Huang Da Li was a literary writer before settling into the Chinese medicine business. He was also an amateur photographer. In July 1952, he married his childhood sweetheart, Si Jing (the pen name of Ng Soo Lui), a prolific female writer in the Chinese community who has written extensively on her childhood and life in Chinatown. They held their 17-table wedding banquet at the Great Southern Hotel. The groom is wearing a long-sleeved shirt with trousers and a bow tie in the photograph. 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.
