For this bespoke Chinese fusion wedding dress photoshoot, I created a look that incorporated both Western and Eastern elements in beautiful harmony.
I was contacted by Elizabeth Weddings about being involved in this shoot. And since I really enjoy working on cultural fusion projects, it was an obvious yes.
Our overall colour palette was white, with burnt orange and China blue as accents, as well as oriental bamboo and dark woods. We took inspiration from Chinese and Asian heritage and cultures as much as we could, whilst also combining the old with the new.
Our team were very fortunate to have this shoot featured on Love My Dress. Make sure to have a read of it if you’re interested in knowing more about other elements of the shoot.
A Modern Southeast Asian Aesthetic
The flowers were inspired by the Japanese art of Ikebana floristry, and we had plenty of beautiful vintage blue and white Chinese porcelain with which to lay the tables. Together with the custom table runner with handwritten calligraphy, just looking at these table layouts brings such a feeling of calm.
The Old and the New
The wedding cake is a work of art. Three-tiered, with each tier being a cube, this cake feels modern and clean. I love the white and blue pattern, echoing the motifs on the crockery.
The Bespoke Chinese Fusion Wedding Dress
For this bridal look, I started with a Western-style base, whilst incorporating many Chinese-inspired elements. The outfit is comprised of a bias cut camisole top, which is then tucked into a wrap-around circle skirt with a train. The skirt can wrap around the body in two ways; either showing just plain white, or to reveal watercolour koi carp. Carp are lucky fish in Chinese culture, and who wouldn’t want a bit of extra luck on their wedding day? I wanted to bring silk painting into the design because when I think of traditional Chinese art, I think of evocative images of nature. This was my homage to the centuries of incredible arts and crafts produced from China.
(if you scroll down, you can see a time lapse whilst I paint the koi.)
Other Asian-inspired elements I added included a bridal cape with round neck at front and dipped back with a Chinese style frog-fastening. The sheer fabric was accented with little pearls in a polka dot pattern. I also made a cropped bolero with a mandarin collar and puff sleeves. I created it in wisteria-embroidered tulle and lined it with organza.
The Peace and Quiet
Often weddings can feel like the furthest thing from a relaxing experience. But with mood that this shoot evokes, maybe a zen wedding isn’t such an impossible idea.
The Creative Process
If you find the hand painted look of this dress inspiring, have a look at another wedding dress I painted, this time with delicate floral elements.
This bespoke Chinese fusion wedding dress photoshoot isn’t the first cultural fusion I’ve been involved in. I’ve made several other mixed culture looks, including for this Indian Fusion shoot.
If you’re looking for a wedding dress that will incorporate the parts of your culture that are important to you, then get in touch. Let’s have a chat!
Suppliers
Photographer – Terry Li Photography
Styling, design concept, props – Elizabeth Weddings
Flowers – Mille Fleur
Dresses – Felicity Westmacott and Morgan Davies Bridal
Bridal shoes – Charlotte Mills
Hair accessories – Hermione Harbutt
Napkins – The Embroidered Napkin Company
Stationary – Cotswolds Calligraphy
Crockery – Delight Vintage Tea Set Hire
Cutlery and Linen – Prestige Hire
Chairs – Valley Furniture Hire
Venue – Matara
