Life and Leisure

Shooting for a picture perfect marriage

By Triwik Kurniasari (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-21 07:50

A couple poses during a photo session on a remote island in Lampung in Indonesia. R Berto Wedhatama / Ann

For many Indonesians, a wedding is not only about having a special gown, picking out attractive invitations and souvenirs, reserving a spacious venue for hundreds (or even thousands) of guests or even ordering good food and floral decorations.

There is another ritual prior to the actual wedding day, which many consider no less important than the main event - the pre-wedding photo shoot.

Normally, the photos taken in the pre-wedding session will be put on wedding invitations.

Traditionally, a photographer would take standard photos of the couple. But in this era of advanced technology, and particularly of special effects, pre-wedding photo sessions have become a medium for couples to express themselves (and to show off their togetherness to their guests).

Nowadays, not only are the photos used for the invitations but also they are displayed around the wedding venue for guests to enjoy. The bride and groom can explore their creativity by creating special themes for their photos, such as those from box-office movies.

Thus, pre-wedding photo sessions have become an inseparable "tradition" for most couples in Jarkata. They have become a huge phenomenon in the last decade. Consequently, the pre-wedding photography business has flourished, particularly in big cities.

However, this trend is not without its critics.

Earlier this year, a group of ulemas from East Java declared pre-wedding photos haram (not allowed under Islamic law), claiming that such photo sessions encouraged unmarried people to hug each other while posing.

The declaration has not dissuaded many.

"I've found out that pre-wedding photo shoots only exist in Indonesia. It's a culture for couples here," prominent photographer Darwis Triadi says.

Why have pre-wedding photo sessions become tradition?

"There is a tendency in our society to invite many guests to a wedding party. Guests sometimes have to queue and wait for a long time to congratulate the married couple," he explains.

"In a bid to chase away the boredom of the guests, the host couple displays a number of their (pre-wedding) pictures around the building so the guests can enjoy them while waiting for their turn."

Diani Pranata, chief editor of wedding magazines Bella Donna and Mahligai, shares a similar insight. She says the tradition started in the 1990s.

"They don't just showcase the photos at the wedding venue. Many couples now use the pictures at home for decoration, such as on the bathroom wall, for instance," she says.

Amelie Poerwoko is among many women who provide pre-wedding photo sessions. She did not hesitate to spend around Rp 10 million ($1,119) on a series of stunning pictures before her own wedding.

"I think everyone has to do pre-wedding photos. It's like a follow-the-leader kind of thing. But I basically really wanted to do this," Amelie says.

"When I was still working as a fashion stylist, I was busy planning photo sessions. Then I thought, 'It's time for me to take the hot seat'."

As she is not your typical romantic, she opted for dreamy, cute and cartoon themes. Rene Magritte's paintings and rom-com flick 27 Dresses are just some of the eight inspirations upon which she based her photos.

"I think concept is important in taking pictures, even for pre-wedding ones. A pre-wedding shoot is a once-in-a-lifetime moment, so let's kill it," she says.

She admitted she persuaded her husband to do all of the shoots. The couple later displayed the pictures in the venue on their wedding day.

Ann