Love is happening right now
We believe in real love. Not the airbrushed, fairytale version.
Because everyone loves, but all in our own way.
We wanted to create something that captures modern love. Which meant embracing the times we’re living through. When lockdown hit the world went virtual, and photography did too. By working within the reality of Covid, but without being defined by it, we could show that real love is happening right now.
For the first time ever, we captured couples across the globe via FaceTime. Meet the five couples who are sharing their stories through honest, intimate moments photographed right in their own homes.
How did we choose the couples?
By teaming up with award-winning photographer Tim Dunk to create innovative FaceTime photoshoots, we asked couples to put themselves forward on our Instagram page. Applications came flooding in and beautiful stories we read and saw perfectly reminded us of why we make love our life’s work.
Soon enough we’d found our special few for this portrait of affection. That kicked off Taylor & Hart’s most international endeavour to date. The couples spanned the globe, from London to New York and even Auckland, New Zealand. The final imagery can be seen on billboards across London.
The world's first romantic FaceTime photoshoot
Tim worked with our couples, thoughtfully guiding them around via FaceTime to find the ‘Good Light’, and used a cutting-edge app to remotely control their phone’s camera. The technique produces incredible results considering the photographer and the couples were in different cities and in some cases, countries!
The photographs capture love at its most intimate, with couples sitting on their own furniture, in their own space, with only themselves for company. By allowing couples to get creative within the cherished home they’ve built together, the resulting photos were striking, touching, and playful at all once.
Love lights up London
When your love is true, it’s best to share it with the world. The results of our campaign have flooded streets and stations all over London. Because even though the city may feel quiet these days, we want Londoners to feel the love.
This is the first time imagery captured through a FaceTime photoshoot has featured in an Out Of Home advertising campaign, proving that innovation can feel personal too. This cutting-edge format speaks to the very nature of the ‘Love is Now’ campaign, by working within the reality of our current times while celebrating the endurance of love.
Meet our couples
Astrid & Nicolas
How did you both meet?
“We were students at business school. One of my flatmates was dating one of your flatmates. The hot water wasn’t working in Astrid’s flat, and they wanted a shower so they all came over to ours. That day we started to chat and magic happened!” – Nicolas
What is it that makes you smile about one another?
“When she’s doing a face mask and has her hairband on, and the cream is drying so you try to talk but you can’t smile so you can’t move your face. That always makes me laugh.” – Nicolas
“Sometimes he’ll come around at random times and start hugging me. I’ll be super focused and working and he comes behind me and cuddles me. It’s annoying but I just start laughing and smiling.” – Astrid
Juliana & George
Do you have a favourite memory of a time that you’ve shared together?
“Juliana came down to the South Island for a vet placement on my parents’ farm. We went on a trip around the South Island to Lake Tekapo. We went back two years later and then went again for the proposal. So that’s a favourite spot for us, with so many memories.” — George
“I have so many vet placements and I caught an illness that you get from dairy cows. It was pretty early on in our relationship but he looked after me so well, pretty much 24/7. It might not be my favourite memory, but that was a moment early on when I knew he was the one.” — Juliana
Do you have a song that reminds you of each other?
“A funny one would be ‘Watermelon’, by Tom Rosenthal. The whole song is him saying ‘watermelon’. I don’t know how that started, but we would sing the song to each other. It’s silly!” — Juliana
Sarah & Mindy
When did you know you had found the one?
“This sounds so corny, but on our first date when we had our first kiss. I’m not kidding, it was like slow-motion, stop-traffic kind of stuff. I knew this person was unlike anyone I’d ever met.” — Sarah
“We were outside Tottenham Court Road tube station and still whenever we pass by that station we have to give each other a little kiss.” — Mindy
What’s your favourite memory spent together?
“Going [to Australia] to meet her family was pretty momentous. When we were in the airport and your parents were dropping us off, your mum gave me a hug and said, ‘thank you for making Mindy so happy’. I was blown away by that. I’m getting tears in my eyes just now.” — Sarah
Torera & Charles
Engaged in 2017, Torera & Charles tackled a four year long distance relationship and have continued to thrive side by side ever since.
“Marriage is a huge blessing. Please don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It’s sacrifice, it’s intentionality, it’s dying to self, it’s uncomfortable conversations but it is beauty.” – Torera
If these uncertain times have taught us anything, it’s that love is the best we’ve got. And love is at its best when we’re our most genuine, free spirited, full-of-laughter selves.
And that’s because real love has no limits, no clauses,
no “ifs” and “buts”, no one-size-fits-all templates.
The same should go for your ring. Let us spark your inspiration
and bring your ideas to life.
Are you ready to ask the question?
Start designing your custom engagement ring today.
