CLAIRE

 THE PRIORY

"I like your t-shirt” that’s my chat up line. I know, I know it’s terrible. But it worked every time. It just so happened to work when I met Alan in The Priory pub in Tynemouth back in 2011. We were out in a big group of friends and both inadvertently got dragged out for a night out neither of us wanted to go on....you know the kinds? I had nothing to wear and was having a bad hair day. Alan has just got back from Leeds festival and was too tired to go out too. But nevertheless, the lads dragged him out and the girls me. I spied him at the bar and he had a blues brother t-shirt on. Now, if I’m honest I don’t exactly like the blues brothers....but the t-shirt was pretty cool so it just came out “I like your t-shirt” and that was it. We got to talking and there was just instant chemistry. We got on so well, it felt so natural. We met a few weeks later for another night out and had a kiss at the end of the night....I just had a feeling it was meant to be. I also lost an earring that night that said ‘Love’ and thought it meant something. Funnily enough, we didn’t actually officially become a couple until February 2012 due to Alan working away and I was in-between jobs. When he worked away I made him a piece of Art which represented our dates and what our future would look like together (might sound a bit strange) but I could just see it!! We made it official and then what’s later ended up engaged and planning our wedding. The Priory in Tynemouth was just such a significant and personal place to us and when offered a pre shoot for our wedding, we couldn’t think of a more perfect setting to capture our moments."