Chinese Bridal Studio Photos

These photos were shot in May of 2002, in Chinatown of Flushing New York (NYC) USA.

We had already married at the courthouse in January that year (just a few months after September 11th, 2001) literally across the street, diagonally, from Ground Zero. There was smoke & steam still streaming from the wreckage & ruins, with posters and candles everywhere, and people crying asking if you had seen their missing loved ones.

Honestly, I generally hate weddings, and never wanted to get married, EVER. I still have no idea how I got married twice, and both times I didn't even think the person was serious, because all the men in my life scoffed at the idea of marriage, just like I did. However, since the day I turned 18, all over social media, like ICQ, AIM, and my e-mail inbox was full of marriage proposals from men all over the world, from Hong Kong, to South Korea, to Egypt, to Saudia Arabia. I sat at my mother's boyfriend's computer, after having been battered by my own father, the day before my birthday, after coming home from the doctor, and put on muscle relaxers, and read through all kinds of messages feeling completely dumbfounded, since the most of my concerns at that time was not even my birthday, nor starting my Senior Year of High School, but never wanting to see my father again, and wondering what to do at my newest job, at AMC in Marlton NJ, and worrying over not getting more hours since I was on muscle relaxers, since I barely had any hours when I was 17.

But, back to THIS photo shoot.
I'd been dieting, and so was my spouse, the whole year, and he even use one of those electric facial muscle shock thingies, to make his face look tighter. my Spouse is 10 years older than I am.Also, my spouse was very wealthy when I first knew him, and even tho' we all griped about the economy being terrible, it was FAR BETTER than today.

The qipao is not mine. It's the studio's. It was some artsy-fartsy place in Flushing Chinatown. There were several to choose from. I picked this one because I liked their whole window display better than the other ones, and when we went inside they went all out in accommodating us. We booked the photoshoot day after we actually got married that January, and booked the photoshoot for May. I have no idea WHY but photoshoot appointemnts seem to ALWAYS also end up being the day I am ovulating, or the day after, so I often bloat up.

We got there around 7:30AM, and it took about 7 hours to do my makeup, and hair the first time. After that, they would quickly change my hair and makeup quickly between studio themes.

People often comment about "how Chinese I look" meaning my gestures, poses, or postures... (because I'm clearly NOT ethnic Chinese) I had no clue what they meant for several years... but, I've realized what they mean now, after having lived in China so many times. In American, or Western, cultures there are certain cultural gestures, or poses, or demeanor that people do, such as ways they tilt their head, or express themselves, and even facial expressions. At the time I did not know this... so, how were these "very Chinese expressions" achieved? Simple. The photographers were a team, and one of them would be the director, and coach how I would pose, or facial expressions to make. THEY were Chinese. I had no clue what I was posing to "be like". Just following their directions.

I DID NOT EAT the entire day, and refused as much drink as I could, and just the small amount I DID drink, really bloated me right up.  So frustrating! Hormones! ARG!

So, by the time were were done, and it was SO HOT outside, I was starving and thirsty.

Here is the Chinese Peking Opera Bridal look. I specifically wanted THIS hat! I'd recalled this bridal hat from older portfolios. When I mentioned it, they looked for some older portfolios, and said: Ah, yes! I have it! Then went into the basement, found it, and affixed it to my head.

You know what I LOVE about this hat? It looks SO GREAT, right? Amazing!
Right?
It's made almost ENTIRELY of plastic, rubber, and metal springs. And it's spray painted! HAHAHA!

But, it looks fabulous in the shot!

The opera clothing is actually a real Opera costume, and made of silk.

We bought the deluxe, most expensive package of photography. I also own the negatives.

I have so many of these photos, I should share more.

Generation X Free Spirit Hippie Wedding Ensemble

I believe this was taken around 1997 or 1998.

My not-yet step-stister (whom was the daughter of my mother's boyfriend whom is now Mom's spouse) got herself knocked up by her boyfriend, so she married her boyfriend about a year or so after she had her son.

So this is what I wore. I was about 17 or 18.

Virtually EVERYTHING I'm wearing was either from a thrift shop, or re-gifted to me, and/or borrowed.

The shoes were from a thrift shop, and were my Mom's. I think she gave them to me.

The dress was also my Mom's, and she got it at a thrift shop, like the Salvation Army, and maybe paid $1-3 for it. So, I borrowed it, and she later on gave it to me.

The peacock feather I think was a purple dipped feather from the Philadelphia Zoo I got in 5th or 6th grade.

my mom gave me the watch, and the cuff bracelet was given to me by my Aunt, I think. the gold necklace was given to me by my BF in Germany.

The upper arm bracelet was given to me as a re-gifted item that was re-gifted multiple times from the bride's sister.

My hair style was loosly based on a hairstyle by German Rave Princess and pop star Blümchen (Jasmin Wagner) of whom I was a BIG FAN. The hairdo was based on her hairdoo she wore in a live concert in Berlin sometime in 1995 or 1996, in which she wore 3 braids in front, and the rest of her hair down, wearing what looked (i think) like the same dress she wore in the "Boomerang" music video where she's rollerblading around in Florida wearing a short white prom dress that laces up the back.

So, something like this, but down in the back.

I tried to find the photos online, but failed. I am sure I have it saved on CD-ROMs somewhere by my CD/DVD-ROM drive/player is busted on my computer. So, I can't even see what;s on my disks.


And, the after party was so drab, dull, and boring.
The only food I recall being there, to my memory, was some kind or silver or metal plates with rolled up delicatessen slices rolled in mayo or mustard, left out in the heat.

So, I starved the whole day, until I was allowed to have a bread roll.

And, the cans of cheap soda were warm because all the ice melted in the heat.

Anyways, I recall the wedding to be very boring, in a church, and the people in charge seems to not really care about doing their job. It was also an awkward wedding.


Even tho' I was best friends with the bride in Middle school & high school, and even went to the same high school, I wasn't allowed to participate in the wedding as a bride's made (even tho' I was the only actual "maiden" by which I mean I was the ONLY Virgin). The reason was because I was a Protestant. I was, but I was also New Age, and the bride dabbled A LOT in the occult & WICCA. At the time I still considered myself Protestant, just nondenominational, and altho' I was very socially liberal, I was actually rather religious, and so my my boyfriend.... but, I was also interested in New Age EVERYTHING, as well as ESP, and the paranormal.

As far as I know, the person the bride considered her best friend... might've actually also been a Protestant also... so, I have no idea what to think about that, because that chick was a bride's maid, and I wasn't, and both she, and her sister also called me their sister.

I don't know what it is with brides, but around the wedding time, they all get this attitude... don't know what to call it. It's like this uppity, power-pushing thing... I think it's a real thing. ALL OF THEM.

And, i recall being annoyed with the bride that whole week, and her just ignoring me like I didn't exist, unless she has some smart-ass quips...

Then, after all the party stuff was done, she cried, and hugged me, and thanked me for coming to her wedding, and wailed up a storm all over me...

...um.... whatever... people are weird.

What was that Bill Murray film back in the day where he was a motivational speaker, and he kept saying "OK, I'm over it"?

well...

OK, I'm over it....

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