Memories of Melaka: Allan & Shiela's Pre-Wedding Session { Malaysia }

Melaka was a dream. Melaka was my dream.

I had long wanted to visit this awe-inspiring UNESCO heritage site in Malaysia just two hours away from Kuala Lumpur. The historic city had a mix of the old and the new. Once the seat of the Malacca Sultanate, the historic port city became an important trading port in the 16th century at the height of the spice trade. The foreign rules from the Dutch to the British contributed to Melaka's rich history and culture, and is apparent in the architectures present in the city.

A month ago, the dream became a reality. It would become my stage for an international destination shoot.

The chance to be there was given by old friends Shiela and Allan from high school in GenSan who wanted to celebrate another milestone of their love and relationship in a memorable trip to a majestic place.

They were the second couple I flew with to an international destination shoot. We were joined by my partner-in-style Vna of Love x Metaphor, who brought in the right touch to the wardrobe and styling of the couple.

Our first location was in Klebang Beach also known as Pantai Klebang to locals. We had to walk 20 minutes to get to the beachfront, which Shiela and Allan gamely did.

When we got there, we found picturesque sand dunes on a stretch of white sand beach. As it directly faces the Strait of Malacca, Pantai Klebang can have a display of beautiful sunset colors.

Love x Metaphor styled the couple with a boho look for this location. We wanted to show them at their most relaxed while having fun at the sand dunes.

We did several shoots around the area, also waiting to catch the sunset colors. Around 7pm, it appeared. Although the sky's colors were faint, we took the most of our opportunity before the sky turned dark.

In our next locations, we mostly shot outdoors. I had to get the most lighting and the weather conditions.

While shooting at the Dutch Square and Red Church in the morning, we had to deal with the gloomy weather. But when noon hit, the sky's cleared up a bit and we had more light. I took advantage of this with several key shots.

There were a crowd of curious onlookers in these locations. Perhaps they were charmed by our couple and the classy styling of Love x Metaphor on them.

We found The Voyage Cafe, a rustic cafe by the river. Love x Metaphor dressed the couple in semi-formal clothes- Allan in a suit, but employing the contemporary fashion twist of using shorts instead of trousers. Shiela wore a maxi dress with tropical patterns that mirrored the flora present in the area.

I loved including the elements of the old church's architecture, the Malaysian flag, and the river in the photos I took in those areas.

We also did a shoot in Jonker street. One of my favorite spot was the Instagrammable police station ouside of the H&M building, which had Victorian architecture.

In Harley Davidson, we had a feel for noir and for James Bond movies. Love x Metaphor chose black ensembles for the couple.

Our last shoot happened just outside the condo where we stayed. The bride-to-be stood in the middle of the street with her groom-to-be, their silhouttes partially lighted with flash and fairy lights. It was drizzling, but the rain rendered a mesmerizing effect to the photos.

Vna, apart from doing styling duties (she dress the bride-to-be with a gown by Jho Es and Figure Collection), was my gaffer and lightman for this location.

In all our days and shoots in Melaka, Shiela and Allan showed the best attitude as our travel buddies and as our international destination couple. Allan, as a sea man, was used to the waves of traveling. But it was a rare opportunity to be traveling with his partner due to his work. He made each moment count with Shiela, and we were honored to witness a love that transcended countries and through time, from Gensan to Melaka, from high school to the present.

We hope that the memories we created in Melaka at the sand dunes, the old churches, the iconic streets, and that evening under the rain, would remind them always of how blessed they are with the love God has given them.

Hair & Make-up & Styling by Ms. Vna Routel of Love and Metaphor,  WArdrobe by Figure Collection & JHo Es, Photographed by Van Almeria of The Walking Eyes, Equipment used Sony A7III and Sony Zeiss 55mm 1.8 and Nikon D610, 35mm 1.4 Art Sigma