Here’s a couple with a great idea: Nicole and Ken were planning a trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia, so they decided to shoot their own bridal portraits there! It’s really something for a man to capture the beauty of his future wife through his own lenses; maybe you’ll be able to see what he sees. To those of you who might like to attempt this, here’s a tip: staging bridal portraits can be very time consuming, especially if you’re doing everything yourself, so we wouldn’t recommend a trip to Europe as that would waste time on travelling.

Ken: “My fiancée and I were planning a trip to Siem Reap and we thought, why not kill two birds with one stone and shoot our own bridal portraits? She surveyed DIY hairstyle and makeup techniques on the web while I studied wedding photography techniques. We bought a wireless remote trigger and a good quality tripod for better balance on uneven ground.

“We stayed four days in Siem Reap so we purchased two three-day passes that cost us USD40 each. There are dozens of beautiful temples to visit so we made a list of those that we would like to see. We also hired a tuk-tuk driver for two days and another driver with a car for a day so we could visit the temples that were farther out. We planned in advance as much as we could so we wouldn’t waste time scouting locations. Sometimes we wandered away from the tourist spots and were surprised to find even more picturesque sites.

“The weather was extremely hot and humid. Sunscreen is a must but above all, we found it very challenging physically. Nicole wore something light and simple so that she could move around easily. There were many temples where the structures had collapsed and we had to climb over fallen stones to get inside, but it was really worthwhile when we saw the photos.

“In the end, our photos may not be as great as those taken by a professional, but we are really proud of the results. It was a memorable visit and we really enjoyed the process as it drew us closer and made us more tolerant and understanding of each other. It was a very fulfilling trip for both of us!”

KEN & NICOLE {Cambodia}

Location Siem Reap