The pre-wedding of Carrine & Wiyanto

We met in Campsie, Sydney’s south-west. We had a Korean BBQ. They paid me my retainer. And two days later, we made awesome photographs together. This is the story of Carrine & Wiyanto, my second international couples.

Picking favourites is not something I like to do. But Carrine & Wiyanto’s pre-wedding is definitely one of my most memorable assignments. Why? Because their story really touched me. I related to their relationship that spanned 8 years across multiple countries. I saw in them, a reflection of my own relationship with Charmaine. And when I asked on how these two managed to survive the long distances and lonely months, Wiyanto simply responded with this gem, “Patience. And lots of phone calls”.

Wiyanto is a true gentleman. He really is. He is softly spoken, but not because he is shy. He speaks when there is a need, not out of necessity to adhere to social discourse. Carrine & Wiyanto had flown in from Malaysia and Indonesia respectively. Due to their career paths, they were still separated by physical land and sea. Yet, together, I saw a closeness that no physical distance could even break down.

I think I really like these photos because I really like the people in the photos – and the challenges the had faced and overcome. This may sound silly, but I think I may have gotten more out of our arrangement. On one hand, I was being paid, and on the other hand, I walked away feeling reinvigorated to put more effort into my own personal relationship. So, I pushed myself to give the best work I could to these two amazing people.

And with most pre-wedding assignments, I offered a two-day experience so that we could maximise their time here in Sydney.

And as fate would have it, Carrine & Wiyanto threw me a surprise. They invited me to their civil wedding ceremony a few days after. I felt truly blessed and honoured to be part of the small group gathered to witness the marriage of Carrine & Wiyanto. I also surprised them with a 20×30-inch wall-mountable enlargement as a wedding gift.

Are you looking for a Sydney pre-wedding photographer? Contact me at info@danielkcheung.com.