Singaporebrides | Real Weddings
September 2025
Amy and Shawn’s Nostalgic and Retro Destination Pre-Wedding Shoot in Taiwan
Amy and Shawn celebrated their engagement with a pre-wedding shoot full of retro flair, nostalgia and romance in Taiwan.
Amy Wang, Entrepreneur, and Shawn Yin, Business Management Consultant, met at work in the Summer of 2020. Brought together by their shared similarities, Amy and Shawn discovered an undeniable connection that naturally drew them closer. After Shawn’s beautifully orchestrated surprise proposal in China, the lovebirds brought their love to life in a pre-wedding shoot in Taiwan, embracing nostalgic charm and retro flair.
What drew you to each other?
Both: I think it was because we were the youngest employees at work and had so much in common. We had both studied chemical engineering, were both interested in business school, and overall were just very similar. Our outgoing personalities and humor were also very much in sync.
What do you love the most about your partner?
Amy: What I love most about him is how caring he is. He’s incredibly thoughtful and always considerate of my every need, right down to the smallest detail.
Shawn: What I love the most about her is her optimism and positivity – her attitude that any problem can be solved. That and the fact that she brings me joy every day.
What was the moment that made you realise that he/she was the one for you?
Amy: It wasn’t just one moment, but many instances that gave me that feeling. One time was when we went to see the seals very early in the morning. It might seem so early on, but I just felt how natural and comfortable it was being with him. It was as if we had known each other forever, and I realised that anything we did together would be fun.
For both of us overall, the certainty was built when we were long-distance. In the first three and a half months of our relationship, I went to Scotland to study abroad, and we talked every single day. That time apart helped us build such a strong emotional and mental connection.
Tell us about the proposal in China. How did Shawn pull it off, and did you know that he was going to propose?
Amy: It took place in Shawn’s hometown, Nanjing. Since Shawn hadn’t been home to China in over five years at the time, he had to plan everything secretly with his parents in China. Once we arrived back in China, it was even more difficult as Shawn had to find times when I was preoccupied with other things to plan with his parents.
I definitely knew Shawn was going to propose soon, but I didn’t expect it to happen in China. We had been planning to buy the ring in the U.S., and bringing something so expensive across customs seemed risky. Even though we had talked about engagement for a long time, and I had even been heavily involved in the custom ring design (I even helped coordinate with the ring company and gave feedback on the CAD), I was still surprised when it actually happened.
Shawn planned it very well, and the proposal itself caught me off guard. The proposal was in a beautiful park in Nanjing (where he grew up) and he said we were going to eat lunch with his childhood best friend and then take pictures, so I dressed up a little bit, and put on makeup. Coincidentally, there was another wedding happening that day, so there were wedding decorations already set up. When I saw what Shawn had prepared for me (I saw the board from the back and photographers hiding), I honestly thought it was part of the other wedding at first. That made the actual surprise even more special.
Tell us about your pre-wedding shoot. What was the shoot day like?
Amy: I first came across OneThreeOneFour’s photos on Instagram through an influencer and loved how candid and natural they looked. The photos really captured the fun and unique vibes between couples, which was exactly what I wanted. I didn’t have any specific themes in mind, but OneThreeOneFour took care of everything. Coincidentally, every concept they suggested excited us, and one of my favorite parts was getting to do a qipao shoot in more traditional Chinese clothing. It was something fun and new for both of us, and it was really cool seeing Shawn wear outfits he’d never otherwise try.
The shoot day was incredibly fun. We were so lucky with our photography team; they were young, funny, and instantly made us comfortable. Everything was smooth and well organised, and beyond the photos, it felt like an experience of exploring Taiwan from a local’s perspective. The only challenge came during our second shoot in the mountains. We had planned for a golden hour grassy field backdrop, but instead it was foggy and cold. Even so, we made the most of it and pushed through. Even that was a fun experience and memory!
What were some of the memorable/funny moments during the shoot?
Amy: Because our photographers were so funny, we kept breaking character during serious poses. They even came up with a silly code word, or joking “threats”, to keep us focused. Another memorable (and funny) moment was when they encouraged us to try snake soup for the first time during our night market shoot. It tasted just like chicken!
Do you have any advice about planning a pre-wedding shoot to share with couples who are currently planning theirs? If yes, please share them with us.
Amy: Social media is a great place to start; you can not only see photos, but also find short-form videos where people share the entire process. That helps you get a feel for what the experience is like, not just the final results. My biggest advice is to think of the shoot as more than just photos: do it for the memories and the experience you’ll share as a couple. Then you’ll look back at the pictures with even more fondness.
The Venue: Taipei, Taiwan – Yangmingshan, Yuanshan Archaeological Site, Huaxi street night market
The Bride’s Outfit: OneThreeOneFour
The Bride’s Shoes: rented from qipao store, HOKA (for the night market outfit)
The Groom’s Outfit: Tommy Hilfiger
The Groom’s Shoes: Allen Edmonds
The Wedding Photographer: OneThreeOneFour
The Hairstylist and Makeup Artist: OneThreeOneFour
The Wedding Bands: Frank Darling
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