Knai Bang Chatt is a stunning location in Kep, perhaps best described on their own website: “Serene and pure, Knai Bang Chatt, an exquisite lifestyle resort, will enchant you. Located in Kep, right on the southern east coastline of Cambodia, the resort gives you a blend of privacy, serenity and exclusivity. Three renovated villas built in the 1970s by protégés of Vann Molyvann, a pupil of the world renowned Le Corbusier, are extraordinary historical landmarks you can now experience as your very own private home. Its natural beauty combined with its sense of history and great Khmer hospitality will make your stay in Cambodia unforgettable.”

The next day was spent at the equally stunning Villa Romonea for BBQ and games before a rickshaw treasure hunt on Monday!

Thank you to Christol & Sophie, their families and friends and especially Isabelle, director and founder of Asia Motion & filmmaker George Jefferies for putting us all in touch!

Aidan

The next day we headed down to Faraway Villa on Lipa Noi Beach; Danny was brought in with a Long Drum Procession which  which wound its way through the villa’s gardens to the beach front. Shortly after Tracey appeared in a spectacular dress and the ceremony was conducted right on the shoreline.

It really was a perfect wedding and thank you to Danny and Tracey for inviting us to be part of their big day.

Back in August last year, MinhChau contacted us about her Vietnamese wedding in Pleiku, The Central Highlands of Vietnam. We jumped at the opportunity and I loved photographing their incredible wedding at one of the largest pagodas in the country. PLEIKU WEDDING We all got on brilliantly, MinhChau & Peter loved the photos and invited me to Canada to photograph their wedding in Windsor, Ontario. How could I say no?!

So last month I set off on an epic 43 hour journey from Bangkok to Windsor with a layover in Delhi. I last went to India’s fascinating capital nearly 10 years ago and its still an amazing city (even carrying around 20kg of photography equipment!). Jet lagged and dazed I arrived in Windsor in the afternoon and promptly went to bed at 5pm.

After living in Asia, the air in North America is so clear, the sky so blue and the streets so quiet! I met with MinhChau and Peter at Caesar’s Casino where they are staying for their wedding day and discussed the next day whilst feasting on some of the best middle eastern food I have tasted (you’ll get to know that they both seriously love their food!)

On their wedding day we started with an early morning photoshoot before everyone got ready (fresh croissants, danish pastries, etc) and a late morning  photoshoot with the bridal party. After lunch, the ceremony and reception were held at Windsor Art Gallery with a stunning view overlooking Detroit’s skyline. Again the menu, carefully selected by the couple after numerous tasting sessions, was to die for with. The day after (I cunningly skipped breakfast) was a wonderful traditional Chinese banquet & Tea Ceremony, lobster and sharks fin soup being just a couple of the highlights on the table.

After all the celebrations, MinhChau & Peter very kindly took me on a road trip to Toronto via the stunning Niagara Falls. We ate, visited the CN Tower, and ate again. Poutine, Canada’s ‘national dish’, really needs to go global.

MinhChau & Peter are two of the kindest, friendliest and most genuine people I have met and I only hope the slideshow below captures the fun and happiness from the long weekend. Ive included travel shots from Delhi, Niagara and Toronto as that was all part of the experience.

I would love to welcome you guys to Bangkok one day. The food here is really, really good!

Aidan

The ceremony was originally booked for Nha Trang Cathedral but unfortunately it was realised near to their big day that it fell on Maundy Thursday and they were going to be in full preparation for Easter. However The Sheraton’s new Sky Lounge made the perfect venue and Father Tien from the cathedral even came down and conducted the ceremony. Just before sunset we made our way to The Cathedral for a quick photoshoot before heading back to The Sheraton for cocktails by the pool and a lavish reception overlooking the city.

Rob and Hoami are a genuinely lovely couple and I thank you who for making me feel so welcome. A special mention for Hoami’s Mum; all those beautiful bridesmaids dresses and indeed Hoami’s wedding gown too, well, she made them from scratch! Finally a big thanks to Nick, the GM at The Sheraton Nha Trang, who as well as running a tight ship let me use his family apartment for a much needed shower between the ceremony and the reception!

But in the end, it turns out the hotel was just an afterthought, a nice backdrop to the main event. Because in Boom and Chris I found possibly the sweetest, most down-to-earth, friendly and generous couple I’ve worked with yet. And that’s saying a lot. It’s nice to know that they’ll be staying on in Bangkok for the foreseeable future. You can never have too many cool people in the neighbourhood.  

Sarah and Lance held a wonderful, laid-back wedding affair in Hoi An this spring. And I think Sarah’s vintage-look 1940s wedding dress is now my all-time fave. Red Bridge once again proved itself the best venue in town, and big thanks to Nadine for helping organize everything. I’ll be back in Hoi An at least twice for weddings this year, and to be honest, I can’t wait to get back.

Hedda and Erlend from Oslo, Norway flew to Thailand with their two young children, Wilhelm and Sofia, to exchange their vows at Le Meridien Resort Khao Lak. Given that it was their first time in Asia and the only research they had was on the internet, it was a particularly brave move. However their choice was a brilliant one and the stunning Le Meridien Resort handled all their needs and put on a beautifully intimate ceremony.

We spent a fun morning in the resort grounds taking family photos around the pool and on the beach; getting pictures with children can be challenging but Wilhelm and Sofia were having too much fun to notice the camera! Late afternoon we wandered down to a private cove on the beach for a private ceremony just before sunset. Einar Arne Garlid, the priest from the the Norwegian Seaman’s Church (Sjømannskirken) in Pattaya had flown down to perform this special ceremony and also impressed everyone with his trumpet playing!

Thank you to all the family, it was a wonderful day and I know Hedda and Erlend are already looking at returning to Asia!

Dave and Tash hadnt been to The Pimalai but brilliantly chose it when it was featured in the Independent’s best 50 best wedding locations!

Unfortunately, on their wedding day it just wouldn’t stop raining! Nothing heavy but enough to keep delaying the ceremony. With dusk approaching there was a lucky break in the weather, long enough for them to have their beach wedding that they had dreamed of. The light was fading but everything ran smoothly and after the ceremony there was a cheeky elephant ride along the sands! A delicious buffet dinner was served at the beach restaurant before everyone headed to Long Beach for the after party!

Thanks to Francois from NOI Pictures for helping out with the shooting and a big thanks to Dave and Tash for inviting us down to Ko Lanta for their wonderful wedding.

I took this shot with a Canon S95 compact camera on self timer, perched on a can of coke for a five second exposure. Unfortunately a wave toppled it after this shot was taken and my camera was douched in the sand and salty water…

Maeve works as a travel agent with Exotissimo Travel and has an excellent knowledge of the resorts and destinations throughout Asia; we also get to sample them from time to time! Julian and I have worked extensively in the region on editorial and travel assigments, with NGO’s, photographing resorts themselves and of course on destination weddings. Between the three of us there arent many places we havent been or dont know about.

Why not contact us for some impartial advice (ok, we will sway you towards the places that will make the most stunning pictures!) on where to plan your destination wedding?

However for now it would be difficult to persude you away from Koh Kood. Still relatively untouched, white sandy bays, crystal clear water and tastefully designed resorts. Two places that offer wedding packages are Away Resort and Soneva Kiri by 6 senses……

More images at ABDPhoto