Planning Your Chinese Wedding

Weddings are momentous and joyous occasions regardless of what culture you hail from. If you’re Chinese, however, planning your big day entails unique challenges and preparations not present in western weddings.

Documenting Exotic Weddings

If you’re planning to get married in a traditional Asian style, it’s a wise choice to make sure that the photographer you hire is familiar with the customs and traditions practiced at weddings in your home country. While you the wedding may not seem any more exotic to you than a Sunday stroll through Piccadilly Circus, remember that it certainly might be to the born and bred Englishman or woman clicking away at the shutter.

Photographers with experience documenting exotic weddings share several things in common:

1. They have an intimate understanding of cultural differences. Either they have spent a lot of time in another country, travelling around the world, or married someone from the other side of the world. Whatever the case, they’ll be sensitive to your customs and will likely even enquire about how best to approach their work with you.

2. Your wedding won’t be the first exotic event they’ve worked. A photographer who’s worked exotic events in the past will understand that taking pictures of such events requires a quick eye to capture those fleeting, emotionally charged moments and an open mind that can pierce the novelty of the event and see the beauty within. As such, your ideal photographer will likely be able to show you pictures of past events they have documented. Analyse what they focused on and the details that they showcased.

South Asian Culture Basics: The Gurdwara

Whereas Islam weddings are held in mosques, and Hindu weddings in the Mandir, Sikh weddings are performed in the Gurdwara, the religion’s place of worship. There are dozens of Gurdwaras spread across England alone, catering to the spiritual needs of the country’s Sikh Indian population. In Punjab, Gurdwara translates to "residence of the Guru".

At one point in time, the Gurdwara was called a dharamsala, which means "spiritual dwelling" in Sanskrit. There's also a city called Dharamsala in the province of Himachal Pradesh in northern India, which is the Dalai Lama's residence in exile. In the early 17th century, Guru Har Gobind introduced the term "Gurdwara."  

Apart from carpets, the inside of a Gurdwara is plain; there are no figures nor physical symbols of the faith, as Sikh teachings say that God has no physical form. However, the Guru Granth Sahib, or the Sikh book of scriptures, is housed in a Gurdwara. Basically, in Sikhism today, the term "guru" refers to the scriptures.  

While inside the Gurdwara, it's important to observe the sanctity of the place at all times. For this reason, footwear must be taken off, and the feet must be washed before entering. The Gurdwara also functions as an event hall with its own Langar or kitchen where food is served. To avoid offending other religions, vegetarian food is served in the Gurdwara. 

Don’t Ruin Your Elegant Wedding Photography Moment with These Faux Pas

This tip goes to the parents of the wedding’s ring bearer and flower girls. Kids can get into all sorts of hijinks when left unattended, so be sure not to leave them out of your sight throughout the ceremony and well into the reception. If you don’t think you can supervise your little one on that day, request or hire someone who can to come with you to the wedding.

Another opportunity for embarrassing photos are cultural weddings, so if you will, for example, have an Asian wedding ceremony and you’ll be hiring a professional for Asian wedding photography, be sure to verse your guests about the do’s and don’ts for the event. While no wedding can be absolutely perfect, you should nevertheless seek to make every moment photo-worthy.

http://www.pixcellence.co.uk/info-articles/dont-ruin-your-elegant-wedding-photography-moment-with-these-faux-pas/

Wedding Photography: Why Hire a Pro

Weddings are once in a lifetime events, and all brides and grooms wouldn’t want to ruin their big day by hiring an amateur wedding photographer. While investing on an experienced professional photographer may take a sizeable chunk out of a couple’s wedding budget, the end results are sure to be far more satisfying, and thus worthy of the investment. Here are some common reasons why weddings should be captured by a professional photographer.

Experience

The most reliable professional photographers are those that have been in the trade for quite some time. Their vast experience in wedding photography has given them unmistakable skills that allow them to capture those fleeting, special moments that couples would want to preserve forever.

Something New

Wedding celebrations are evolving and society has been accepting of newer practices. A professional wedding photographer knows just how to make wedding photos unique, in keeping with the theme and setting of a wedding. Pro photographers make use of various techniques that help them achieve this uniqueness.

Tools

Professional photographers are aware that the more sophisticated the tools used, the better the quality of the photos. Couples should consider a photographer who uses state of the art equipment to ensure their photos will be of the highest quality.