Since it’s Valentine’s today, I thought I’d tell you all a little about Louie & I and our love story. If you don’t like sweet, nice things, stop reading now honestly.
People always ask “How did you two meet?” and we love replying “on Zoom”! It’s such a 2020 mood. We were both participating in the first Exposure Studio - an online program that offered Calgary based photographers an opportunity to develop their practice through a series of discussion-based events. I remember seeing Louie’s little Zoom square and noticing how lovely the camera quality was (he was using his fancy digital camera - I don’t remember which). Louie asked me to hang out shortly after to learn about each other and our practices. I was engaged at the time and we stayed nothing more than friends.
Fast forward a couple years to 2022. Louie noticed that I had been posting some pretty sad boy shit online and figured out that I was no longer engaged. He asked me to catch up over lunch and confirmed it. We started seeing each other a lot and then Louie shot his shot. Our first date was on Valentine’s Day.
I’ve always felt extremely close to Louie. Our early dating days felt like we’d been partnered for years. It’s always been easy with Louie.
Late 2021 to mid 2022 was a very difficult time for me. I was suffering extreme burnout, along with depression, anxiety, and OCD. Even though we were a new couple, Louie was always patient and took care of me.
When I was sick with Covid and stuck at home, Louie sent me an amazing bouquet and read to me over the phone.
When I needed to gain weight back, Louie cooked me fattening breakfasts every morning - either a French Omelet with a side of wild blueberries & oranges or 3 slices French Toast with real maple syrup.
Morning tea - usually Pu’erh or Oolong - has been a daily tradition. Louie and I do most things together - we find everything more fun when we do it together. Some of our hobbies are eating out, going to art shows, taking pictures, and grabbing a tea and reading.
Louie and I moved quite fast in our relationship. But it never felt too fast - always just right. I moved in with him after a month and we got engaged in the winter of that same year.
Our engagement was nothing “romantic” - we just discussed it and decided to get married. We picked out the rings together. Mine was sourced from an estate sale through a local jewelry shop and Louie’s we found at Sharky’s Pawn Shop. Louie surprised me by picking up my re-sized ring without telling me it was ready and proposed at Oolong Tea House in Kensington - the first place we met in person. Our beloved friend Danny took these photos. Very romantic.
My sweet sister planned a photo-based scavenger hunt for our engagement party.
Our wedding was beautiful. We got married in October 2023 surrounded by our friends and family.
Film being such a huge part of our lives, we had a bowl of film at the wedding and asked our friends to go ham. They took so many amazing photos.
Photo credit: Jessie Altura
Photo credit: David Simmonds
We spent our honeymoon walking around Montréal taking pictures.
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Louie spoils me every single day and I can’t believe how wonderfully my life has turned out. We’re disgustingly cute and in love and I’m not embarrassed about it.
I hope you’ve enjoyed our very condensed love story.
Remember, Valentine’s is a day about celebrating love - not just romantic love, but love of any and all.
I love you all <3
xo Haley Villanueva-Eyre