globe for their grand 4-day wedding extravaganza, cumulating in a final wedding dinner on New Year’s Eve 2010. His relatives alone occupied no less than 26 rooms in the hotel!

Pearl and I must have worked on her wedding plans for almost a year before finally meeting in Singapore. We would squeeze snippets of telephone calls and SMSes in between her training sessions and client meetings at the London law firm where she recently started her first job.

All in, it was a fascinating and eye-opening finish to 2010. I observed Hardeep and Pearl getting married thrice in a Western, Hindu and Sikh manner. This was a delicious reminder why I enjoy weddings in multicultural Singapore. Take a close look at their different outfits over the 4 days.

Wedding dates: 28-31 December 2010
Hair & makeup: A Cinematic Story
Solemniser: Dr Eileen Aw, JP, PPA(E)
ROM: Botanic Gardens, Singapore
Sangeet Night: Asian Civilizations Museum, Singapore
Hindu wedding ceremony: Yantra, Tanglin Mall, Singapore
Sikh wedding ceremony: Central Sikh Temple, Singapore
Wedding dinner: The Ballroom, Fullerton Hotel, Singapore

And a little thank you note from Pearl when I delivered their wedding photos a few months ago:

Just a quick email to let you know that we absolutely love the photos! We spent an evening with Hardy’s parents and a good bottle of red wine looking over them and were completely blown away. You have done such an incredible job, the hard part’s definitely going to be selecting the ones to go into our album…

Congratulations Hardeep & Pearl!

And this monumental wedding marks the last and 47th couple to be posted from 2010. Thank you all.

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Kelvin & Sarala

Yu-Shan — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:18:54 +0000

INCHING ever so close to Christmas, and with the New Year beckoning, weddings become riotous parties like Kelvin and Sarala’s. His music industry background made sure that there was plenty of bass and decibels to go around until the wee hours of the morning — and it was only mid-week. I thankfully stopped work before midnight.

Wedding date: Wednesday, 21 December 2010
Dinner: Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre
Solemniser: Dr Phua Tan Tee, PBM

Congratulations Kelvin and Sarala!

Mark & Nathalie

WC & Tammy

Yu-Shan — Tue, 24 May 2011 14:46:54 +0000

IN what is a first for ambi photography, W.C. & Tammy accomplished a remarkable piece of wedding engineering to hold a church wedding, a wedding lunch and a wedding dinner all on the same day.

True to Tammy’s management consulting background, the boys had to endure several rounds of case interviews before being allowed upstairs. It took the collective effort of four bright brains to crack the questions, including one: the brand of tissue paper that is in your guest bathroom.

Wedding date: Saturday, 18 December 2010
Bridal gown: Alfred Angelo
Hair & makeup: T.G. Goh
Church: Wesley Methodist Church, Singapore
Solemniser: Rev Wendy Watson
Lunch: Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
Dinner: Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Singapore

Congratulations W.C. and Tammy!

Mark & Nathalie

Yu-Shan — Mon, 16 May 2011 15:35:12 +0000

IT’S always a treat to work with gorgeous couples like Mark & Nathalie. And it’s a rare groom that out-hugs the bride on their wedding day. Always ready with plenty of smiles and free laughter, I could see why Mark garnered a loyal following of guy and gal friends over the years.

Nathalie, on the other hand, has an enviable ability to cast a hush over a room when she enters it. Standing at something like 5′ 10″ (in her heels) she was a picture of composed elegance and graciousness on a day that belonged to her (and Mark!).

Wedding date: Saturday, 4 December 2010
Gowns, hair & makeup: Di Gio Bridal
Church: Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, Singapore
Solemniser: Rev Aries Santoso Zulkarnain
Dinner: The St Regis Singapore

Congratulations Mark & Nathalie!