Chinese Engagement Photos

Engagement photos in China are big business. Every weekend companies line up booths outside malls all over Dalian to lure engaged couples to chose their business for this very important experience. The groom's family, who typically pays for the wedding, spend $500-1000 for the shoot, which by Chinese standards is a lot of money. What's different from engagement photos take in the U.S. is that the Chinese photos are over the top; the goal is to transform the bride into a Vouge cover model and the groom a model in a GQ ad, leaving the bride and groom looking like someone you might not recognize. 

Andrew decided last October when we first arrived and saw the photos at the booths that we were definitely having Chinese engagement photos. Our shoot was last Saturday and it was even more over the top than we imagined. The day involved four costumes provided by the photography company, four locations, four hair styles, a raft, a camera man, an assistant and a stylist. We traveled to four locations: a flower field, the beach, a private pond and the studio. Over the 10 hours it took for the photo shoot, the stylist got to know me fairly well even though she didn't speak English. She changed my outfit and fully adhered a stick on bra to me in a parking lot, all part of the Chinese engagement photo experience.

We hope to get the photos from the shoot in the next month. Included in our package is a 36 inch framed photo, a vinyl scroll photo, two 8 1/2 x 11 inch framed photos and two large photo albums. 

The stylist penciling in Andrew's eye lashes.

Putting on foundation.

First costumes of the day. Notice Andrew's white pants.

The flower filed along with about 20 other couples.

Why not wear a white suit?

Changing in the parking lot.

A very popular place.

Hair & makeup again.

Evening gown & bamboo raft. It makes sense, right?

The crew.

Traditional Chinese wedding outfits, why not?