This Hong Kong-Based Vintage Pre-Wedding Shoot Style Is Our Favourite Thing On The Internet

Pre-wedding shoots can be one of the most romantic ways to preserve the memories of your relationship and wedding. In the past few years, we’ve seen many styles of videography and photography rise to popularity among to-be-married couples. From using drones for almost every picture and video, to using colour bombs, and getting beloved pets photoshopped into their pre-wedding photos (which, just FYI, we totally get), there have been many pre-wedding shoot ideas that became quickly sought after. But one of my recent favourite styles of wedding-related photography is the 80s Hong Kong pre-wedding style.

As I stumbled across a set of Polaroid-like pictures of a couple munching on their favourite noodles at a local Hong Kong diner and rushing to cross the road in 80s or 90s wedding clothes, I couldn’t help but wonder what this style was all about. So, I dug a little, and here’s what I found out.

What Is the vintage Hong Kong pre-wedding style photoshoot?

The aesthetic usually involves photographing the happy couple against Hong Kong city as a backdrop, as they paint the town red and enjoy their time roaming about. It highlights the idea of two people finding love in a city’s crowded subway station, or in that corner restaurant that might not have a Michelin star, and doesn’t have the most striking interiors but is the local best and has the best Ramyun you’ve ever tasted.

Well, the first major discourse around this style of photography, in mainstream media, was seen in Singapore Brideswhere husband and wife duo Pei Wen and Rayson’s 80’s Hong Kong Pre-Wedding was featured in the magazine in May 2023.

When asked about why they chose this particular aesthetic, Rayson and Pei Wen said, “We decided to do something different instead of the traditional pre-wedding shoot. Due to our childhood exposure to Hong Kong films, we love the Wong Kar Wai cinematic style (noise and neon lights).” In the same interview, Pei Wen said “Iki Company caught my eye on Instagram when I was looking for a wedding photographer who could pull off a Wong Kar Wai vibe. During the consultation, Jing Hui from Iki Company listened carefully to what we wanted and suggested several locations. We decided to shoot at Friends Cafe, a cafe that resembles the authenticchar chan teng(typical Hong Kong-style diners and tea restaurants) of Hong Kong.”

Where did the vintage Hong Kong pre-wedding shoot originate from?

As I went on a deep dive into what the online community has been saying about the aesthetic, I came across Rakesh Joshua Daniel’s work. Rakesh had posted a stunning picture of his friends Sophie and Josh crossing a busy street in Hong Kong.

He expanded more on how the style of photography is based on old Wong Kar Wai films and their aesthetic. "The 80s Hong Kong style was highly influenced by the director Wong Kar Wai whose work reflects the neon flooded streets of Hong Kong. His films such asIn the Mood for Love(2000),Fallen Angels(1995) &Chungking Express(1994) have a  very unique feel to them, with strong romance-focused themes. This sort of photography style feels warm, gritty, imperfect and grounded. It has a very strong nostalgic value too, especially for Asians who grew up with older HK films.”

Rakesh also goes on to talk about what adds an interesting flavour to these styles of images, “Often times pre-wedding photoshoots dwell on fantasies like posing in front of beautiful backdrops which don't really reflect the day to day places where the modern-day-couple tend to frequent.” As for why he decided to take his friends’ photographs with the same aesthetic, he explained how he wanted to put his creative skills to the test by taking the project on. “It was a dream of mine to have a Wong Kar Wai pre-wedding photoshoot for myself but I've not yet found my soulmate. Both my best friends had their ROM (Registry of Marriage) in Hong Kong in January this year, and they required my assistance in taking pictures for them. I  decided to stretch my creativity and fulfil my lifelong dream to have a Wong Kar Wai style photoshoot in the heart of Hong Kong itself.” What a heartwarming story behind such a seemingly cool set of images.

Where else have we seen such a style of wedding photography?

Oftentimes, a similar style of photography is seen when New York City-based couples opt for a city hall wedding. With the backdrop of the towering cityscape, modern-day couples often pay homage to their identities being deeply intertwined with the city, and their lives in the city.

Though, of course, both 80s Hong Kong Pre-Wedding and NYC City Hall elopements come from very different places, the commonality of being in love with the city that you both love is a meeting point. Both these styles of photography emphasize preferences that almost reject the suburban, white, picket fence life, to say “We choose to be forever young in love, especially  if it means grabbing take-out every Friday night from that tiny food joint we discovered together.”

The 80s Hong Kong pre-wedding style shoot spoke to me because of its rebellious and realistic undertones. And perhaps if you’re looking to keep your pre-wedding shoot a little anti-romantic if you will, it may just be yourkindathing!