Justover40yearsago,marriageinChinawasarrangedbythestate.Romanticlovewasseenasacapitalistconceptandwasnotallowedduringthisperiod.Weddingphotography(ifanyatall)consistedofoneblackandwhitepassportphotoofthecouple(dressedinMao-styleoutfits)asproofofthemarriage.Now,Chinahasfalleninlovewithloveanditsexplodingweddingindustryisworth80billiondollars,anditisonanupwardcurve.Pre-weddingphotographyisoneofthemostsignificantandcuriouspartsoftheindustry.EverycouplemarryinginChinawilltakepartinapre-weddingshoot.Itinvolvesseveralcostumeandbackdropchangeswhereyoucanbecomeacharacterinanyfantasyyouchoose.Forthemostexoticlo-cationscouplespayupto$250,000AUD.Pre-weddingphotoshootshavebecomeanimportantnationalritual.Theyareproofofthemarriagebutnowalsooflove,romance,freedom,status,moneyandthenewChinaDream.AsanexpatlivinginShanghaiwithalonghistoryofcomingtoChina,SinophilephotographerOliviaMar-tin-McGuirewascaptivatedbytheconstructionofdreamsthroughthisboomingphotographicworld.OnceshestartedtodelvedeeperintothisnewtraditionalshefoundauniquewindowintoChina.Onethatrevealedacountrydreaming,acountryrapidlyboomingandacountryreconstructingitsrecentpasttraumaallthroughtheirownlens.ChinaLovetakesusonawildjourneyintothewarmthofthefamilywebinChinaintotheheartsofourcharactersandintotheirpersonaldreamswithanunderstandingofwhyandwheretheseaspirationscomefrom.TheprojectexploresChina'snewpositionasaglobalisedcountryfromitsrestrictiveandhighlytraditionalpast-throughthewindowofitsboomingweddingindustryandaskswhatisthenewChinaDreamwhenitcomestolove.
