WELCOMED HOME

We were pretty excited to be doing a Welcome Home Workshop over in Belfast.. a.. because it's Belfast and we knew we would be spending a few days in good company with good food and.. b.. because this is where Pete's Dad is from.. where most of his family still are… and where Pete hasn't been for about 20 odd years.. it was definitely time to come home..

We spent the first few days in the centre of Belfast.. we held the workshop at the amazing Life Church on the Thursday and then had the Friday to explore the city.  We didn't realise when we organised Welcome Home that the Giro, a huge bike race would be going on that weekend.. but walking around with every shop proudly displaying huge pink window stickers and roads lined with people with pink flags.. it actually had such a lovely atmosphere.

We started the day at the famous Titanic Belfast (which is a definite must see) and then headed to the incredible Made in Belfast for the BEST. Dinner. Ever…

Here's some iPhone goodness of our time in Belfast..

Pete's parents had travelled over (they live in England) and on the Saturday came to pick us up to spend some time visiting relatives in Belfast and then we headed over to Donegal to stay with Pete's 96 year old Great Aunt Peig.  We spent the rest of the week walking along beaches.. playing card games.. eating sandwiches and scones and drinking vast amounts of tea.  Me and Pete have been together for about 9 years now but if I'm honest.. I didn't really know his family very well… and I think even Pete would admit.. his memories of his family are mostly from when he was about 11 or 12yrs old so to go back now, as an adult.. it really was such a special trip.

For me, watching Pete.. listening to stories of when he visited Ireland as a child.. meeting Aunties, seeing family photos, visiting the same spots.. it felt a huge privilege.  There are so many comparisons between both our families.. mine coming from Liverpool.. they both have such a strong culture.. both hard working.. living a stone's throw away from each other.. a wonderful sense of humour.. and of pride.. such normal, every day magic.  And one day me and Pete would love to start a little family of our own and this will be their history too.. this is their family.. our family.  It really did feel like home.

A few more iPhone photos…

Ireland.. we'll most definitely be back.

BE THE ARTIST // PRINT

After coming back from New Zealand we both wrote a blog post about how we felt and how life changing the retreat A Bit More Soul was for the both of us.  Pete has always got such a good way with words and what he wrote.. well,  I wanted it on my wall to look at every day.

We put a call out on fb to see if any one could make Pete's wonderful words look pretty and one of our friends Charlie Felgate came up with the goods… aghhh I LOVE it!!

Me and Charlie got chatting and our mutual friends.. the wonderful Andy and Emily Squires (they are actually one of our first couples that we photographed back in 2010) had had a bit of a rough time last year…

On the 14th April 2013 their gorgeous little boy Thomas was diagnosed with severe bacterial meningitis.  He was extremely sick, spending 3 weeks in hospital and many months afterwards recovering.  They subsequently found out that the illness has left Thomas profoundly deaf.  Whilst the news was devastating, Thomas appears to have made a full recovery and is a beautiful, happy and healthy little boy.  He now has bilateral cochlear implants to help with his hearing, both Andy and Emily are learning BSL as signing will be an essential skill for Thomas as he grows up and integrates himself within the Deaf community.. and the future is looking positive.

A few weeks ago Andy and Emily both ran the Brighton Marathon in aid of Meningitis Now and all their friends and family are so, so proud of the money that they've raised but more than that.. the sheer bravery and incredible strength that these two wonderful parents have shown.. we're just in total awe.

So we wanted to do a bit more.

We have a limited stock of 100 x 'Be the Artist' A5 prints and all the profits will be donated to the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton where this little family's whole world was tentatively held in their hands.  From speaking to both Andy and Emily.. the Doctors and Nurses did an absolutely incredible job and we'd love to be able to show them just how much that means to Andy, Emily, all of their friends and family.. and of course to the smiliest little boy in the land, Thomas.

Me and Pete went to visit Andy and Em a few weeks before Thomas was due to have his cochlear implants fitted and I can't tell you how much of an absolute honour it was to capture this beautiful family's 'every day'…

  

So if you fancy some wonderfully inspiring words on your wall and would like to help an incredible hospital help more little people like Thomas then grab a copy of our limited edition 'Be the Artist' print now.. :)

'Be the Artist' A5 Print
350gsm Uncoated card

£12.50
Includes P&P

Orders should be received within 10 working days

A MASSIVE thank you to Pete for actually making up these awesome words in that lovely head of yours.. to Charlie for her crazy wonderful illustrative skills and to Veronica Dearley for helping me with photoshop and colours.. Go team!!

If you do buy a print make sure you instagram it proudly wash taped to your wall using the hashtag #betheartist

chapters...

Through social media we always try and keep in touch with all our couples and now we're in our fourth year of shooting weddings we have quite a few couples all dotted around the country.. all enjoying the first few years of married life.  We watch them move house, new jobs and quite often make two.. three. This is incredible to watch and we somehow feel like proud parents having been with them on their wedding day and now watching the next chapter of their life begin.

Ahhhhhhh looooook at theeeeeeem...

It's amazing to see these little carbon copies of two people we love.. looking so much like both their Mama and their Pappa.  We see our Bride's eyes.. our Groom's smile and we want to tell each and every little one how beautiful their Mum and Dad looked on their wedding day.. how they smiled and laughed all day, how they told a whole room full of people just how much they love each other.. and how they danced like fools on the dance floor.  Then I think about in years to come when all these little ones will look at their Mum and Dad's wedding album.. laugh at the funny outfits and Dad's crazy hair and it makes me feel so proud that we are a part of that.

  

To be honest.. I'm not really sure what this is about...



If any more of our couples have had babies and haven't told us about it.. (you do remember what we said would happen if you didn't tell us).. then please send over some piccies and we'll add them to this post..

I just wish you all lived in Birmingham so I could plant a big squidgy kiss on each of those gorgeous cheeks...