In the small seaside town a love story that began in youth has reached its happy ending. Georgia, 28, and her childhood sweetheart turned best friend turned husband, Simon, defied the odds and rekindled their romance after eight years of separation.
In an interview with ethical jewellery brand Sacet, Georgia tells how she met her now husband and their heartfelt journey of growth, self-discovery and eventual reunion.
It was at a lively house party that Georgia, then 18, first laid eyes on Simon, who was 21 at the time. After hearing about him through mutual acquaintances, Georgia couldn't help but be intrigued.
Her initial impression of him was an immediate and resounding "FIT! Tall. Sexy…" However, it was the sweetness and friendliness she discovered upon talking to him that truly captured her heart and started their relationship.
The young couple's whirlwind romance, however, was cut short when Georgia decided to pursue her dreams at university. Fearful of hurting Simon, she chose to end the relationship and embrace the single life.
As time passed, they lost touch, but “we would like each other's photos on socials.” Georgia recalls. When Georgia saw Simon again after eight years, he was working at a pub.
She said: “He was working in Wetherspoons, and I came in with my new boyfriend. It was so awkward.”
As the years passed by Simon and Georgia, who are both from Torquay, Devon, were in respective long-term relationships and pursuing their careers in different cities, reconnection seemed off the table. However, during a visit back home for Christmas, following the end of an 8-year relationship, Georgia took a chance and posted a photo, tempting fate for a reunion.
She said: “Simon had been liking my photos more than normal, and I knew I was going back home for Christmas, so I purposefully posted a photo saying ‘en route home’, hoping he’d suggest we meet up as he had hinted at it previously. And it worked. The day after, we went on a date.”
When they finally reconnected, Georgia was 26, and Simon was 28. Though history seemed to repeat itself, this time, the couple was determined not to let love slip away.
Over the course of a year and a half, they rekindled their passion. Their journey of personal growth during the separation, including university, travel, and pursuing careers, transformed them into the best versions of themselves.
It was on a picturesque quiet beach in Italy, during an intimate moment at sunset, that Simon surprised Georgia with a heartfelt proposal. Reminiscing, Georgia told Sacet, “I’d just had the best Aperol Spritz, and we went for a walk along the beach, and then he just got down on one knee.
"It was perfect! We had the best day, cycling along the coast, eating all the Italian food and having the best chats all day.”
On October 1st, Georgia and Simon exchanged their vows in an intimate ceremony in Exeter, with only 16 close family members and a select few friends in attendance. The couple celebrated their union with a cosy pub gathering, followed by a private dining experience in the evening, “It was perfect and so intimate!” says Georgia.
Reflecting on their journey, Georgia ponders whether she always believed they would end up together. She admits that while Simon had never truly left her thoughts, they both led separate lives and pursued other relationships during their time apart.
She said: “I can’t say I always thought, but I always knew there was something there.
"Every time I saw him, and if he popped up, he was one of those people that never left my mind but equally was never at the forefront. We were both in long-term relationships during those eight years, and so it would go in waves when we thought of one another.”
When asked if she ever regretted not staying together, Georgia shared, “Not at all! I would have messed it up if we’d stayed together and hurt him. I was young and a party animal, I needed to get it all out of my system. In the time separated, our other relationships made us learn how to be the best partner we could be and also taught us what we do and don't want in a relationship.”
