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Brides Up North reader Ashley and her fiancé Paul sent me their engagement shoot and love story to share on the wedding blog with you today. The shoot is by a young photographer that I have had my eye on for a while now (no, not like that!), Joe Dodsworth Photography, who is super talented and has recently become a friend as well as colleague. Joe’s amazing work speaks for itself and although he is already an established photographer I think he is massively one to watch in the future too.
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Enough gushing. Let’s leave that to today’s bride to be…
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p.s. check out that Scarborough scenery… don’t we have it good up here?
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Ashley says: I have to say I did have a little bit of an inkling when Paul asked me to marry him! After a particularly tough year with Paul losing his dad and step dad, it had been discussed – why were we waiting! It was the weekend we moved into our lovely new flat. We had been out the night before with family and I was rather hangover but we decided to go for an evening wander into York centre. Paul had a very loving looking in his eye and was acting a little strange. When we arrived at the bar Paul suggested we sit inside (which was empty) as the outside was busy. However we were joined by a group of foreign exchange students which Paul seemed very un-impressed with. To my surprise nothing was mentioned… maybe I was wrong? However on the way home Paul stopped in the gardens of our flat and asked the question on one knee… the answer being yes!
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Our wedding ceremony will be in December 2012 at Bedern Hall in York: a lovely traditional 14th Century hall. The reception is at The Grange hotel on Bootham, which has gorgeous originally decorated rooms. The whole place looks beautiful at Christmas time.
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We meet in our hometown of Scarborough around 3 and half years ago. Paul was beach lifeguard then and I had made it known to a mutual friend that I would like to meet him. A YEAR (!) later he texted me!
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On our first date we went to a little Irish pub called The Merchant in Scarborough. I would say we definitely clicked straight away and to think I was nervous at this almost blind date there were no awkward silences. I think it was very clear that we both fancied each other and would see each other again. We visit the Merchant for our ‘first date anniversaries’.
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I knew he was “the one” around Christmas time that same year. I was in my last year at university and was travelling back at every opportunity to see him, doing silly shifts in a bar and driving back at 2am in the morning on a weekly basis.
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When asked what we love most about each other Paul said “everything”- which I think is a copout! I think he is a lovable idiot just like his dad! Our biggest wish for married life is to grow old together.
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We chose to have an engagement shoot so we could look back and see how happy and engaged we were! Its lovely to have some professional pictures taken and they tell the story of our relationship before we become a married couple.
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Paul found the engagement shoot a little embarrassing for the first half an hour but then got into the swing. I enjoyed the whole experience; it has definitely instilled my confidence in Joe’s Photography, the shots are great. I think he knows more of what we are looking for on the day and knows our personalities better to judge. It was very worthwhile.
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I’m a reader of Brides Up North as I think it is the ideal place to have a look for ideas and connections. I have been a very DIY bride and this has been so useful for researching and sourcing from online. Also I love the name ‘Brides Up North’ there is nothing more Northern sounding! Whether we come back to share our wedding photographs just depends on how good of a job Joe does, haha! If you will have us back we would most definitely like to do that!
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Congratulations Ashley & Paul! 
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Would you like to share your love story on the wedding blog? Contact me!
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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © 2012 Joe Dodsworth Photography
This is not a sponsored post
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