See their western wedding ceremony here!
I'm always down to capture some Hongkongese Door Games! The groom and groomsmen must pass a series of challenges set by the bridesmaids, to "prove their worth", before entering and seeing the bride. This tradition has been practiced for centuries and now takes on a lighter, hazing tone. The three challenges Rachel's bridesmaids set for Greg were proving his strength by doing 200 push ups, his boldness by the groomsmen passing seaweed via lip service and his intellect by solving mathematics while piggybacking on an acupuncture mat (how much more Asian can you get?).
Once Greg finally fulfilled the door game challenges and bartered his way past the bridesmaids who guarded the front entrance, Rachel's dad led her down her household staircase, revealing her custom Qun Kwa (“裙褂“), her Chinese wedding dress.
Their tea ceremony was so heartfelt and sincere. Kneeling before Rachel's parents signified honouring how much they had done in her life, providing and caring for her, for so many years. This was an emotional moment... I almost teared up. They were so proud of their daughter and moved by the person she has become, ready to start her own family. A rite of passage.
We went to their local park down the street to take some group photos, as the sun was extremely harsh. It was more magical than I expected. After the group photos, Rachel and Greg smiled at a swing set. It was the one they fondly remember sneaking off to at 2am in the morning, when their dating was still a secret. We took a few cute pictures at this meaningful, little spot; they were giddy and couldn't stop smiling at a memory forged long ago. These spontaneous, special moments are always my favourite to capture.
