China’s wedding industry is estimated to be worth a stunning $130 billion (up from $80 billion not long ago), and one significant part of that business happens before the ceremony even happens: the wedding photo shoot. That’s because in China, couples dress up in their marriage garb ahead of them for elaborate picture sessions, which can reach extreme levels of extravagance when wealthy clients are involved.
In the video embedded above, BBC profiles one company providing a unique twist on the practice: photos snapped underwater. According to the company’s owner, couples like diving into a giant tank in their gowns and formal attire because of the ethereal, weightless look it creates.
This isn’t the first instance of a fascination with humans swimming in water tanks in China—one Chinese mall has used “mermaids” in a giant tank as an attraction to lure visitors.