Universe has its playful conspiracy to remind me that I’m still freakin’ single. When I went to Malaysia as part of my first solo backpacking trip, there were couples in Melaka posing for their pre-nuptial photoshoot. And I was like, ‘Why am I doing this trip alone again?’

I encountered such reminders from time to time and learned to shrug them off by appreciating the beautiful union of two individuals through my lens. I think wedding photography is one of good and diverse training grounds for a shutterbug to become a professional. It takes a lot of experience and luck to handle a load of subjects – be it portrait, landscape and architecture, and human interest.

I have a new goal in the works – to gatecrash weddings. Not because I am bitter about my relationship status. I am very happy single, just to let you know. As I wander and discover more places now, I want to capture weddings in different cultures. I like to be immersed to the traditions among the tribes in the Philippines. I want to witness the ceremonies and rituals beyond the white gowns and black suits around the world.

Melaka, Malaysia

Melaka is a district in Malaysia known for its European vibes. Obviously because it has been once colonized and controlled by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. It is listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

While touring around the reddish pink church called Christ Church, I noticed that there were couples with colorful top-to-toe dresses matching the decorated bicycles at the background. I played around my point-and-shoot from afar not to disturb their session.

A couple in purple motif

Just married!

Another couple, this time in yellow theme!

Seoul, Korea

I have long overdue posts about my great Seoul-searching trip. But I am going to share you now some photos I took from Namsangol Hanok Village.

Namsangol Hanok Village literally means ‘A Village of Traditional Houses in the Namsan Valley’. The village, located among the tall buildings of the city, is free to all with no entrance fee. So I am assuming that taking pre-nuptial photos here is free as well. (Take that, Intramuros!) Namsangol Hanok Village has been a film shooting site for a number of Korean telenovelas.

Get ready to fall in love.

My frozen heart just thawed.

Batangas, Philippines

I got intrigued when one Facebook page tells that somewhere in Lipa lies a church dubbed as the Little Rome of the Philippines. Last Sunday from this day of posting, I got a chance to see San Sebastian Cathedral in Lipa. Without disturbing the craft of the official photographers of the wedding inside the church, I pushed the camera trigger. No one approached me even I was taking pictures in the aisle because I look like part of the coverage team with my DSLR and tripod. The artwork in the cathedral ceiling is jawdropping.

Around the World

Here are some weddings I am eyeing to gatecrash across the globe soon. Woot! Another set of items in the bucket list. Photographs taken by various photographers.

Unification Church’s mass wedding in Gapyeong, South Korea [Image AFP Photo]

A bride in Astana, Kazakhstan [Image National Geographic]

Tinikling dance in the Philippines [Image Fotagraf Weddings]

Traditional Chinese wedding [Image Wikimedia Commons]

Hawaiian beach wedding [Image Expo Center]

An Indian Muslim bride at the ancient Sarkhej Roja in Ahmedabad [Image Epoch Times]

I am a terrible novice wedding photographer now. But who knows? Maybe someday my entry to the National Geographic would be a photograph of a ceremony of a local tribe or something similar from the stream of photos above.

Or maybe I’ll be getting married.