Alice and Ben
Alice, 28, and Ben, 32, got engaged on holiday in Thailand and once home they book an photo shoot with a photographer to celebrate. To complement the whole experience they hire me to create a Portrait in Prose engagement commission.
They agree they’d just like to work on this with me together and so I begin gathering information, asking them to answer various questions in different ways. I then craft a portrait of their relationship in words: a narrative full of life, fun and emotion.
Ben and Alice are absolutely delighted with the end result. In fact, it’s become one of their favourite aspects of all their wedding preparation.
They decide to present their text in a beautifully bound book, kept next to the album that will soon hold their wedding pictures. Every anniversary, they will read their story again and be reminded of where it all began.
Lesley and Bryan
Lesley, 62, and Bryan, 65, feel ridiculous calling themselves ‘engaged’, if they’re honest. They’re delighted to be marrying, but since this is a second marriage for both and having grown up children with families of their own, they’d rather there wasn’t a song and dance about it.
Their children understand but also want to ensure their romance isn’t lost in the happy melee. Bryan’s eldest, Delia, gets in touch and together we design an appropriate Portrait in Prose in honour of this special match.
There are so many unanticipated positive side effects: the contributors find it a lovely way of paying tribute to Bryan and Lesley, an opportunity to embrace the changes in family dynamics and a chance to understand their new step siblings better.
And the happy couple? Well they know the framed text was a hit when Bryan quotes it in his wedding speech.
Clive and Francis
Clive, 45, and Francis, 47, are planning to convert their civil partnership into marriage in a ceremony in Malta next year. After 18 years together, they’ve waited a long time for their commitment to be fully recognised in law and are so looking forward to sharing the all-important moment with their loved ones.
They’re not the only ones excited about the whole occasion of course and two of their closest friends, Nadiya and Will, decide on a Portrait in Prose commission for this popular couple, inspired by the words and pictures of a select group who have known each other for nigh on 20 years.
The final cut is entirely apt, authentic and true to life and when presented with their photo book, Clive and Francis are overwhelmed. It’s the perfect way for those who love them to tell them so. It’s an ideal way to celebrate their union.
Hannah Wroe Gill | Portraits in Prose
