The views from the hill where Matthias Church sits are incredible. On the Buda side of Budapest, tourists flock to the photo ops to get shots much better composed than mine.
When my family and I visited this past summer, we noticed a few pairs of newlyweds taking gorgeous wedding photos near the church. Clad in gown and tuxedo, the happy couples posed with the Hungarian Parliament in the background, flocked by a photographer, an assistant holding a flash, and a young woman I assumed was the bride’s friend or sister.
Isn’t that lovely? Only the heartless sees a newly wedded pair without experiencing at least a twinge of romance. I ooh and aah over the couples, take my own photos of the scenery, and move along.
A week later in Prague, we see more couples. These duos, like the ones in Budapest, were Asian, and accompanied by an entourage. We glimpse our first sighting when we are on a private tour, and I comment on how sweet it is. Our guide snorts a bit, and then shatters all my romantic notions of young love in Central Europe.
The newlyweds, he tells us, aren’t actually married yet. They are engaged, and fly around to different European cities to have their photos taken in front of iconic landmarks. They then share the photos in a slideshow at their wedding reception, and print them to make a coffee table book for their new love nest. Our jaded guide explains that it is a show of wealth for some Chinese couples to jet around the continent before their wedding to capture these photos.
Skeptical, I google “Chinese pre-wedding photos in Budapest,” and find an article from the BBC that clarifies the points our tour guide made. It is Chinese custom to have wedding photos taken before the big day and then share with guests during the wedding reception; taking photos around the world is a much more recent development among those families who can afford it.
Another quick Google search reveals that this pre-wedding photography is a lucrative industry, and if one has the money, nothing is impossible.
What is impossible on our last night in Prague, however, is taking a photo of the city sprawled below us as we look out over the castle grounds. Much of the viewing area is occupied by yet another bride, a groom, their photographer, the photography assistant, and the makeup person. I take a disgruntled selfie, but really I’m documenting what we’ve seen over half a dozen times on this trip.
I shrug off the photo-blocking and chalk it up to millennial love. The sky is prettier in the other direction anyway.
Haha. I love the disgruntled selfie. Can one have a “gruntled” selfie as well
I’m not sure what that would look like!
I think “a disgruntled selfie” is my new favorite phrase.
Ha – I like it too! Sadly, I look disgruntled in many selfies even when I am not.
Wow. You live and learn. They really must have a wad of funds to be able to do something that extensive… before they get married! But you’re right; the view from the other side was fantastic!
Yep – looking for the silver lining!
I love your last line… “The sky is prettier in the other direction anyway.”
This is fascinating, and I agree, a little disappointing. Thank goodness for us, the parents of daughters, that this isn’t an American tradition… yet.
I hope it doesn’t become one! If it does, my daughter will just have to miss out.
Who knew? And you’re right – looking at the sky turned out quite nicely afterall…
🙂
It did, right?
Wow. Just, GROSS. I mean really, photo ops to show your wedding guests that you’ve got money to waste? It feels SO FAKE. GROSS. I didn’t like how much makeup my hairdresser place put on me FOR MY WEDDING. Robert laughed when he saw me. Anyway, at least you’ve got the knowledge and the memories of amazing places with plastic people! 😉
PS also out of all the times we’ve gotten together, we’ve taken far too photos. I guess somebody tagging along with good makeup and lighting would have changed that!
True! I broke out in hives from the makeup I had done on my wedding day – I haven’t had my makeup done professionally since then!
The pre-wedding photos made me lol. I guess if you’ve got money you might as well flaunt it.
Maybe…but it seems a bit excessive to me.
I’m echoing everyone on the wow I never heard that either. Wearing my dress more than once would have been fun, but trying to have wedding hair for all those photos shoots would have been stressful.
Have you ever seen one of those facebook shares of popular places people visit like Yellowstone and how it isn’t quite as beautiful when you’re sharing it with a bunch of tourists trying to get the same picture? Pretty interesting.
I haven’t seen those FB shares, but it really is true!
I’d never heard of that, but I’m not surprised it’s a thing… I guess it’s a modern day twist on the boring wedding albums of just wedding day pictures. 😉
I guess so – although it’s much costlier!
This is one of the drawbacks to travel – other people are there as well…how DARE they, right?!? Lovely photos…
Thanks! Interacting with people from other cultures is definitely interesting and eye-opening. The American way isn’t the only way, and I love how traveling exposes us to the diversity in the world.
Oh dear God! Are you kidding me? I love that your guide was “snorting” at your comment 🙂 LOL!!! That is true insanity. How much money does one need to have to think this is a good idea? Wow. I guess it’s a good test of your relationship if you can fly all over the world and take photos in your wedding outfits without wanting to strangle your significant other by the end of it. My husband barely wanted to take all.the.photos ON our wedding day!!…it’s a lot of photos…only one of which is out on display now, 12 years later! I guess we should have gotten a book made 🙂
Me too! We have one on display and now that we’ve been married for 23 years, I’m ready to put it away!
Oh my. I’ve never heard of that! Holy cow. What the what?
Well it shows that YOU go to beautiful places..
Haha – so true! But Alaska has been the most beautiful…I guess it would be a bit too far to fly there from China, and too cold.
Wow to that sky in your last photo. As for the twinge of romance, I could see what you were saying. But again I probably would have been a bit disgruntled, as well after seeing that sight so many times, as well.