I realize that relationships are messy. It requires lots of patience, hard work, sacrifice. The games take a step up when two people from two different backgrounds come together and decide to build the rest of their lives together. The stakes are higher, the challenges are bigger and it’s an entirely different ballgame. But in the midst of all that, there is underlying beauty to be uncovered, because the reward is so much greater.
When people ask me where they should be shooting their prewedding session, I would most likely recommend them to go back to the place that holds most of their story together. There is a familiar and sentimental feeling that will pop up every time they gaze their eyes on a landmark of a place that witnessed the beginning of their journey together, and because that’s what pre-weddings are partly about, going back to that memorable place will always be a good idea.
No other cities in the world can stir up a romantic feeling like Paris. Every corner of this beautiful city will encourage passion, rekindle old flames or even to create new romantic sparks.
They say that whenever there is love in the air, an Italian is usually nearby. So what’s more romantic than to capture the chemistry between two people in love in the land where love blooms? The pre-wedding session of Janssen and Emilia was more of a “3 Days Italian Romance” where we shot in various cities such as Venice, Florence and Cinque Terre, a small town of Vernazza and Monterosso.
I am always curious to hear about how people fall in love, and I never tire of hearing about their journeys. One part I especially love is about how they are convinced that they were meant to spend the rest of their lives with each other. Each story is different and unique in their own ways, but to me, they always have the same heartwarming effect.
Truth be told, this was more than just a pre-wedding session for me. It was an ambitious adventure. Andika and Vivia both work and live in Texas and at the time they booked their session, they asked me to pick out any location in the US to do it in.
There two words that come to mind when I think of these two: generous and thoughtful. My wife and I will always remember the time Ronald and Yusi met us at the airport upon our arrival in Perth for their pre-wedding session. It was a day after our wedding anniversary, and they surprised us with a freshly baked batch of macaroons with letters spelling out “Happy Anniversary”. It was a gesture so heartwarming to us.
I thank my lucky stars every single time I get a pre-wedding session with an interesting couple, and Handy and Christine are one of them. He’s the funny guy – you know more like dry funny – witty, quick with comments and jokes. She’s the mysterious beauty that has caught his attention ever since they first met. He’s been stalking her social media since seven years ago, but I’m sure that habit stopped once they got together a year ago.
Sometimes we get lucky enough to meet a couple who just clicks so much with us that we become attached to them. Edith and Wynne is one those couples for me. I had such a great time shooting their pre-wedding session that I wished I could have been the one to capture their wedding as well. But I’m sure that our paths will cross again someday soon.
Growing up during the ‘80s in a male-dominated culture such as Indonesia, I have always presumed that I’d grow up to have that successful career, warm home and beautiful family. I do indeed, thank goodness. But I had never imagined that I’d also be the one with the midnight feeding, the school runs and all the juggling with the household work too sometimes. I’ve always presumed that my wife would be the one to do all that. After all, my mother did.