Dragon & Phoenix: Western Modern meets Eastern Traditional

from the planner: “This shoot was planned as a personal tribute to the upcoming LUNAR NEW YEAR: YEAR OF THE DRAGON (Feb 10, 2024). My background is Chinese Malaysian, and I love all things traditional! I have lived 17 years of my life back home (“the East”) where cultural & wedding celebrations are grand (extended guest lists of families & friends as a way of reunion), and oftentimes celebrated over multi-events or multi-days due to traditions. Fast forward to being in Vancouver, Canada (“the West”) and being in the fine art wedding industry, I now have a huge admiration for refined, intimate, and modernized wedding celebrations.

I’d like to think the inspiration was drawn as a reflection of the perfect blend of my life experiences: that both can co-exist beautifully — traditional doesn’t have to look or feel outdated, and modern doesn’t sacrifice its authenticity and roots. It is the ultimate representation of duality — the yin & yang — but the allusion of a harmonious, interdependent celebration of a marriage union.

Various Chinese motifs and elements were presented throughout, with the iconic mythical creatures of masculine dragon and feminine phoenix as an overarching theme: from the traditional red outfits and green jade tea set for a tea ceremony, to the double happiness symbol and handwritten Chinese calligraphy on the paper goods; a dragon-like head table centerpiece with alocasia dragon scale accents, gold & oriental ceramic dinnerware, to emerald jewellery & soft feathered white gown for a modern dinner reception.

This shoot hopes to inspire couples to embrace and incorporate cultural and traditional elements into their modern wedding celebrations, so as to continue carrying on all the labour and love that has gone through their past generations, and that they will bring and bridge to their next.”