Tommy and Maryanne both have a condition called Down Syndrome and 22 years ago they got married, even thought lots of people thought it was wrong and shouldn’t happen. They have had a very happy life together though, with the help of their family. They are not only a couple but are each other’s very best friends.
To celebrate their anniversary, as they are well known in the area we live, we thought we would offer them a couple shoot with us. We arranged it with Maryanne’s sister Lindi, as she is their PA as well as being a vital family member. She said they were so excited about the offer of a shoot, and couldn’t wait for the day to arrive.
I gave them the choice of location and they said the grounds around the Cliffs Pavilion in Westcliff is one of their favourite spots. It was lovely to finally meet them on the day, and have a chat with them while we walked around checking out cute places to stop for pictures.
Tommy and Maryanne were both such characters and made me laugh lots. I didn’t know how they would feel about having hugs and kisses in front of my camera but they loved it! I was so pleased, as my couple shoots are all about the love. They really enjoyed the shoot as it made them feel like celebrities, but then again they actually are! Their story has featured in articles as far away as New York City! Not only this but a few days after our session, they were due to have a Day In The Life shoot for a newspaper.
Thank you again to Lindi who helped this happen, and came along to help everything go as well as it did by being the caring sister she is.
