Planning for Wedding Part 1 – Pre Wedding Photoshoot

First, decide if you are going to take in Singapore or Overseas or both if budget permits.
Commonly area for Singapore photoshoot – botanic garden, Singapore flyers, garden by the bay, seletar reservoir, hotels etc .
Overseas such as Taiwan, Malaysia, Indoensia, Paris, Korea, Japan etc.
As for myself, we booked with Best Romance (最佳風情國際婚紗影城) Taiwan as we were persuade at a road show in Suntec 25 Dec 2011.

Package price $2300 sgd includes the following:
1)Exquisite photo album in 18”
2)30 pcs photographs, UV and waterproof treatment in 18” (PVC)
3)Canvas photography, carved frame in 24”x30”
4)100 exquisite Thank You cards
5)Additional photo selecting charge $60 sgd per photo (hard & soft) $21 sgd for softcopy only
6)One DVD Rom of all selected photos (digitally – enhanced)
7)Bride’s exquisite wedding gown, evening gown x 5 sets
8)Professional make-up and hairstyling (5 different styles) for the bride & groom
9)Provide accessories, veil and gloves
10)Fake eyelashes, ornaments, bridal bouquet
11)Groom’s tuxedo and formal suits x 2 sets
12)Bellyband, shirt and corsage for groom
13)Studio shooting and out-door scene shooting for one day
14)Free lunch for two on the photo shooting day
Additional perks since it is roadshow:
1)Free 5 photos and 10 at back scene photos, a total of 45 different photos
2)Free one palm size album consist of 20 photos out of the 35 chosen.
3)Free Signature scroll x 1
4)Table Frame with photo x 1
5)Appoint photographer and makeup artist at no additional cost
6)Night view, Fireworks, extend time no additional surcharge
7)No restriction on shooting location
8)All range of gowns for choice no exclusive
9)Not satisfied, allow retake at no extra surcharge

Additional terms and conditions that exclusive of the package:
1)Must pay Admission fee – 3000 Twd (on the one we select)
2)Transportation fee for outdoor shoot – $180 sgd a day
3)Frieght Delivery charges applies
4)Pre makeup charges ampoules – $22 sgd (bring your own ampoule)
5)Fees for accompany MUA during outdoor shot – $220 sgd a day

*Air tickets and accommodation to Taipei is not inclusive.
Things are getting more expensive, if you opt to engage local bridal boutique for photoshoot you can request for the actual day package which will have a better offer.

We took our photoshoot on 8 March 2014, about 1 year before our actual wedding on 21 March 2015. Processing photos required by the team about 6 weeks. I received their first draft in 16 April 2014.
We went through 3 to 4 round of comments and it takes about 1 month, they are quite efficient. It takes another 1 month for them to process all the photos for collection. As my sis collect for me when she was having holiday in Taipei in May, hence they rush it out for me to enable my sis to collect in May.

I went to my frequently visit KSL Magical Nails to do up my nails before the shoot.

What to bring for pre wedding shoot:
1)Nu bra
2)Ampoules
3)High heels
4)Shoes
5)T-shirt & jeans (if preferred)
6)Spare cash
7)Jacket (cold season)

We glance through their portfolio online and decided to get Zhong jia aka Zhong Sir to be our photographer as we prefer the feel of his photography.

We arrived Taipei on 7 March 2014, we have to select gowns n suits which make my head hurts as the selection are huge. Recommended to do some homework before hand by showing the type of gowns you like of photos and the staff will assist you. I have two intern school girl attending to me, and they are very helpful. One will pick gowns base on my comment and the other help me in changing of gowns. It tooks me 2hrs plus just to shortlist of 5 gowns and they brought me to a small room with a pro sewing aunti with her sewing machine. Immediately I wore the dress and she alter according to my size. Thumbs up.

After spending 3 hrs picking the gown, we head to another boutique 2 street down to pick for the groom. Simple and easy and probably took us 1 hr plus. Additional cost will incur for suits that are under the premium section.
We were told to go back to the bridal shop to meet up our photographer and mua at night.
We went for a dinner and back to talk with mua and photographer. MUA actually prepare a lot of magazine book for me to reference and I didn’t even flip. I just tell her up to her and show her the photos of my selected gown. She ask my preference and I simply tell her I don’t like lace but more princess feel. So she noted and came our photographer who just came back from his shot of the day. He showed us photos and ask for our preference of location, we told him we would like to have sea view, some blue white Santorini photos, we showed him what we have researched and he proposed us to go Dan Sui where admission fee applies and if i remember correctly we pay about 3300 twd.
On the next day morning as early as 730am we arrive to make up and change to the first gown. It took about an hour and we depart at 830am. As I doze off, Mua remind me not to lay back on my head to prevent I messy up my hairdo and no rubbing of my eyes. Other than Mua, photographer, there is photographer assistant with us.

We took the whole day, photographer brought us out to have some cherry blossom photos. It was pretty cold at 12 degree Celsius and raining the whole day. We had indoor and outdoor shots but sky are not clear, but there is always Photoshop around to help editing.

Lunch was provided when I changing to my second set and Mua was very helpful who cover me with umbrella and jackets whenever the photographer done and leave once the photographer taking the shot, indeed it was a tiring day for us.
After the shoot we return back to the bridal boutique and were told that next day 3pm can select photos. Pretty efficient isn’t it.
When it come to select photos I try to keep my mind clam not to take too much, Sandy who we engage for the prewedding photoshoot offer us $48sgd for hard and soft copy and $19sgd for soft copy only if we took more photos and upgrade us with collage.
So in the end we walk away with a total of 70 photos with 50 hard & soft copy and 22 digital copy only. Why is there additional 2 digital photos? Because I requested them as it was my birthday on the day of selecting photos. So sandy, who served us and the contact person we liaise with decided to free us 2 more digital photos.
On the 4th day, we went to collect the canvas frame photo that we chose and the table photo frame. While the remaining will be ready on second batch. Appreciate Sandy service. Thumbs Up. They even bought us a box of pineapple tarts as a gift to bring back to singapore.