Copyright: Aske Munck
Her back is straight in the big dress, which almost covers the pavement in front of the old colonial building. Her black hair is pulled tightly back and arranged in a sculptural pony tail, and around the big, dark eyes is black kohl liner. She smiles happily in her wedding dress, while her groom peers into the photographer's lens and, turning to her, smiles equally happily.
Copyright: Aske Munck
When one crosses the Pearl River in the centre of Guangzhou and reach the small island Shamian Dao the first thing that meets the eye is the many shops offering wedding pictures.
Quite unsurprisingly, because Shamian Dao is different from the rest of Guangzhou. This was the place of the French and the English colonialists in the 18th century, and their influence is still apparent. The colonial architecture is well kept, the streets lined with trees and there's almost no traffic around the shaded parks, where people play badminton, mah-jong or sit and talk on the benches in the shade.
Copyright: Aske Munck
Because of its obvious charm the island has become the most sought after haunt for newly weeds eager to have a picture perfect setting for their wedding photos, and it's almost impossible to go for a stroll without seeing numerous couples of newlyweds, all having their special day immortalised by professional photographers, who give them minute instructions and almost have them enact little one-frame dramas.
Copyright: Aske Munck
A stunning woman in her 50'ies dressed in a huge white dress poses next to her husband, who's wearing a crisp white suit. A few steps away a young couple is told to sit down on the ground and pretend to play with the falling leaves. And further down the road a young woman is smiling in a traditional Chinese dress and her groom with bleached hair and beard is posing proudly by her side, as if they were the last heirs of a long gone dynasty.
Copyright: Aske Munck
The most stunning, tall bride forget all about her instructions and the professional team of make up artists and photographers surrounding her and her husband and instinctively gives us the obligatory Asian V-sign as we pass by and take a photo.
Even though the Guangzhou urban planners did their best to ruin the small islet's peaceful air by surrounding it with motorway flyovers, it's still a romantic walk in a historic place, and if the hunger strikes, there are lots of restaurants and cafés in Shamian that offer food under Chinese lanterns, many of them with a Pearl River view.
Go further: In the mood for more romance? Then read about where William Thirteen took actress Tilda Swinton on a magical date in Berlin.