Well, this escalated beautifully.
From a chance encounter in Starbucks to a surprise proposal in Matlock Bath. You genuinely couldn’t make this up.
Back in May, I was in Starbucks when I spotted a couple who I thought would be brilliant to photograph.
Now, approaching complete strangers and offering to photograph them isn’t exactly everyone’s idea of a normal coffee run, but apparently it’s mine.
I introduced myself, explained what I do, handed over my business card and suggested a couples shoot sometime.
And that was that.
They never got in touch. No hard feelings. I carried on with life, photographed a few weddings and thought absolutely nothing more of it.
Fast forward a few months.
I’d photographed a wedding at Oakhill in Cromford, and the groom had spotted an anonymous post in a Facebook group. Someone was looking for a photographer.
He recommended me.
The post didn’t actually say what the photography was for, but as it turned out, someone was planning a surprise proposal in Matlock Bath.
A few messages later, I was booked to photograph it.
A proposal, a lot of rain and a strangely familiar couple.
The day arrived, and the British weather was doing what it does best.
Absolutely chucking it down.
I found my spot, kept my distance and waited for the moment.
Down on one knee. A yes. A kiss.
And just like that, two people were engaged in the middle of a very wet Matlock Bath.
I’d photographed the proposal, everything had gone to plan, and we had a chance to chat afterwards.
There was just one thing.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that I recognised them.
I was convinced I’d seen them somewhere before, but for the life of me, I couldn’t work out where.
I meet a lot of people through photography, so I put it down to that.
Packed up, headed home and carried on with my day.
Then came the message.
Afterwards, I received a message from the newly engaged groom.
He mentioned that he thought he recognised me too, but couldn’t work out where from.
And then it clicked.
Starbucks. Back in May.
They were the exact same couple I’d approached months earlier, completely out of the blue, and handed my business card to.
The couple I’d suggested a photoshoot with.
The couple I’d never heard from again.
And somehow, without either of us realising at the time, I’d ended up photographing their actual engagement.
Of all the people. Of all the photographers. Of all the ways that booking could have happened.
What are the chances?
Funny how things work out.
When I started Amarsi & Co, I knew I’d have to put myself out there. Meet people, start conversations and occasionally risk looking like a slightly strange bloke handing out business cards in coffee shops.
Sometimes those conversations lead to bookings. Sometimes they don’t.
But this one took a rather unexpected route.
A random conversation in Starbucks. A wedding at Oakhill. A groom kind enough to recommend me. An anonymous Facebook post. And a surprise proposal in the pouring rain.
All completely unrelated, until suddenly they weren’t.
That’s what makes this one so special to me.
It wasn’t planned. There was no clever marketing strategy behind it. Just a series of coincidences that somehow brought the same people back together at exactly the right moment.
And the second time our paths crossed, I got to photograph one of the biggest moments of their lives.
To the newly engaged couple, congratulations again. Thank you for letting me be part of such a brilliant moment.
And to anyone I’ve ever randomly approached in a coffee shop…
Don’t worry, I’m not following you.
