Our amazing $500 pre-wedding shoot in Vietnam!
My fiancé and I just had our PWS done in Dalat, Vietnam in late-Jan 2026! We had a really smooth and pleasant photoshoot experience and absolutely loved how our final photos turned out so we decided we had to share the deets with other couples looking for a beautiful overseas PWS spot without breaking the bank!
To give some background, my fiancé and I were looking to do an overseas PWS as we wanted to do an outdoor nature-type shoot but didn’t think we would survive a full day shoot in our hot and humid SG weather… At the same time we are pretty cost conscious when it comes to wedding planning and weren’t comfy with spending $1.5-3k on our PWS which was the cost range we were seeing for most overseas shoots in popular locations like Japan, Australia, NZ. After lots of scrolling of lemon8 reviews of other couples’ PWS experiences, we chanced upon a very positive review of another couple who did their PWS in Dalat with local photography studio NCDL (ig @ngoaicanhdalat website https://ngoaicanhdalat.com/) and decided to give it a shot!
Package details:
We contacted NCDL via WhatsApp (number is avail on their website!) a few months before our planned PWS date to enquire on the package types/cost and ended up choosing their Gold package (VND10,900,000 / c.SGD530) which comprises: 3 shoot locations, 3 outfits each for bride/groom, 1 fresh flower bouquet, make-up and hair (3 different hairstyles for each of the 3 locations, and make-up touch ups at each location too) as well as a car for transportation. You can choose to bring your own casual outfit along as well if you don’t want to wear formal gowns/suits at all 3 locations. We opted out of the wood pressed photo frames as we didn’t want to hand-carry it on our flight and received a slight discount of around SGD30 off the total package cost. The deposit required to secure our PWS date was VND1,000,000 (around SGD50) which we paid for via Revolut’s bank transfer function and the remaining amount would be paid after the end of the PWS day.
We were provided a google drive link to NCDL’s portfolio, with neatly categorised folders of past photos taken at different locations. Upon request we also received another link with pictures of the gown/suit options available. These were really useful as we could take the couple of months before our shoot to browse and shortlist the locations, styles and outfits we liked.
1 day before PWS day:
We headed down to the studio at 9am in the morning (this is flexible, but we chose to go down first thing in the morning so we could free up our afternoon for some sightseeing) to finalise and plan our photoshoot locations/route with our photographer and also to pick out and try our gowns/suits! Our photographer was patient and could speak basic English to advise us on the pros and cons of our desired locations (e.g. large crowds, certain flower types not in bloom at a specific spot etc.) and we managed to settle on our 3 locations of choice really quickly. Next up was outfit try-ons at the studio’s basement level! This was a pleasant surprise as my fiancé and I were greeted with a whole basement level with a large variety of gowns and suits (and ties/bow ties) + a dedicated fitting room for us to try on and pick our outfits (see pics!). The stylist assisting with our try-ons (who will also double up as our make-up artist the next day) spoke great English and was super helpful and patient with us throughout the try-on process. Much to our relief, there were many more modern gown and suit designs than what was presented in the google drive links and we managed to pick 3 lovely outfits each for the shoot! They are also able to do small alterations on the pieces before the shoot, e.g. swapping out the shiny gold buttons on my fiance’s suit for simpler black/brown ones cause he thought they looked abit too flashy haha and slight alterations to gown length etc. which we really appreciated! Remember to bring your own heels/jewellery (bride) and inner shirt/dress shoes/belts (groom) as these wont be provided :)
PWS day:
Had to reach the studio at 3.15am on our PWS day to dress up and start our make-up but luckily we were staying in a nearby hotel (Hè Boutique Hotel, just a c.5min walk away! Comfy clean and spacious with modern designs at SGD30/night!). Bride hair and make-up starts first so the groom gets some much needed nap time in the meantime haha. It would be good to prepare some inspo pics for the make-up style and hairstyles you have in mind for the MUA to refer to so she can get right to it when you reach. I chose a half up-do for the morning but didn’t have a specific make-up style in mind. She suggested a Korean make-up style for me and I left her to it which turned out really great! We chose 2 outdoor locations and 1 cafe for a different indoor vibe. Following us on our PWS were two photographers who guided and directed our poses while capturing shots from different angles (which we came to appreciate when we reviewed the raw pictures later and saw the same pose captured in multiple angles for us to pick and choose!), 1 driver, and our make-up artist who followed us and helped make sure our hair and outfits stayed on point all day, helping to fluff my gown and change outfits (this is super important btw she was a lifesaver)
1. Pine forest - This was our first location of the day! We got there early at 5.30am to catch sunrise shots and there were a few other couples waiting for sunrise to hit to take PWS shots too. It was kinda cold early in the morning, totally recommend wearing a puffer over your gown while waiting around as it can get really windy, expect temperatures of c.15 degrees! It gets warmer as the sun peeks out, low to mid 20 degrees in the afternoon which is comfy.
