Blind dates. You hear about them in movies, but you don't think they actually happen.
Are they kinda awkward? Yup. Kinda ridiculous? Yup. Kinda exciting?! Yea, a bit. Do they ever work?! Weeeeell... I wouldn't have thought so. But this time I'm going to tell you one of the best "getting together" stories I have ever heard.

Jess and Mickey both grew up near Gore. They each spent five years at Gore High School, but Jess was two years above Mickey. They never reeeally knew each other, apart from the fact that Mickey was the younger brother of one of our good school friends, Natalie. After finishing high school, Jess headed to Lincoln University to study. Two years later, Mickey followed...

They went about life reasonably oblivious of each other, apart from seeing each other around every now and then. Then in her final year at Lincoln, Jess got set up on a blind date. She was auctioned off as part of a fundraising event, after finishing a stint as a leader at the christian fellowship group. Petrified about who she might have to spend one very awkward evening with, Jess hid in her room (and even in her wardrobe for a wee while!!!), waiting for this Mr. Somebody to come along.

Walking out to to meet her date, she couldn't have been more relieved to see Mickey's face. At least she knew him a little bit, and they would have some things in common to talk about. They chatted away, time flew by... and they both left feeling pleasantly suprised about how un-awkward the blind date (that they had both been chucked into very unwillingly) had been.

Life carried on as normal afterwards. They saw each other occasionally, but nothing more than that. It wasn't long though before Jess started catching herself dreaming up ways she could bump into Mickey more often.

Those dreams (and some cunning plans) turned into reality, and gradually they got to know each other better and better... and fell more and more in love.

Jump forward a couple more years... Mickey proposed on his birthday last year, and they are getting married in less than two weeks!!!!!! I am sooooo excited for them and just can't wait for the day to arrive! Marriage is the best thing ever and I just love seeing my friends getting engaged and preparing for a lifetime of happiness with the person they love.

Jess and I go back about eleven years. We met as geeky little third formers with bad hair cuts and no fashion sense, yet with an unspoken but mutual feeling that we could be good friends! Over the years we became really close, and now some of my very favourite stories involve Jess! I have sooo many awesomely fond memories of long nights giggling and gossiping, tramping together, never getting any work done in sewing class together, leading at camps together, talking about boys and many other more intellectual things... and just generally laughing a lot!

_And as I sit here, counting on my fingers and trying to remember how old I am at the moment, I realise I have actually known of Mickey for probably about eighteen years! Woah. I was very good friends with Natalie (Mickey's older sister!) all through school... so he probably just knew me as another one of her annoyingly giggly friends, who hung out at their house sometimes.

These guys are awesome together. Like, actually awesome. They are fun, and they laugh at each other.

And they share a deep level of respect and love.

They aren't an overly touchy-feely couple though, so they asked me if they could stand at least one metre apart during the shoot.

They had the infamous hens and stag nights the day before... so there were pleeeenty of stories to tell each other when they met for the shoot! They spent most of the time just chatting away, laughing and getting a little horrified at what went on... while I just quietly snuck around with my camera. Mickey got to bed at about 4:15am, and started work at 5:15am.... so he had only had 45 minutes of sleep! Yuuuuuk! And you can't even tell....

Too cute for words!

Eeeeep I can't WAIT for your wedding day! Jess you are going to be a gorgeous bride!!! Hope the last week or so of preparations go well, and that you get a bit more sleep before your big day! Lots and lots of love to you both XOXO