Zoe & Chris’ Northumberland Engagement Shoot
As I was born in Northumberland, it’s always great to capture amazing images in my home county. This one was on the banks of the Tyne in Corbridge. Rather than me telling you the tale of how this pair met and how the proposal happened, I’m going to hand you over to Zoe the bride to be. Now please note: I have been warned these are her version of events – Chris may have seen this a bit differently!
How did you meet?
It was all at the fantastic Hexham Youth Initiative. I was at the University of York and Googled youth work jobs in Hexham, then emailed the youth Work Guru, Keda. I went for an interview on a Saturday when no one is usually there. Chris was there with his one to one, and then when I left he grilled Keda about who I was. Chris got into youth work because he dreamt of being a youth worker, and then asked Keda if he could give it a go. I volunteered on the Easter scheme and then Keda gave me the job. We were just friends for a while at work, but he used to pretend to be at work and work for free so we could see each other. Now that’s dedication! We both loved Micheal Jackson, and his funeral was aired on cable and Chris didn’t have cable, so he came to mine for the first time and we started hanging out outside of work. We used to be idiots and play hide and seek in the street, and go to Tesco at midnight and play basketball in the aisles. Keda used to wind us up all of the time and then one night there was an incident with a magic giraffe and the rest was history.
Was it all down on one knee?
The proposal was pretty simple. He’d been bugged by the kids at work to propose for ages and we’d already jokingly picked out a ring (a flower because the staff at Youthy called me little flower). He knows how much I love Christmas and my family but how much of a nightmare it is to get them together, so it happened on Christmas day so he knew they would all be there to celebrate. I always leave my presents until the last minute so the fun lasts longer, and he was stressed all day that I wouldn’t open them. We went through 2 Christmas dinners and inebriated cracker games when he said enough is enough and open your presents. My ring was in a giraffe trinket after 4 years of giraffe obsession, and I looked like a twat in a giraffe onesie! But it was natural and simple, and my brothers were all there and my old pooch, Roprap, so it was priceless.
It was also amazing having my brother, Dane, there to take our first engagement pictures, he was so excited for us.
*I would just like to add in a quick footnote from me – Gavin – here. Dane, Zoe’s brother, tragically died in a motorbike accident 2 years ago, and he was a very close friend of mine. He was only 21 years old, my second photographer, and a great mate. We both miss him terribly.*
We wouldn’t change it for the world, but it probably doesn’t sound so exciting to everyone else. Chris always used to double the time we’ve been together because we worked and lived together!
Zoe (and Chris)
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