Big Shots: Chinese Couples Strike A Western Pose for Wedding Photos
BEIJING -- When the Miracle Love Marriage photography studio opened at 8:30 a.m., the attentive young women who ensure that love in modern China is neatly packaged and saved for posterity were already at the front door practicing their calisthenics.
But it was Liu Ting, who sells cosmetics, and her fiancé, Sheng Yue, a telephone-equipment manager, who should have been stretching. Both 24 years old, they were about to spend one month of Mr. Sheng's salary and more than nine hours of their time on wedding photos that, according to the studio, would convey "a passion which consumes all thought and deed" and fill their lives "with ecstasy."
As the couple waited for makeup -- three mobile phones and a boxed lunch before them -- other wedding-photo studios on North Xidan Street opened their doors.
Their storefronts were filled with white angel wings, confetti-filled balloons and red hearts. Their model albums displayed pictures of the imaginary worlds that the couples could enter -- themed sets including French boudoir, jungle love and steamy bathroom, all complete with costumes and recommended poses.
With names such as Paris, Love in New York and Rome Style Life, the mostly Taiwanese-owned studios that dominate one of Beijing's busiest shopping districts have capitalized on a Chinese obsession with Western-style wedding pictures.
For the equivalent of $375 to $750, packages include at least five costume changes and a trip to pose in front of a nearby Roman Catholic church, even though most couples aren't Christian. "It fits the Western style of the dress," said Huang Ling, 23, director of the Miracle Love Marriage studio.
Even if most couples prefer Western wedding fashions, the big day itself often still features at least one Chinese outfit, a Chinese banquet and an auspicious wedding date. It is an especially busy time now because, in an unusual quirk, this lunar year twice includes the day that marks the beginning of the lunar spring.
"It stands for a lucky year, for them to have more children," Ms. Huang said. "Last year, if you wanted to make an appointment, you waited less than a week. This year it's two weeks. We have 20 couples a day on the weekends."
By 10:30 a.m., Ms. Liu's hair was curled and her eyelids were bright blue. Mr. Sheng's face was smoothed with foundation. Other young women picked out billowing white, Cinderella-style gowns.
Nearby, another couple peered at a computer screen, trying to choose the most flattering shots from their marathon photo session the previous week.
"I prefer the natural shot," said Xu Quan Zhen, 27, examining a studio-created image of himself and his bride-to-be, Chen Ying, 26, on a Hawaii-like beach in front of a crystal blue wave. An assistant assured the couple that their teeth could be digitally brightened.
Makeup complete, Ms. Liu and Mr. Sheng climbed into a 16-seat minibus with another heavily made-up couple bound for St. Joseph's Church in the Wangfujing district. "I prefer to get married next year, but his parents prefer this year. It gives them a good psychological feeling," Ms. Liu said. "For us, we are just worried about how expensive it will be."
Their Sept. 10 wedding will cost $1,250, just over three months' salary. But that is nothing compared with the wedding being thrown by Mr. Sheng's brother, who spent $2,250 to have his photos taken in Paris -- the French capital, not the competing studio down the street.
At St. Joseph's Church, Deng Peng Peng, 25, wilted in the noon heat, her Western-style wedding dress held in place with safety pins. Her fiancé, Liu Can, 28, wiped sweat from his brow and pulled at a foundation-stained shirt collar.
They, too, chose to hold their wedding on a traditionally lucky date. Ms. Deng's parents had asked them to do so. "We'd like to follow our parents' wishes," she said. "And we hope to be lucky."
After the couples had been suitably posed against the backdrop of the church, smiling at each other, standing under a shaded tree, they were bused back to the studio. Ms. Deng sat down to touch up her makeup.
"I'm hot, and sick and tired of switching from place to place," muttered Mr. Liu, her husband-to-be.
Ms. Liu changed into a red evening gown, lace and sequins running up her leg. Her fiance, Mr. Sheng, chugged bottled water.
Around 2 p.m., in a room at the back, another couple wasn't quite getting in the mood, even after assistants pumped perfume and soft music toward them. A photographer, Wu He Jia, looked on.
"Please touch your noses together," he said, "as if you're enjoying this."
