Cliffs of Moher Portraits | Ashely & Stephen tea fuelled story

Cliffs of Moher Portraits | Ashley + Stephen

Silver pots of tea are delivered to our table and we gladly huddle closer, grateful for a moment of rest. Outside, the wind lashes against the Anchor Inn, sharp and bracing. As the tea is poured, we chat with Ashley and Stephen, who have travelled from Carolina for their Cliffs of Moher portraits. Their story feels as though it’s been lifted straight from a romance novel.

The couple met while working in the admissions office at university. Yet it wasn’t until Stephen graduated and moved eight hours away that they truly began talking. It took a friend, a birthday card, a phone number—and eight hours of distance—to spark something more. It turns out absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

Over the following months, a flurry of text messages lit up their screens. I can’t help but smile, remembering that sweet honeymoon phase of dating and all the heartfelt messages that come with it. Knowing that Ashley and Stephen were separated during this time only highlights how deep their connection runs. They both agree that long distance was challenging, but that it ultimately made their bond and relationship much stronger.

Then comes the moment that stops me in my tracks.

As I’m lamenting the lost phones and vanished texts from my own early months with Sean, Ashley casually says,
“We compiled our texts from the first three months and turned them into a 614-page hardcover book!”

A book like that—to return to during the many seasons of married life—what a treasure.

More coal is thrown on the fire and I notice the light beginning to fade from the sky. Sean readies his cameras. We know we’ll soon have to brave the cold, but I could happily sit chatting with these two warm, open-hearted humans all evening. Before we head out, I ask one final question: what are they most looking forward to about their wedding and marriage?

“Coming home to each other,” they say.
“We’re so excited to spend our time together and not have to say goodbye every night.”