Recently Engaged Couples tell their story…..

February 8, 2012 By Courtenay Leave a Comment

Another enagement story that has been entered into our fabulous Valentines competition … today I would like to introuduce you to Sam!

We first met in 2009, when I started a new job & he was my supervisor. I didn’t like him at first, as i was shy & quiet to begin with as you are when you start a new job! Chris was sarcastic, and often made me feel put down with his oh so ‘witty comments’!

I first started fancying him when I was cold one day and he offered his jacket to me. I forgot to give him the jacket back at the end of the day, However with him being a staff supervisor he had access to all staff contact details and so proceeded to text me about his jacket. From then on we text regularly & just hit it off, and on November 24th 2009 we officially made it as a couple!

So last year, as our two year anniversary was coming up, we decided to do something special and booked a 4 night stay in a log cabin in the Forest of Dean, which was fabulous with its heated hot tub outside and a real log burning fire.

On the day of our anniversary, we planned to cook a nice meal, get dressed up as if we were going out to a restaurant. In the morning I gave Chris his gift, and he presented me with a box which he told me I couldn’t open till later on, I thought nothing of this. As we ate dinner we had our favourite album on, The Phantom of the Opera. After we ate, Chris asked me to dance, which we did in front of the roaring fire, very romantic. Just as the song was about to finish, Chris handed me back the box to open which I did, whilst I held the box he opened the lid, took out the ring and got down on one knee! It was a beautiful moment, one I shall never forget.

Just after Chris proposed, showing off the ring!

Another great story, thank you Sam and Chris.

There is still time to enter our fab competition, just click the following link and fill in the form, it couldn’t be easier than that- Valentine Competition

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic Ltd

Filed Under: Competitions, Enagement, Fun Stuff, Other stuff Tagged With: Competition, Dorset wedding Photographer, engagement, Getting married, valentines competition, Valentines Day, wedding photographer dorset

Recently Engaged couples tell their story…..

February 6, 2012 By Courtenay Leave a Comment

Continuing with our current theme of recently engaged couples here is another lovely story, this time from Cheryl…

A friend of mine asked to spend the day with me before I left uni for the Christmas holidays and as I study in Stirling we decided to head up the Wallace Monument. At the top my friend suggested I ask someone to take a photograph of us so I approached the only man also on the top with us. Imagine my surprise when I finished asking the question only for my Boyfriend to take down his hood and spin around, pull out and ring, drop down to one knee and propose!! He had been planning it for months – asking my Dad’s permission, my mum’s advice on the ring and booking flights to Scotland to surprise me Just perfect!

The actual moment!!

Wow Cheryl, what a surprise that was! But a great one all the same

Come on, there is still time to enter our fab competition, just click the following link and fill in the form, it couldn’t be easier than that- Valentine Competition

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic Ltd

Filed Under: Competitions, Enagement, Fun Stuff, Other stuff Tagged With: Dorset wedding Photographer, engagement, Getting married, recently enaged, valentines competition, Valentines Day, wedding photographer dorset

Recently Engaed Couples tell their story…

February 4, 2012 By Courtenay Leave a Comment

Here is another lovely story of a newly engaged couple, who have entered our fab Valentines Competition! Sharing her story with us today is Michelle….

So..!! in March last year I had almost given up hope of meeting Mr Wright – there were certainly plenty of Mr Wrongs, Mr Not rights nows and dozens of Mr your so not right its wrong! After a pretty heavy weekend on the tiles I decided to go and meet a bunch of mates for a late sunday nightcap… dressed it on old baggy tea-stained jumper, hair scraped back and black mascara smudged over my face I was not a pretty site to say the least as I melted into the comfy leather sofa and pulled out the Sunday papers..

Then along came Jack. He was so good-looking I went the same crimson shade as my half-chipped nail polish.. Tall, rugged and hansom, my prince charming, the man I had been waiting for my whole life, strolled into the pub the minute I turn up like i should be one of the ugly sisters scrubbing the floor! Disaster – they say you make your mind up in 3 seconds – well I thought it would be a one micro-second look at me and he would be off.. as i hid behind my broadsheet I realised i was going to have to speak to him, he had plonked his cute little butt right next to me!

I took a deep breath, pretended I looked like Angelina Jolie and charmed his pants off – some say I put a ‘shell spell’ on him and spiked his drink but there is no evidence to prove that…

So we exchanged numbers and I should have been over the moon.. small problem, I work in motorsports and was off in four days for 6 very long weeks – to the other side of the world! Dam it! I told him, you better ask me out quick because I’m off soon! subtle was never my strong point! and we spent the next four blissful days together before I flew to Melbourne…

Writing about it now it sounds crazy, but after two weeks, daily emails and phone calls, I missed him so much I asked him, half joking, to come and meet me.. and he did!! We met on a beach in Thailand exactly one month after we met – it was our fifth date!

After a blissful two weeks in paradise, we returned home to the UK, got a place together and have never been apart since! After what can only be described as a magical Xmas Jack whisked me off to New York. After an afternoon strolling round central park on New Years Eve and a trip to the Zoo, he made me climb on to this huge rock, called childrens mountain, and whilst I thought I was standing there to have my picture taken like a numpty, Jack dropped to one knee and pulled out a dazzler of a diamond and asked me to be his wife.

YES, YES, YES!!! I know its quick but not one person has ever questioned it, they say we were made for each other. I love Jack with all my heart and he really makes me the happiest girl in the world and also….. he still loves me in my joggers and tea-stained jumper!

