the welcome home road trip...

One week

Three Workshops

956 miles

36 Homies

3 cute couples

240 hugs

842 tears

1426 belly laughs..

..and one girl who can't even begin to tell you how lucky and grateful she feels.

In a moment of madness we decided to do three workshops as a road trip.. in a week.  We chose Edinburgh, Bristol and London and without too much thought.. we put them out there.. not thinking about how much work would be involved or would anyone even book!?!  Places started to fill and plans started to be made.. we booked venues, filled goodie bags, I wrote a lot of notes.. we wanted it to be perfect.. we wanted everyone who came to share this with us to go away with so much..

I can't tell you how much this week has meant.  I wanted to fill this workshop with my heart.. I wanted everyone to feel those butterflies, to go away with tools that they could use in their own businesses but more than that I wanted them to go away with a new found confidence.. that they are doing it right.. that their work has worth.. that they understand every part of their business and, it might sound stupid, that they understand themselves too.  I don't think any of us really expected it to be such an emotional roller coaster but sharing, discovering, admitting, playing.. I think we all felt it.. and watching those lightbulbs moments happen in front of us was just incredible..

I also didn't realise how much of an effect it would have on me.. preparing for the workshop you really have to look at yourself.. how you work, why you do things and there has been quite a few personal discoveries along the way.  I'm more confident than ever with why I do things and what's important to me as an artist and what's important to me when it comes to our couples.  I feel like I've fallen in love with my job, photography, my couples.. even the world all over again.. and I think we all came away from this week feeling so excited, so grateful, so lucky and in our crazy, busy lives.. a clearer idea of  what's important..

..and I know exactly what is important to me.. and one of those things is Pete.  With this job you often get quite a lot of praise.. whether it's a comment on the blog, a tweet or someone talking about your work but if your job is maybe more behind the scenes sometimes that praise might get missed.  Pete is simply amazing.  We've been working together now for nearly two years and I honestly could not do it without him.  He runs the business. Period... and now that he also second shoots I'm actually starting to wonder what I actually do?!?.. ;)  Ha! But seriously.. this workshop was just as much Pete's baby as it was mine.. every venue, every hotel, food, transport, pub, goodie bags.. Pete had it covered.. and on top of that he danced, he laughed, he hugged.. he even cried when some guy gave us free scones (told you it was an emotional week).. I want him to know just how much I appreciate everything he does and that I feel completely bullet proof with him next to me.. we are the best team and bloody hell his new hair cut is so bloody fit.  Thank you Pete.. for just being your amazing self.. I'm one very lucky girl..

So.. what did we get up to? 

Well first up.. here's an AMAZING trailer from Shutterbox films... (I've literally watched it about 50 times)...

I also cannot thank Lee and Dawn (Shutterbox Films) enough for wanting to come with us and the help and support that came with it.. they filmed, they supported, they made tea, they made us laugh, Lee drove the hire car when the indicators had a mind of their own (another story).. we honestly couldn't have done it without them.  I've never laughed so much and so hard in years.. even breaking down in the hire car was the best thing ever.. we've come back with two amazing friends that we hate being apart from so when our Edinburgh couple couldn't make it.. who was there to step up and happily take their place?.. I say happily.. Lee's first words were.. NO WAY.. but I'm so happy that I totally ignored that and witnessed them being super cute together.. actually, no.. they were beyond cute.. and literally everyone fell in love with them.. 

Thank you Lee and Dawn for being beyond bloody awesome..

We then made our way down to Bristol where the incredibly gorgeous Naomi and Glen made it pretty much impossible to not take a million photos.. maaaaan.. red hair is pretty much my fave.. how friggin' gorgeous!?!...

 

 We ended the week down in London with our biggest group yet.  Blanka and Neil joined us for the afternoon and shit me they were good.. Blanka never stopped laughing and they both were killing it.. also I'd like to order a pair of Blanka's legs for me if that's at all possible? 

Again I managed to be pretty awful at taking any photos of what was happening over the week so the homies very kindly offered to share some of their images from the three days.. it's so lovely to look over these and actually take the experience in as a whole.. it really was the most incredible week and we met so many truly amazing people..

A huge thank you to Linzie Russo, Photos by Zoe, Heart Full Of Tea, Millie Benbow, Martina Capodanno, Alexa Loy, Jen Owens Images and Brighton Photo for kindly letting me share your beautiful images..

I also want to say a huge thank you to all the lovely peeps that contributed to the AMAZING goodie bags! Folio Albums, Fotofafa, Kelly Moore and Everybody Smile were such a big part of this family too.. and the most amazing venues.. Belt Craft Studios in London.. Studio 128 in Edinburgh and The Paintworks in Bristol..

You can also have a look at what some of the homies thought about their time with us..
Martina Capodanno
Paula Broome Photography
Alexa Loy Dent
Elizabeth Armitage Photography
Little Rays
Heart Full Of Tea
Mack Photography
Kanashay Photography
Lydia Stamps Photography
Eden Photography
Kytography


..and now, I'll be honest.. after spending a week with the most amazing people, concentrating on what's really important and coming away feeling stupidly inspired.. I've got the bug.  So.. we're planing MORE!!!!.. and on Monday (3rd Dec) we'll let you know where and when.. :)

It would be absolutely bloody amazing to see you there...

fiona and jonny {wedding}

Fiona and Jonny's wedding was a spectacular affair from start to finish.. but not just because of the beautiful red headed bride or the Tim Burton-esque groom.. not just because of the most incredible Manchester Victoria Baths where we heard promises of love, ate hearty pies and danced the night away.. but for the people.. good, warm, funny, generous people who came together to celebrate the love between two more good, warm, generous people.

The venue was incredible.. a huge statement of wonderful history and Fiona and Jonny on this day made their own history with all their wonderful friends and family.. and we were incredibly honoured to be a part of it..