More and more young couples opt to take their bridal photos at film studios rather than conventional ones in Ho Chi Minh City for the novelty, convenience and gorgeous, exotic settings the new service offers.

In previous years, most couples typically took their bridal photos at conventional studios with plain, cliché settings.

Those with more time and greater budget may choose to take their photos at scenic spots or recreation parks throughout the city or take several-day photo-taking trips to tourist attractions in other provinces.

Apart from the exorbitant costs incurred, including the expenses to bring entire photographer teams and their bulky kits to the sites, the quality of outdoor bridal photos is heavily dependent on the elements, which can make or mar the photos.

Brides and grooms also feel awkward posing intimately in public places. Some are also not very photogenic outdoors as they blink at the sun.

In less than one year, the appearance of film studios in major Vietnamese cities, including HCMC, has breathed a new breeze, solving all these inconveniences and discomforts.

Exotic settings, different feel

HCMC is currently home to some 10 such film studios, which are run by individuals or companies operating in wedding and event holding.

The studios, either occupying vast areas or   housed in buildings, offer brides and grooms a wide variety of exotic settings and atmospheres, which range from Europe’s ancient, romantic ambiance to South Korea’s trendy, youthful milieu.

When such studios were launched, they welcomed up to 30 couples a day during the wedding season, which falls in the final months of the year.

At 3pm, Tuong Van and her groom-to-be, who both work at a local media company, are posing for their bridal photos at L’Amour Film Studio on Binh Thanh District’s Nguyen Xi street.

The 1,000m2 studio is divided into diverse settings, including an anciently-styled room which is a reminder of the French films of the early 20th century, and a lush Japanese-styled garden beautified with cherry blossoms and green lawns.

Also found nearby are Eden-like sceneries, wintry landscapes, jungles and farms.

After two hours, Van and her groom posed at most of the settings.

“We planned to take our bridal photos at Ban Nguyet (Crescent) Lake in District 7’s Phu My Hung area, but we read online that taking bridal photos at film studios is quite a fabulous experience. We give it a try and are satisfied with the settings and service here,” she shared.

She found that the setting rent of VND700,000 (US$33) for the first hour and less for the next hour plus some million dongs for hiring a photo-taking team and making an album are reasonable.

Updated interior design, painstaking antique collection

Nguyen Minh The, 30, launched L’ Amour Film Studio in April.

He offered an outdoor bridal photo service in HCMC and other provinces, but his photo shoots were usually affected by the weather.

The decided to try his hand at the film studio photo taking service after doing extensive research on similar models in South Korea and China.

He made his own setting designs based on those collected from the Internet.

“We spent quite a lot of time searching for collectibles to add to our settings to make them realistic,” The shared.

He himself chopped wood to make and decorate a bed, or bought piles of straw from another province to adorn his cottage.

The 1,000m2 Déjà Vu Film Studio in Tan My, District 7, built in February 2014, looks just like a modern street in Europe, which is lined with book stores, cafes, pubs and hotels.

Unlike other film studios, which mostly offer separate settings, Déjà Vu designs an entire, realistic street which also boasts sidewalks and street lights.

Lam Tran, Déjà Vu manager, said that the studio welcomes several couples a day and more on weekends.

“We pay meticulous attention to details to make our settings as realistic and lifelike as possible. Our roofs also have transparent toles to absorb most sunlight,” he added.

Some film studios, which are housed in buildings, make the most of their limited space.

The 300m2 Rue 84’s studio, located on the second floor of a building in District 10’s Cao Thang street, appeal to young couples for its youthful décor and natural sceneries.

Its staircases and even hand basins in restrooms are also turned into stunning settings.

Meanwhile, the Vow Wedding House 1, 2, and 3 in Districts 2, Go Vap and 4, draw their clients, including Vietnamese expats and foreigners, thanks to their unique settings of library, lawn and huge roses.

Such studios as White House in Go Vap District and Orange Studio in Thu Duc District also boast swimming pools, or Italian-styled cathedrals.

The studio owners also change their settings on a regular basis to avoid repetition and add novelty.

Déjà Vu has just launched its three new settings: the beach, pub and a flowery wall.

Rue 84’s also just had their windows and walls covered with a smoky paint coating for a change.

The studio owners also spend time collecting antique items, such as suitcases, old-styled telephones and gramophones.

They also hire art students or graduates to craft their custom-made handicraft items.

To boost their draw, the owners also offer promotional programs and allow more interaction with clients on Facebook.

They are optimistic that the trend of taking bridal photos at film studios will continue to thrive, particularly in large cities, where natural landscapes have been shrinking and the fast-paced modern life don’t allow many people to spend considerable time and money for their wedding preparations.

“Photos taken at studios don’t require much Photoshop work. Though many may find taking bridal photos outdoors an ideal choice, I think taking studio photos is best for busy couples,” noted Nguyen Dung, a cameraman at L’ Amour.  

The film studios offer photo taking and videotaping services for professional models at similar rates.

Apart from the comforts the studios offer, some clients complain that the studios are stuffy and don’t offer reasonable prices, as time-consuming costume change adds to the hours and thus increases fees.

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