I feel that the phrase “I’m so blessed” is completely overused these days, but I really don’t have better words to describe how I feel this year about my couples. Notably, I’m honored to have been chosen to photograph three weddings this year where the bride and groom are my friends. Ashley and Shaun are no exception. I’ve been fortunate to call Shaun my friend since early high school, which is a really long time (even though it seems like just yesterday we were getting yelled at to keep quiet by our classroom supervisors). I’ve watched Shaun go through some challenging stuff, and he’s always come out so positive and motivated no matter what. When Ashley came into his life, and I watched how she made Shaun light up… I knew this was going to be something special.
How did you two meet?
We met through a mutual friend and had our first date at Black Betty’s Burger and Wine Bar.
Ashley: I liked Shaun right away. I loved the way he talked about his friends. I always thought it was hilarious that he would talk really fast because he was nervous. I also found his big brain attractive. I was also oddly attracted to his chin. He just had a really good vibe; kind, responsible and very loving. I knew he was a very good person right away.
Shaun: I was attracted to Ashley almost instantly. She had a bright smile, a passion for helping others and came across as the kind of person who wouldn’t let life get the best of her. She had a tonne of different hobbies that she was in to and showed a strong desire to keep learning and seeing new things. I think what really hooked me though, was the empathy and understanding she showed towards other people in her life. Smart, beautiful and a wonderful personality. I truly got the entire package.
What are some common interests that keep you two together?
We find ways to make many of the experiences we share bring us together. Whether it’s travelling to different countries and learning about different cultures together or by just sitting on the patio and talking about nothing for hours on end. We like to visit new places and learn new things together and like to continually challenge each other to grow in our relationships and hobbies.
Share a special memory with us!
Ashley: We took the Dale Carnegie course lab class together. It was strange because we had just started dating and the course required you to really put yourself out there. We had to prepare several speeches including some of our most embarassing experiences. It was wonderfully awkward. Through out the course I learned that Shaun would be a really wondeful person to grow with. He is also an excellent public speaker.
Shaun: The Dale Carnegie course was wonderfully awkward and was probably one of the more significant events that brought us together and forced us to be open about a lot of different things. We also went through a bit of a rough patch with a very sick family member who was hospitalized. The thing that really stood out to me, is that Ashley was very committed to her family. She stayed with this family member day and night, arranged for people to visit, kept the family updated and did everything that she could to make them comfortable and take as much fear out of the whole experience as possible. The whole thing showed me just how much love Ashley had and that I could share in that with her. It also totally changed my views on my own family, for the better.