Another fab enagement story, thanks so much for sharing Michelle and good luck with the competition.

What about you?…You still have a chance, there is still time to enter our fab competition, just click the following link and fill in the form, it couldn’t be easier than that- Valentine Competition

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic Ltd

Filed Under: Competitions, Enagement, Fun Stuff, Other stuff Tagged With: Competition, Dorset wedding Photographer, engagement, Getting married, recently engaged, valentines competition, Valentines Day, wedding photographer dorset

Recently Engaged couples tell their story

February 2, 2012 By Courtenay 1 Comment

Continuing with our current theme of recently engaged couples here is another lovely story, this time from Julie…

Where did I propose?
On Christmas Day in my slippers and jamas, just before we had to set off to Swindon to visit Steve’s mum in hospital, which is where we spent most of Christmas Day…. His mum is very poorly so it made a lovely christmas pressie for her too…It was the best xmas gift.

What did he say?
He say….Yay! and was very emotional and a tear slid into the tea and toast…
The dog looked pleased, the cat didnt look that bothered, but we were very very happy !

Why did I propose?
I proposed as we have been together for nearly 3 years. We met on match.com, after many trials and tribulations (on my part) – I was about to give up after meeting too many strange and wacky characters, dare I mention ‘Goldfish Man’ ‘Mystery Man’ ‘Hunts Man’ ‘I have no Hair Now Man’ ‘Im actually 20 years older Man’ ‘I have a porsche Man’ (but saw him ride off on a bicycle !) and so the sad list went on.. I was about to hang up the mouse and never brave the dating sites again but decided one last try, I saw Steve (and thought now he looks nice and normal) and so I made the first mouse move ! We met, I took him on a tour of 4 bedfordshire pubs and chattered all evening, so was very pleasantly surprised when he asked if he could see me again! I was pleased that he had his own hair, teeth and hadnt lied about his age.

We had both been through some very rufty tufty times and once Steve had decided he could put up with my snoring and peculiar Aquarian compulsiveness and arty traits, we moved into our first house together (which we found on the internet, and a dog and a cat, so we were all happily rehomed together!)
Romance is not dead
I like to surprise and have done during our relationship. A candlelit dinner in a windmill, a trip to Wales fungi foraging, were lovely things to do together, something we both hadnt done in a very very long time.
To find love again in your (cough) late 40s/early 50s is a wonderful thing and I would recommend it (once you get past the first hurdle of ‘mistakes’ on internet dating!) to anyone…Our journey is still exciting.

Getting through it together
Steve’s mum has terminal cancer and hasnt very long left and sadly wont make our wedding in September, but the best gift we have given her is that she knows I will make her son so very happy and I think that has made things a little easier…and made us stronger.

Our wedding
Being on a vintage budget, we decided to go for a Vintage tea wedding so am getting hitched on 15 Sept in Old Warden on the day of the Bedfordshire Steam and Country Fayre, so Im hoping that we will get some interesting photos! Im also collecting ebay tea sets (we will ignore the one i thought was a bargain – it was for a dolls house!) – My wedding car has to be my most favorite car ever, the little retro Figaro. No big roller or bentley for me, the Figaro will add love and a smile to the day!

Through the lens
Here I must confess that apart from my boring day job – I dabble a little bit in photography I love images that evoke emotion, make you smile, think, care and make other people evoke emotion. But we cannot take our own photos so hence deciding to have a go and enter this comp and Dorset is one of my favorite romantic places – despite being landlocked in Beds!

Well Juile that is a great story…I wish you all the best with both the competition and your lovely sounding wedding.

What about you?…Come on, there is still time to enter our fab competition, just click the following link and fill in the form, it couldn’t be easier than that- Valentine Competition

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay photographic Ltd

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Have you recently got Engaged? Come tell us – and WIN!

January 13, 2012 By Courtenay 7 Comments

I know (because we have to keep our phone in an ice bucket in January, it’s ringing so often with excited wedding enquiries) that lots and lots of people pop ‘The Question’ over the Christmas and New Year period – so I know there’s lots and lots of excited prospective wedding couples out there.

And, of course, Valentines Day is just around the corner…

So, this year, I thought we’d get the act together early, and actually DO something nice.

How do you fancy a full location engagement shoot, plus £50 towards a romantic meal out?

Of course you do!

If you got engaged recently, all you have to do is mail your story to me at info@courtenayphotographic.co.uk – how you got together, or how the proposal went, or even just your Story So Far… We’ll read them, and publish the good ones here on the blog for everyone to “oooh!’ at (send us a picture of you both, too, of course).

Despite having covered over a thousand weddings, I never do get tired of the love and romance of a good woo-ing – and I know no one else does either. So we’re looking for stories the way we look at photography – anything that makes us FEEL. Make us gasp, make us laugh or make us cry and you’re in with a shout. The winning couple gets an engagement shoot (in Dorset) with me, plus a romantic Valentines meal too.

(It doesn’t matter where you live either; you just have to tell me your chosen restaurant and I’ll call them to pop £50 in the till ready for you to spend. You just have to make plans to come to Dorset for the shoot – don’t worry, it’s a seriously pretty place to come visit)

So – go on, tell us about your shiny new engagement. Show us the romance…

Closing Date for entries 12th February 2012, winner will be announced on the 13th, just in time for Valentines Day.