Si Jing (the pen name of Ng Soo Lui) was a prolific female writer in the Chinese community. Born in Singapore in 1934, she has written extensively on her childhood and life in Chinatown. Si Jing married her childhood sweetheart, Huang Da Li, in July 1952. They held their 17-table wedding banquet at the Great Southern Hotel. The groom is wearing a Western-style suit with a bow tie, while the bride is wearing a Western-style long-sleeved wedding gown with a sweetheart neckline, basque waist and a veil. The adoption of Western wedding customs and attire in Singapore accelerated in the early 20th century. They were first adopted by the Eurasians and Straits Chinese, followed by the Chinese and Indians. The initial change was largely attributed to the spread of Christianity in the community. Other possible factors for the adoption and the continued popularity of this trend include the desire to be modern, an affordable alternative to the costly traditional wedding attire, as well as the influence from Western education and the mass media.This photograph is part of the donor’s personal photograph collection.
