(Told by him - with her popping in every now and then to set the record straight) Him: It all started at a mutual friend’s wedding… I was strategically invited by the groom, and she was conveniently invited by the bride. Coincidence? I think not. Clearly, the universe was at work. Her: Or maybe our friends just thought we were both single and needed a little push. Also, he says it was love at first sight- but he forgot his own name when introducing himself. Romantic and slightly concerning. Him: I blanked for a moment, okay? Have you seen her? I was clearly stunned (forced to say this one). But I recovered like the smooth, charming gentleman I am. Her: “Smooth” is generous. He barely made eye contact and nervously played with his fork the whole time. I remember thinking, well, he’s cute… but definitely a bit weird. Him: Weirdly adorable, though. Don’t pretend you weren’t intrigued. We even danced! Her: If you can call that a dance- it was more of an awkward shuffle. I dipped out after 30 seconds and figured, welp, never seeing him again. Him: But fate had other plans. I slid into her DMs a few days later- full confidence. Facebook flirting skills: elite. Her: He messaged me asking to “hang out.” Not a date. A hangout. Then casually suggested we go for a walk… in the bush. As in, a random nature trail… with a man I’d just met. Bold choice. Him: It was meant to be spontaneous and romantic! But fine, we compromised- lunch and a movie. No wilderness required. Her: Even then, he barely said a word, didn’t try to hold my hand, didn’t even compliment me. I was 95% sure that was our first and last date. Him: But then I texted her that night to say I had a great time. Because I did. It was a slow burn… but a strong one. Her: I have no idea what convinced me to say yes to a second date- but thank goodness I did. Once he relaxed a little, I saw who he really was: thoughtful, funny, kind… and still kind of weird, but in a loveable way. Him: Still kind of weird? Rude. I’ve been charming since day one. But yes- somehow, it just worked. Even though we were in different phases- I was working full-time, she was in uni - we just got each other. Her: It wasn’t always easy. Even living in the same city, it sometimes felt like long-distance. We juggled uni schedules, work, and family-approved time slots, just to get a few hours together each week. Him: It took effort. But we kept showing up- through every up, down, awkward moment, and truly questionable movie night. Her: Nearly 8 years later, we got married on 24/05/25- something simple and meaningful, just the way we wanted it. Him: And now we get to celebrate (again!) with you at our wedding reception in 2026. Come ready for great food, good vibes, and maybe an improved version of our first dance. No guarantees.