Wife is 6 inches taller and 30 years younger than husband

Wife is 6 inches taller and 30 years younger than husband

Mangalore Today News Network

As Kate Woodward prepared to walk down the aisle to meet her fiance, she couldn’t help but laugh at what a funny couple they must have seemed.

In her high-heeled, satin wedding shoes, she towered above 5ft 3in Gary and the six-inch height ­difference was made even bigger because of her choice of footwear.

Yet when they had started dating 10 years before, it hadn’t been the height difference that had caused the funny looks or the problems with both their families – it was the 30-year age gap.

But 29-year-old Kate and Gary, 59, have stuck by each other.

“I know it’s a cliche but so many people have used the term ‘soul mate’ when they see us together.

"I feel sorry for ­people who pick a partner based on looks and age – they could be missing out on something very special.

“It wasn’t something we were ­prepared to throw away over a number,” says the 5ft 9in professional TV extra.

Kate, from Chester, was 19 and was out celebrating her friend’s 21st birthday in a pub in February 2002, when builder Gary approached the girls and bought them a drink.

“There were 15 of us so he really caught my attention – I thought it was such a generous thing to do,” says Kate.

“We chatted all night – we have the same sense of humour – and time flew by.

“Gary told me how old he was but it didn’t bother me.

"We were both in relationships and Gary had been married for 25 years.

But we had a connection that we didn’t want to ignore and ­arranged to meet up as friends.”

But it wasn’t long before Kate and Gary broke up with their partners and romance soon blossomed.

She says: “Our relationships broke down on their own – they were over before we’d even met.

"We saw a lot of each other over the next few months, doing things that friends do.

“We went bowling, to the cinema, that kind of thing. We got on like a house on fire.

"Then one night we were sitting on the sofa watching a film when he leaned over to kiss me.

“I kissed him back but I was ­panicking. I thought that if it didn’t work out I would lose my best friend.”

Once Kate realised her feelings for Gary were strong, she knew she had a lot of thinking to do.

She spent hours agonising over whether she really wanted to commit her life to someone 30 years older than her.

“I’d be lying if I said Gary’s age wasn’t an issue for me. I worried that as we got older we’d grow apart.

"We talked about it a lot in the beginning, but we decided that we didn’t want to throw away something special for something we couldn’t be sure would happen.”

But not everyone was ­accommodating of their relationship.

Gary’s two sons Lee, 33, and Darren, 29, and Kate’s parents Michael, 65 and June, 62, were furious when they found out about the relationship.

Kate even lost her best friend over it.

“My best friend at the time tried to split us up,” recalls Kate.

“She tried to make me think that Gary couldn’t be trusted but I had absolute faith in him from the moment we met.

"I think she was jealous I’d found somebody I had such a strong connection with.

“I had to cut her out of my life but our families were the biggest problem.

"My parents were horrified when I told them how old Gary was – after all, he’s three years younger than my mum!

"They tried to convince themselves it was just a phase I was going through.

"It was my friend who let it slip how old he was so I didn’t have to worry about how to tell them!

"We were going on holiday to Ibiza and I wanted my parents to meet Gary first so I invited him to a family barbecue.

“My parents were frosty with him but we knew it would take time.

"They were concerned about the things I would miss out on and couldn’t understand why I wanted to give up the experience of growing old with someone.”

Gary’s sons were convinced Kate was going to get bored of their dad and break his heart.

And at first they refused to accept Kate despite her best efforts to convince them of her intentions.

“They were worried about their dad and they loathed me at first but I had no reason to be with Gary other than love – he doesn’t have any money to speak of or anything like that.

"It took a long time for them to accept us.

Kate is just six months older than Gary’s youngest son, Darren, and four years younger than Lee, his eldest.

Kate and Darren were even in the same year at school.

“We’ve learned to laugh about any awkward situations now.

"Darren and I had our 10-year school reunion a couple of years ago. We all went ­together and everybody thought I was with Darren.

“Gary found it hilarious to correct people that I was now his stepmum! We got some very strange looks.”

But Kate has got used to them over the years.

“I used to work in a bar and Gary would often come in for a drink. One night some guys were chatting me up when I told them my boyfriend was just over there.

“They asked who he was, looking around at the almost empty pub. I pointed at Gary who was sitting at the bar and he gave them a little wink and a wave.

“They didn’t ­believe me and had to go and ask him for ­themselves. They were even shaking his hand and congratulating him!

“But it’s nothing new to us. People are always trying to find out if he’s my dad or my partner without asking directly – we just laugh it off.

“We know people think we look strange when we’re together – ­especially with my heels on!

"I’m 6in taller than him without shoes and everybody jokes that he needs to stand on the Yellow Pages to kiss me!”

The couple waited 10 years before tying the knot in front of their closest friends and family at the Oaklands Hotel in Cheshire.

“We knew we’d always get married but it was important to us that we had the support of our family too and they took a long time to come round to us being together!” says Kate.

“When I saw Gary waiting for me at the end of the aisle I knew we were doing the right thing.

“It was a lovely spring day and the sun was shining for once! For a long time we’ve felt like we had to prove our love to other people so it was wonderful to have everybody else there to ­celebrate our love with us – we really felt as though we had been ­accepted at last.

“My dad made a few jokes about me never being the same as other girls and going for the tall, dark and handsome type!

“Everybody thought it was hilarious but the ­funniest bit was when Gary had to stand on a plant pot so we were the same height to cut the cake!”

While being married at 29 is not unusual, Kate hit yet ­another milestone in June last year when she became a stepgrandmother after Lee’s son Olly was born.

“I never thought I’d be a nan before 30 but I love it!

"I’ve never wanted my own children but it’s lovely for us to have a ­little baby in the family,” she says.

“I don’t feel old enough to be called Nan though so we’ll have to cross that bridge when he’s old enough to talk!

“Gary has always said that he’d be happy for us to have a baby if I wanted, but it’s never been on my agenda.

“I know that he would be an amazing dad whatever his age so if my maternal instinct kicks in I won’t have any worries at all about it.

“He’s always had my best ­interests at heart – his biggest worry was that I’d get bored of him sooner or later but I’d never do that.

“We’re desperately in love and that won’t change, whatever the future might bring.”

Courtesy: Mirror News