Kathrin 
Ever so often …
the city wanderer stumbles upon an allegedly freshly wed couple, followed by an entourage of at least three people, laden with all kinds of equipment. Usually the bride wears unbridal, sensible shoes and her beautiful gown frequently looks the worse for wear. Once I even came across a radiant looking couple on a beach standing halfway in the water. It is a custom normally unheard of in the Western world: In China wedding photos are taken a couple of months before the actual marriage ceremony. On the wedding day, when the couple officially gets married these pictures are then shared with the guests.
Once a friend told me the story about a groom who, due to a recent car accident, looked like a pirate on his wedding day, with bruises and an toothless smile. Fortunately the couple had their fotos taken long before.
Being the backdrop of just too many wedding fotos, the Nan Lian Garden meanwhile has prohibited the access for “people in costumes” that have formerly crowded the scenic spots.
