Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
December 2018
Geraldine and Don’s Stunning Historical Imperial Pre-Wedding Shoot
Geraldine and Don transformed into deities as well as an emperor and empress in their unique pre-wedding shoot that looks like it took place on the sets of popular Chinese dramas Legend of Fuyao and Story of Yanxi Palace!
Geraldine Tay, 28, Operation Specialist, and Don Ng, 30, Events Coordinator, met online, and hit it off so well that they applied for a BTO flat just four months into their relationship! Before they elope on a New Zealand mountaintop accessible only by helicopter next year, the unconventional couple transformed into a Chinese emperor and empress, and mythical deities, for a unique pre-wedding shoot that could have been set in any of the popular historical Chinese dramas Story of Yanxi Palace, Legend of Fuyao, or Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace!
How did you meet?
Geraldine: We met on a dating app where we chatted for about a week before we decided to meet up in real life as Don was in Bangkok for a short holiday with his friends. We actually set up a date for the day after he was back in Singapore.
What made you fall in love with your partner?
Geraldine: On our first date, I was dressed in formal attire and my makeup had already melted off. I remember complaining that my feet were hurting, and Don actually suggested that I head to the nearest clothing store to change, and helped me change my heels to flip-flops. He’s a true gentleman, and of course, he’s able to withstand my temper.
Don: I love her honesty and drive in life. She’s always very determined once she set her sights on her goals in life. For example, she planned for our upcoming honeymoon trip to New Zealand almost a year in advance, and has been accumulating miles for it since then.
What was the proposal like?
Don: Four months after we started dating, we made a mutual decision to try for a BTO apartment. Unexpectedly, we actually got a queue number, and since then, we have been planning for the marriage together without any proposal, as Geraldine isn’t a fan of proposals.
Tell us about the idea behind your unconventional pre-wedding shoot.
Geraldine: I chanced upon my friend’s photoshoot in Facebook and wanted a similar concept for our indoor studio wedding photography. Upon checking with her, we found out that Panzi has studios all over China. We were deciding between going to the Guangzhou or the Shanghai studio, and settled on Guangzhou as air tickets were cheaper and I’ve been there before.
The idea of the shoot was something unique and out of the norm for wedding photography. I think the fact that we would never get to wear such costumes that were usually only used in dramas, and discovering how we would have looked like in olden times, made it special.
How was your shoot?
Geraldine: We actually had two days of photoshoot as the first set of photos didn’t turn out to be what I wanted due to miscommunication. It was also an intimidating experience with the first photographer as he was a little stern with me. I’m not the most ladylike and flexible person, and couldn’t manage all the poses that he wanted. The second photographer was much friendlier and knew that I wanted a cooler and more modern kind of feel despite being in traditional costumes, and the shoot experience was more fun as we were able to connect with him. I was hoping to capture something that is beyond my normal Photoshop skills!
Don: It was an eye-opener as we didn’t expect the studio to be so well established, and they had a variety of costumes. It was funny when the first photographer would repeatedly command us to “挺胸,收腹,维持”, which translates to, “Straighten your backs, stick out your chests, and maintain your poses.” The second photographer made things easier and more relaxed as he would discuss the poses with us and asked for our input during the shoot.
Have your family and friends seen your photos? How did they react?
We posted some sneak photos on Instagram while we were doing the shoot, and some family members thought we were filming! Our friends thought that the photoshoot was special and unique, and told us that some of our costumes were right off the sets of dramas Legend of Fuyao and Story of Yanxi Palace . We didn’t watch any of the imperial period dramas and decided the look of the photoshoot based on what we thought was special.
When will the wedding be, and what are your plans for it?
We are actually planning a helicopter elopement and six-week honeymoon in New Zealand in April – June 2019, and just a lunch or dinner celebration with our friends and family in July 2019.
The Photographer: Panzi
The Shoot Location: Guangzhou
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: Panzi
The Hair Accessories: Panzi
Credits: Photography by Panzi
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