Douglas & Elmilia’s wedding was a blend of Indian and Malay wedding customs together with a Chinese banquet. It was truly a multicultural extravaganza backed by talented singers belting out hits in Tamil, Malay, Mandarin and English. Their wedding was also about kinship. About fathers seeing their sons grow up. About old friends being warmly reunited from the world over.

Wedding date: Sunday, 18 April 2010
Venue: Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore
Hair & makeup: Christopher Tan
Videography: Zephyrgraphy

The hotel atrium as art.

Sweet Elmilia was all smiles on her wedding day.

A father choked with emotion after his son’s solemnisation.

Welcoming a new daughter-in-law.

Hide-n-seek.

The traditional oil lamp lighting ceremony.

Jubilation.

Fatherhood.

Couplehood.

“When a man loves a woman,” courtesy of an amazing friend who flew in from India.

Couples ask if I do table shots. I certainly do! And I personally do them. Sometimes you get fleeting moments like this one when you go around the tables.

Congratulations Douglas & Elmilia!

Related posts:

1. Denny & Shasha
2. Luke & Nat

For photography buffs out there, I recently switched from Canon to Nikon’s flagship cameras. In the real world this is equivalent to switching one’s citizenship. One doesn’t do it so easily or casually because of the massive commitment and investment involved. What does this mean for you, the bride and groom? This means I’m using nothing but the best and expensive tools for your wedding. It’s the reason why my cameras are fast enough to capture fleeting expressions, why I can work in near darkness and why my photos pop out with clarity and sharpness. Look out for my next level of wedding artistry and expression from my March weddings onwards.

Denny & Shasha’s wedding reception was a non-stop riot of laughter from the makeup session right up to the final farewells. I’ve yet to meet a more jovial couple than them! It was an extremely wet December day but the weather didn’t dampen their spirits nor humour.

Denny’s relatives run a camera business in Indonesia. So Denny’s side came with cameras that would make a grown wedding photographer cry. Well, I was envious back then but no more . There’s certainly a little bit of pressure to deliver when you’re dealing with a client that has fine photographic taste and standards.

Wedding date: Saturday, 26 December 2009
Venue: Balmoral Room, Royal Plaza on Scotts
Wedding Planner: Venue Wedding & Event Services

The laughter started just as I stepped past the door.

The lovely, Australian-like bouquet courtesy of Venue Wedding & Event Services.

The rain didn’t dampen their resolve to walk across to the Balmoral Room. And they did. I took the easier, sheltered route of course.

The Sinhalese oil lamp lighting ceremony.

Perhaps one hug too many?

Sharp readers will note that one of my trademark shots from every wedding is a child staring into my camera

They couldn’t escape a yum seng session hosted by their best friends at the last table.

Such sweetness here. My favorite photo from the day.

It was Denny’s cousin’s birthday too and they graciously shared their day with him.

Congratulations Denny & Shasha! Your joy, warmth and laughter really illuminated the Balmoral Room, and probably the rest of Scotts Road!

No related posts.

Wedding date: Saturday, 8 August 2009
Lunch venue: One Rochester, Rochester Park
Wedding gown: Margaret Brides

In keeping with the East-West theme, Luke & Nat fused elements of a traditional Malay wedding together with a charming colonial bungalow venue.

Nat is blessed with an envy-inducing height, fine porcelain skin and those eyes…

There must be another story about these two ducks at their wedding.

The heavy, three-tiered wedding cake and cupcakes in their wedding theme colour of Tiffany robin’s egg blue.

Luke’s brother spends a quiet moment with his newborn baby.

The vibrant, bright colours of a traditional Malay wedding.

And their wedding car rolls in (sorry couldn’t resist the pun!). Probably the only way of getting a true vintage wedding car in Singapore, courtesy of the Fullerton Hotel. This car is a real beauty and is handmade like the days of old.

Song, dance, music. It was a joy to watch the young performers.

When Nat’s Best Friends Forever all lined up to watch, I just had to take this one!

When greeting elders this sign of humility and respect is very touching.

Nat laughed when she saw this photo. Her dad isn’t such a serious guy.

Then it was off upstairs to change into their Western wedding attire.

Nat chose an elegant and chic birdcage veil. Doesn’t it evoke images of another age in film and movies?

Luke consoles his mother who now has two sons living in Singapore. Despite the distance between Holland and Singapore they do get to see each other many times during the year.

Nat thought of everything with her wedding favours and gift packs. She got these bubbles in the shape of small wedding cakes. You twist the top and — voila — a bubble blower.

Nat’s cutie-pie niece and nephew try their hand at blowing bubbles too.

Luke’s uncle from Holland is a real sporting fellow. He gave a heartwarming speech and then joined in the song and dance.

Luke’s parents enjoy a slow dance together…

…before the Top 40 hits kick in.

One thing I enjoy doing is taking portraits without the person knowing. This way I get genuine emotions and not forced smiles.

Best friend. Forever.

“…”

The Spirit of Ecstasy on the Rolls Royce thunders through the air while it whisks Luke and Nat back to the Fullerton Hotel.

Congratulations Luke & Nat and a happy Hari Raya long weekend to all!

No related posts.