中国情侣热衷西式婚纱照
当情订奇缘婚纱影楼早上8点半开始营业的时候，那些相信现代中国的爱情已不再是为了传宗接代的年轻女孩们早已在门口翘首以待。
化妆品销售员刘婷（音）和她的未婚夫、电话设备产品经理盛越（音）为了这一刻也是做足了准备。这两个同为24岁的年轻人将用掉盛越一个月的工资、花上九个多小时的时间来拍摄婚纱照。影楼说，这些照片将传达出“超越一切的真情”，让他们的生活充满“激情”。
在这对新人等待化妆时，西单北大街上的其他影楼也陆续开始营业了。刘婷和盛越面前摆著三部手机以及午餐盒饭。
情订奇缘的店面橱窗里摆著白色的天使翅膀，内充五彩纸花的气球以及颗颗红心。样片中展示的则是恋人们的梦幻世界──拍摄主题场景包括法式闺房、丛林之爱和迷情浴室，所有场景都配有不同的服饰妆容及拍照姿势。
在北京这条最繁华的商业街上，巴黎婚纱(Paris)、纽约-纽约(Love in New York)、罗马风情(Rome Style Life)等各式影楼比比皆是，这些多为台湾人经营的婚纱影楼抓住的正是中国人对西式婚礼场景的向往心理。
在情订奇缘拍摄一套花费在375美元至750美元间的婚纱照可至少更换五套服装，并到附近的罗马天主教堂拍摄外景──尽管大多数新人并不信教。情订奇缘影楼主管、23岁的黄玲（音）说，“这个背景和西式礼服搭配起来很协调。”
尽管大多数新人更锺爱西式婚庆，但在结婚当天，新人们仍会换上至少一套中式服装，并举办中式宴会，而且还会挑选一个适合结婚的黄道吉日。今年结婚的人特别多，因为今年中国农历有两个立春，这样的情况可不多见。
黄玲说，“今年是个好年头。如果在去年预定拍照，只要等不到一星期，而在今年则要等上两个星期。周末的时候我们一天要接待20对新人。”
上午10点半，刘婷的头发已经变成了卷发，睫毛也被涂上了明亮的蓝色。盛越的脸上也打上了粉底。其他年轻女孩儿正在选择华丽的白色礼服。
在旁边，另一对新人正坐在电脑前挑选最令他们满意的照片，上周他们也经历了马拉松式的漫长拍照过程。
27岁的徐权震（音）说，“我更喜欢这张自然风格的照片。”他和26岁的未婚妻陈盈（音）正在仔细端详著一张照片，拍摄背景是碧蓝的海水和一片夏威夷风格的海滩，这个效果是影楼制作出来的。一位工作人员向这对新人保证，他们的牙齿通过电脑处理可以变得更加亮白。
化妆完毕，刘婷、盛越和其他浓妆艳抹的新人们登上了有16个座位的小客车，准备前往王府井的天主教堂东堂。刘婷说，“我想明年结婚，而他的父母更愿意我们今年结婚。这让他们心理上感觉更舒服。我们只是担心婚礼巨大的开销。”
他们9月10日的婚礼将花费1,250美元，超过了三个月的工资。不过这和盛越哥哥的婚礼相比简直不值一提，他的哥哥花了2,250美元在巴黎拍摄了婚纱照──是真正的巴黎，而不是北京的那个婚纱影楼。
在东堂，25岁的邓朋朋（音）被午后的烈日晒得没了精神，她的西式婚纱被安全别针固定得牢牢的。她的未婚夫、28岁的刘灿（音）擦著额头的汗水，拉开了被粉底染脏的衬衣领子。
他们同样将婚礼日期选在了良辰吉日。这是邓朋朋的父母要求的。她说，“我们希望遵从父母的意愿，我们也希望这能给我们带来好运气。”
这对新人站在教堂前面的一棵树下，微笑著看著对方，摆好姿势拍照，然后他们又坐车回到了影楼。邓朋朋坐下来补妆。
她的未婚夫刘灿小声说，“我觉得又热又难受，不想再从一个地方跑到另一个地方照相了。”
刘婷换上了一套点缀著蕾丝花边和亮片的红色晚礼服。她的未婚夫盛越喝著瓶装水。
下午两点，在后面摄影棚中，另一对新人似乎难以进入状态，在工作人员喷了香水、播放了轻音乐后也仍是如此。摄影师吴和佳（音）站在一旁。
他说，“把你们的鼻子挨到一起，做出陶醉的样子。”