2. The Florest - Our favourite location with plenty of beauuuuutiful flowers and Switzerland-like backdrops for you to take pictures with! Just note that it is a paid attraction so you’ll have to pay c.SGD10 per pax. We paid SGD60 in total for entrance fees for 6 pax: ourselves, our make-up artist (who doubled up as our English translator for the day), 2 photographers and 1 driver. Totally worth tho imo the attraction was huge and the landscaping was very well maintained.
3. Le Petit Cafe - Our photographer recommended this indoor cafe for our 3rd location since our previous locations were both outdoors. We donned our casual outfits for this shoot for a more casual vibe. The cafe had cute and cosy european vibes and we managed to get some pretty nice couple + solo shots here too!
We were done with our PWS by late afternoon and 2,000+ raw pictures were ready for our review by evening (they move superrr quickly!), which honestly already look pretty nice without any editing.
1 day after PWS day:
We get to pick 80 pictures for editing and most of the edited pictures go into the photo album book which you’ll get to review and swap our pictures if you wish! We received and got to keep all soft-copy raw and edited photos too. Given that we only had the next day in Dalat and the subsequent 2 days in HCMC, the photographers requested for us to provide them with our list of 80 pictures to be sent for editing that morning so they could quickly process them and have the photobook printed asap and sent to our hotel in HCMC (their printing shop is based there so this worked perfectly for us).
2 days after PWS day:
On the evening we arrived in HCMC just 2 days after our PWS, we received our photobook at our hotel concierge (again, SUPER fast and efficient). It was wrapped securely and came with a protective leather bag for us to carry our book onto our flight home. The pages were of great quality and the pictures turned out vibrantly!
Overall, we really enjoyed our PWS experience in Dalat and would highly recommend NCDL to any couples who are interested in doing their PWS in Dalat! For a super reasonable price, we got everything we wanted in a PWS - cool weather, beautiful scenic backdrops, an experienced team (to guide newbies like us who have never done any form of formal photoshoot together in posing..) and beautiful PWS pictures that we can display at our wedding and cherish forever as beautiful memories :)
Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions for us, we’d be happy to share more on our experience with other couples planning their PWS! ♥️
#preweddingphotoshoot #pws #preweddingshoot #vietnampws #weddingphotographer
For couples considering a pre-wedding photoshoot (PWS) abroad, Dalat, Vietnam offers a fantastic balance of scenic beauty and affordability. Beyond the couple’s experience shared, it’s important to highlight how Dalat's cooler climate is ideal for outdoor shoots, especially for those from tropical or humid regions where heat can be a challenge. Dalat is renowned for its pine forests, vibrant flower gardens, and charming European-style cafes that provide varied backdrops without the need for extensive travel between locations. This variety makes it possible to capture different moods and styles in a single day—like the couple’s choice of natural landscapes paired with cozy indoor settings. Hiring a local photography studio like NCDL can be advantageous due to their knowledge of the best spots, weather patterns, and timing for natural light. Their ability to provide diverse outfit options, styling, and hair/makeup within the package not only adds convenience but also significantly enhances the final results. Communication through WhatsApp and digital portfolios allows for thoughtful planning ahead of the shoot, reducing stress on the actual day. The logistical support of a car and a professional team, including photographers, stylists, and a driver, can greatly improve the experience by keeping things smooth and timely. The inclusion of multiple photographers capturing various angles is an excellent tip to ensure more curated choices in the final selection. Additionally, the rapid turnaround for viewing and editing hundreds of raw photos enables couples to be involved in the selection process and results in a high-quality printed photo album to treasure. Having the photobook delivered at the hotel adds a layer of convenience that many travelers appreciate. For anyone planning a budget-conscious but memorable PWS, Dalat’s natural beauty matched with local studio expertise creates a compelling alternative to more expensive and crowded destinations. Bringing personal accessories like shoes and jewelry ensures the final images reflect your own style, and doing some outfit trials beforehand helps to avoid any last-minute issues. Overall, the combination of affordability, well-organized services, picturesque locations, and quality outcomes makes Dalat an excellent choice for couples looking to create special pre-wedding memories without blowing their budget.
hello! the pictures looked very nice ❤️ I hope to ask! other than the photo albums what other physical items did you get? I saw that u get 80 edited pics and all other pictures. May I know what else? Thank u!