Mindy Tan Photography » Blog of a female wedding photographer in Singapore

At first, he didn’t think she was pretty. At first, his jokes were not very funny.
But slowly she began to laugh with him, and he began to find her cuddly.
So begins the love of Shirley and Chek Wei, through ups and downs, triumphs and failures.
Thank you Shirley and Chek Wei for giving such an honest speech about your lives revealing even failures many of us would have kept to ourselves.

Shirley and I studied together at River Valley High, being asked to shoot her wedding was a real honour.
The couple’s speeches were beautifully delivered in Mandarin and poetic verses, which made it more so endearing.
I was moved to tears by Shirley’s recollection of her childhood experiences and how her father always made sure they had more than enough to eat even though work was though.
Chek Wei thanked his brother for always giving up the best things for him and his mother for being a strict disciplinarian, and always making sure he gets a full breakfast before school.
The hall was a spread of laughter and tears that overflowed, even from the most stoic of fathers.

Their wedding montage was a slideshow dedicated to their parents with photographs of how they painstakingly brought them up. It was such a wonderful wedding, dedicated to the people who made them who they were.

Thank you Shirley and Chekwei for your insight to love.

Loved Mike and Angela’s wedding because it was down-to-earth and Singaporean.

All the elements in the ’story’ come together to represent a Singapore heartland wedding unique to the Chinese in South East Asia.

The Scene is set in a HDB block undergoing LUP (Lift Upgrading). Potted plants line narrow corridors, the MRT track is a stone’s throw away. Very Chai Chee, Very Bedok.

The Characters: Daddy’s in a Batik shirt, watching his little girl turn into a bride, many excited relatives gather in the home early in the morning to help out, and waiting for the tea ceremony.

Angela’s home was order in chaos, but oozing, so o0-oo-zing with character, I like!

The visuals coming through were simply the stuff of dreams. Everything was real, honest, unpretentious.

The couple chose a 早安老师 theme for their ’sisters and brothers’, after the popular 1980’s drama serial, “Good morning, teacher!” Which is why the bridesmaids are bespectacled, holding canes and rulers; the groomsmen dressed in Khaki shorts, like the school uniforms of the early 80s.

Congratulations Mike and Angela!

Gown: French Bridal
Banquet: Grand Shanghai

A very hectic and physically strenuous two weeks – 8000 clicks, 8 blisters, 800 steps, 80kms, 288hrs of standing and squatting with my camera. (nah, kidding! Only the first is probably real). I am beginning to measure my life out in clicks.

Photographed two amazing shoots in Hongkong. (One’s confidential for now, the other’s truly a delight). Hopped over to Guangzhou and Macau for some personal snaps, and back to Singapore for 2 back-to-back weddings that I enjoyed sooo much!

Then, received a surprise call from Supei, my dear dear friend who’s back in Singapore to celebrate the Lunar New Year. I am so overjoyed and can’t wait to head to the beach to share the sunset and good bottle of wine in Sentosa.

At the same time, I also have to work doubly hard on picture edits, streamline this year’s family visits to the essential and give up the chance to revise my mahjong.

Guess you can’t have everything all the time. But it’s still good because truth is, I’ve been looking forward to having for the luxury of time to simply sit in front of the computer to edit my takes without any distraction, and that has to be during the holidays.

Sneaks from yesterday’s wedding at The White Rabbit. Shooting inside this former chapel, even before it turned into a restaurant, has always been a wish, and now it’s materialised, with the bonus of two wonderful clients Roy and Serene.

Love’s light shines warm and deep, like melting chocolate lava cake, enjoy ; )

More images here: Roy and Serene, White Rabbit Wedding

Venues : The White Rabbit, Intercontinental Singapore

Weather: Glowing!

Dresscode: Swank

Wedding singers/Band: Jack and Rai