I always thought of myself as the girl who wants the big white wedding, frills and all...until J proposed and I actually sat down and started thinking about what I wanted for my wedding. Surprisingly, the frills and the big white wedding suddenly weren't as appealing to me. Don't get me wrong, I want a pretty dress and I want to have a day where I can celebrate our marriage with my closest friends and family, but I just can't be bothered with the 'extras'...like engagement photos.

I know this is a huge trend, especially in Asia, where people go all out and even travel to all corners of the world to get that perfect photo in that flowing dress. I wanted to forego these pictures completely, but I realised that J and I would need, at the very least, one simple photo to put on our Save the Date cards and event page.

So I enlisted the help of my sisters, and off we went to Desa Park City, a lovely park area with great views and a great dog park. Since we were going to be bringing Chloe along, we wanted to find a dog-friendly area (Malaysia isn't particularly dog friendly, what with it being a Muslim country and all) and this was our best bet.

So off I went, with my trusty camera, my very supportive sisters, a very hyper dog and a very sleepy fiancé, at 6.35 in the morning, to score a decent shot in the morning sun.

If I could give anyone any advice about DIY wedding photoshoots, it's this:

1. Research your photography if you don't have a professional/enthusiast photographer with you.

2. Wear long-lasting, sweat-proof makeup (more on that later)!

3. Show your photographer some shots that you want your own to look like, and explain what it is about those photos that you like (lighting/pose/mood).

4. If you're looking for a 'golden-hour' type shot, head out early and make sure everyone knows what they're meant to do beforehand. This saves you time and helps you get as many shots in as possible before the light becomes too harsh or fades.

5. Find a way to say thank you to your helpers! J and I treated my sisters to breakfast after the photoshoot :)

And since this is a beauty blog after all, I'm going to share with you the products I used to get my look for the shoot!

Face
banila co. Prime Primer Foundation applied with Bobbi Brown Face Blender brush
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal to highlight cheekbones, forehead, cupid's bow
Tarte Blush in Bashful on the apples of my cheeks
Tarte Blush in Breathless to contour under my cheekbones and around my temples

Eyes
Marc Jacobs Eye Stick in Twinkle Pop as base
TheBalm Meet Matte palette (Matt Hung & Matt Wood)
TonyMoly Backstage Gel Liner in Black
Make Up For Ever Aqua Smoky Extravagant mascara
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Taupe for brows

Lips
Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color in Blush Nude
Dior Lip Maximizer

And before I finish this post, one final word of advice - relax and enjoy yourself. These are pictures you'll keep for the rest of your life, and I'm sure you'll want to look back on the day with fond memories. I hope you guys enjoyed this post! x