Florence is the perfect destination for an unforgettable wedding day. Many couples from all over the world choose to celebrate the happiest day of their lives in the heart of the Renaissance city, from celebrities to Indian princes to the Kardashian clan. But an ever-more-booming business in Florence is the engagement photo industry…and one group seems to generate most of the buzz: Korean tourists.
Whether you’re crossing ponte Santa Trinita or hiking up to San Miniato, it’s very common to catch a young, good-looking South Korean couple walking around followed by one or two photographers: the betrothed are impeccably dressed and often surrounded by cheering friends and relatives, an entourage bent on ensuring everything is perfect for the photo.
Who are these couples and the people that trail behind them? Why do they tend to take their photographs here, yet wed elsewhere? Like a modern Sherlock Holmes, I began investigating, discovering numerous Asian agencies headed by professional photographers, backed by highly specialized crews. Often, each family in the bridal party has its own photographer. Most of those working in this niche are not locally based: in fact, every detail of these engagement photo sessions is generally hammered out by foreign-based agencies. Collaboration with local workers or wedding planners tends to be minimal.
My detective work brought me a few leads, but I was mostly left scratching my head, with no conclusions about costs, organizations or the cultural motivations behind this trend. If you’ve witnessed or been directly involved in this growing phenomenon, we want to hear from you.
Share your experiences with us via email or by using hashtags #EngagedinFlorence and #TheFlorentine on Instagram and Twitter.