By Scott Ng, alumnus, SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business
How It All Started
Seeking a less conventional style for our pre-wedding photoshoot, Eve and I, decided to seek out options overseas. It was a tedious process finding a suitable wedding photographer. We had to scour through countless Google search result pages and visit multiple websites. It didn’t just end there, because we (okay, I admit it was Eve) had to reach out to each photographer and request for their rates one by one, in order to make the comparisons. The whole process was time-consuming, to say the least.
The Need for a Destination Wedding Photography Company
It dawned on us that even though many couples dream of having their photoshoot overseas, they are eventually put off by the hassle of organising one, as well as the exorbitant cost of covering the photographers’ travel and lodging expenses. For example, a typical overseas wedding shoot in Bali would require the couple to fly their Singapore-based photographer and his team over, which could cost them an additional $2,500 to $3,500.
We thought, “There has to be a better way to do this.” From there, we decided to create a better process that would address these problems—the solution was OneThreeOneFour.
Our idea for the platform was to make booking destination photoshoots seamless and transparent. Our platform showcases the highlights of each destination so that couples can easily browse the themes available at each location and the recommended routes to make the best out of their shoot.
They will also be able to view the content of each package with the simple click of a button. Our prices and details are all displayed upfront so that couples can know immediately what they will be getting for the price listed. Our concise information aids them in finding the perfect package that suits their style, schedule and budget.
After the booking and payment are complete, we will manage and plan the photoshoot while our couple sits back and await their big day. Wedding photoshoots should be convenient and fun and that is how OneThreeOneFour takes away all the hassle for our clients!
An All SMU Team
While the idea was seeded by Eve and me, we needed a team to get the ball rolling. So, we decided to rope in Xiang Rui, whom Eve had known for two decades and was a fellow schoolmate in SMU.
Xiang Rui had the technical skills to build OneThreeOneFour’s online platform, which was the backbone of our company. It was perfect as each of us has our own specialities and we make up for one another’s shortcomings.
I believe that SMU has shaped us to be more confident and a person with better people skills. These traits are really important when it comes to starting your own business. On top of that, SMU has also been very supportive of graduates who are running their own business, offering mentors and incubation services to help us.
The team at OneThreeOneFour (left to right); Scott Ng, Eve Law and Lee Xiang Rui.
Photoshoot in Bali
We got our first enquiry from a Singaporean bride only a few days after launching our platform. There were only a few weeks left to her wedding in Bali and she had everything ready except for a photographer. We managed to plan out the photography in time for her wedding and the photoshoot turned out well. She was very satisfied with our service and it gave us the confidence to move forward!
It’s amazing to think that when we first started reaching out to various photographers, we didn’t even have a working website as yet. All Eve and I had was a set of PowerPoint slides and plenty of courage, as we set out to Bali and started talking to our first group of photographers.
Since then, we have built a team of experienced and professional photographers at OneThreeOneFour, and can now provide photography services in destinations across various continents, such as Bali, Tokyo, New Zealand, Taiwan, Prague, Paris and more.
Photoshoot in Tokyo
Photoshoot in New Zealand
It has been a spectacular two years for the OneThreeOneFour team and the support from our clients has been overwhelming! While we had started out with the idea of helping Singaporeans plan an overseas wedding shoot, we are now thrilled to have expanded our service to couples from other countries like the United States, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia, and created their dream wedding photoshoots right here in Singapore as well!
Positive Feedback Keeps Us Going
We know we are doing right by our clients with the many positive reviews from satisfied couples that we have received, thus far. We are truly grateful for their heartfelt messages!
It fills me up with joy and pride whenever I see these amazing pictures of our couples! Knowing that OneThreeOneFour has helped couples create a wonderful photoshoot experience is worth all the hard work our team has put in.
Find out more about www.OneThreeOneFour.com
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