This is the love story of Sibing and Lei.
Childhood crushes, hand-written letters, sunsets over the Grand Canyon…..Sibing really paints a delicious picture with her well chosen words.
And she is rocking a denim short, a grey wedge and a nude silk pleated frock – I want her wardrobe please.
All of the beautiful-in-Bali images are courtesy of Shell De Mar Photography.
Shell: Sibing & Lei asked me to shoot their engagement photos in Paris December last year, while doing the shoot we got chatting about their wedding plans and they told me they were planning to have it in Bali.
They were just so lovely I was secretly wishing I could shoot their wedding too – who would’ve thought when I delivered the photos they were so pleased with them they actually decided to hire me to photograph their wedding too!
Not only that, they also wanted me to travel there to shoot another pre-wedding session for them. So off I went for a whirlwind 3 days trip to Bali, we had so much fun I genuinely can’t wait for their wedding in September!
Sibing: It was the simplest love story: we grew up in the same small city, we met on the first day of high school when we were 16. By sneaking out of classes for Ping Pong games together and working as a team on many final exams, we became best friends, and cherished a secret crush on each other.
However, we only found out about it 3 years later when we were in college in different cities – when we reconnected online for the first time after graduation, we both felt a comforting warmth from an old friend as well as sudden heartbeats, and that’s when we know we have to pick up our story where we left it…
For the 4 years miles apart, it was the hundreds of letters we wrote on our favourite spots in the school library, hours of late night phone calls echoing the snores of college room mates and a few standing seat train tickets, that kept our hearts closer. Then we moved to the same city in 2008, and could finally laugh, eat, fight, cry, and travel the world together, and we would always find peace at home in our little nest in Hong Kong.
Last year I said “Yes” in the sunset on the cliff in the Grand Canyon, and this year we’re going to say “I do” in the sunset on the cliff above the Indian Ocean. For the past 8 years, we grew up together, and for the many years ahead, we look forward to growing old together.
We are having our wedding at The Istana Villa in Bali. It is a small private villa that overlooks white sand beaches with magical sunsets, facing south-western tip of Bali. It will be an intimate affair with grey and vintage pink/lavender colour theme.
Photography – Shell De Mar
As you probably gathered from our lunchtime post, to me there is nothing quite as thoughtful or as touching as the written word.
No I wouldn’t begrudge a blue Tiffany box filled with diamonds or a pair of red-soled shoes but…..Send me a hand-written letter and I’ll love you forever.
Big Bali Love
Charlotte xxx
ballooooonnnns!
stunning….x
I want a monkey eating a shoe in my engagement photos!
Hiya.. this would be a strange request but I am also having my pre-wedding shoot and wedding in Bali in September and I’m trying desperately to source the same type balloons! and I’m having no luck at all
Do you think Shella would be so kind to find out where Sibing and Lei got hold of the balloons??
I’ll be so grateful!
Kat xx
“Then we moved to the same city in 2008, and could finally laugh, eat, fight, cry, and travel the world together”
/sigh/
Dear Charlotte,
Please accept my heartfelt thanks for bringing such joy into my rainy little world.
Yours Sincerely
Karen
Beautiful photos !!!
Crying at my desk. Amazing xxx
It’s the most beautiful engagement shoot I’ve ever seen… I’m melting…
B-E-A-UTIFUL!
The most stunning engagement shoot ever, I need to go to Bali. Now…
what a beautifully story from the couple, a lovely shoot to bright up my afternoon
Thank you xx
Gorgeous pictures to go with a gorgeous love story
Hi Kat, I believe Sibing & Lei asked the hotel they were staying at to help them with sourcing the balloons. They stayed at Westin Nusa Dua Bali – hope that helps!
Lovely shoot, love the balloons and the monkey.
Hi Shella – thanks! I’ll give my hotel a shout
I love your work. I wish I could hire you for my wedding photographer as well!!
Thanks for all the love lovelies – it really is a gorgeous engagement shoot.
Charlotte xxx
Love this shoot- makes me completely jealous as my own engagement shoot was so poor! Love the frock when they are strolling on the shore, too x
@Kat: no problem – all the best of luck! Just shoot me an email if you have any questions – happy to help
Absolutely love this shoot! It looks like they’re having so much fun. Can’t wait for my own e shoot (and wedding photos!!) with Shella in a few weeks
x
Eeeek Sam, so looking forward to your e-shoot & wedding!!!
You can get big Balloons from notonthehighstreet.com hope that helps! http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/peachblossom/product/big-balloons