Worth an estimated $80 billion and growing, China's wedding industry is a strong marker of the rising purchasing power of China's middle class and newly wealthy. One highly profitable and important wedding-related event occurs long before the actual ceremony for Chinese couples: the photo shoot. Rather than focusing on photos during the big day, Chinese couples generally get dressed up in their wedding attire to take professional photos when the event is still in the planning stages. With a huge number of photography studios dedicated to the service at a range of price points, wedding photos have become increasingly elaborate in recent years. With importance placed on high-quality, unique photos, many affluent couples are opting to travel for "destination photos" rather than a studio backdrop. While many head to scenic locations in China (Xinjiang's Heavenly Lake is particularly popular), others are opting for global locations. A recent CNN Money segment followed one Chinese couple on their trip to London for an elaborate wedding shoot in front of the city's most picturesque monuments. Watch the video embedded above to see how they chose the UK as their main destination to document their love.
