A Mother Knows Best
The moment she saw her future son-in-law she couldn’t believe that this could happen. Kay Parker was happy that her little girl Heidi was going to be married soon but her mother’s heart had some suspicious thoughts about her daughter’s choice.
The truth was going to be revealed when two mothers of college sweethearts met each other. After a nice dinner at the restaurant when one of them shared a story that happened about 20 years ago, Kay Parker needed some proof so she found her old photo album. When she opened it she couldn’t believe her eyes. All this time she was right about her daughter's fiancé.
A Newcastle Adventure
Heidi Parker was so excited to begin applying to Universities. She had grown up in her small town and was ready for a change. After doing a lot of research she got accepted to Newcastle university, 130 miles away.
Heidi was close to her mom and this would be the farthest the two had ever been from each other. Would this small town girl survive in a big city? Heidi had no idea about the life-changing surprise waiting for her at university.
Newcastle And New Life
Starting Newcastle University in 2011, Heidi decided to live in an apartment with friends. She was close to campus and enjoying her first attempt at living independently. Everything felt like it was falling into place.
Heidi dreamed of a bright future and wanted to seize every opportunity! Where was her prince charming? It turns out he was closer than she knew!
Home Is Where The Heart Is
After her first year living with roommates, Heidi decided she wanted to look for her own apartment. It was a big step and the first time she would be living alone. Her roommates helped write an ad and they had several responses.
As luck would have it, the new tenant was a handsome stranger. He seemed very friendly and Heidi knew he would be a good fit in the shared space. As she gave him the keys and drove off towards her new apartment, she had no way of knowing how much this gorgeous man would change her life.
Airing All The Dirty Laundry
Heidi moved into a cute studio apartment and got to work decorating. One day, she received a Facebook message from the gorgeous guy that took over her lease. He couldn’t figure out the washing machine and no one was home to help!
Heidi kindly started to explain over Facebook but eventually offered to drive over and show him herself. It was an added bonus she got to see him again! After hanging out for the afternoon, this tasty tenant couldn’t let her leave without asking a big question.
The First Date
It turns out the new tenant’s name was Ed Savitt. From the first time he spoke to Heidi he knew she was special. After she spent the day helping him with his dirty laundry he asked her to go for coffee. He wanted to pay back her kindness and also wanted to spend some more time getting to know her.
Heidi was so excited! Ed ticked all her boxes and she eagerly accepted. This coffee date had so much potential. Would a mysterious secret make her second guess this decision years later?
University Sweethearts With An Unknown Future
After the first coffee date, the couple was inseparable. They had so much in common and could talk for hours. They found out they were both attending the same university and talked about their dreams and goals. Ed shared his future plans with Heidi to open his own coffee shop, and she shared her dreams of a job in PR.
Were they heating up to quickly to make the relationship last? Would their spark still sizzle after they graduated? Could they picture a future together or were both their dreams too independent and different for a life to share. Their past had already influenced so much, what would happen next?
London Calling!
After graduating, the couple chose to move to London, but not live together yet. They both wanted to support each other chasing their big dreams and knew they were strong enough to do this without sharing a home.
Heidi and Ed were both driven and motivated to succeed. They had their eyes on goals and when they achieved them it was time to move in together. The couple decided it might also be time for their families to meet, but would their parents approve?
A Dinner To Remember
When Heidi and Ed moved in together, they knew it was time after four years to introduce their families. They decided to invite both of their mothers to dinner in London and reveal a big secret. The day of the dinner arrived and the couple was so excited and nervous.
Their mothers instantly hit it off and they could see how happy the couple was. Heidi’s mom Kay became fast friends with Ed’s mom Fiona. The women chatted over dinner as if they had known each other for years. Did they have more in common than just their children?
A Toast To The Rest Of Our Lives
As everyone finished their desserts the couple had an important announcement to make. Ed squeezed Heidi’s hand and stood up to face both of their mothers. The young couple was both smiling ear-to-ear and Fiona and Kay held their breath waiting for the news.
Ed thanked both of their mothers for coming into London, and then said he had proposed to Heidi the weekend before! The couple was about to plan a wedding! The mothers were shocked and ecstatic! Kay didn't think anything could ruin this moment for her daughter, but there was a feeling that something was missing.
A Picture Perfect Engagement
As Kay sipped her champagne something kept nagging at the back of her mind. Why did Ed feel so familiar? Why did she feel like she recognized his face from somewhere else besides dinner and her daughter’s happiness?
She tried to quiet the voice in her head and focus on the exciting wedding news. Heidi would need her mother’s help planning the perfect day. As Kay smiled, she also knew she needed to find out who this man was her daughter was marrying.
Sailing Into The Future
Over dinner, the family had discovered they shared a passion for travel and sailing. They realized both families had taken trips along the Mediterranean. Both mothers have fond memories of their kids frolicking and playing on international beaches.
Kay remembers a specific happy memory of Heidi’s first boyfriend when the family was on vacation in Turkey. Kay could tell the story was beginning to sound embarrassing, but she couldn’t forget how happy her daughter was holding that little boy’s hand. Would her future husband be able to bring her the same joy for the rest of her life?
Buzzing On Dinner And Wedding Plans
Heidi and Ed were so happy with how well their mothers got along. They knew their future would be bright and they felt surrounded by love. They told Kay and Fiona the wedding would be planned for the end of the year.
There wasn’t a minute to lose and dinner ended with exciting wedding preparations. Everyone left the restaurant optimistic for the young couple and looking forward to their future. Kay put her worries aside, a mother always knows best but now was a time for celebration and not suspicion.
Sweeping Out The Cobwebs Of The Past
A couple of weeks after the engagement announcement, Kay decided to tackle cleaning out her attic. She wanted the space ready if the newlyweds needed an extra storage room. Kay always loved going through things from Heidi’s childhood and feeling nostalgic over her baby growing up.
While deep into one corner of the attic, Kay found a box of photo albums. She hadn’t seen some of these pictures in years and she began to flip through her family’s beautiful memories. The feeling from dinner came back about Heidi’s first boyfriend and Kay wondered if there were clues in her dusty albums.
The First Clue
Finally, she found an album from the family vacation to Turkey. On the cover in her writing was GUMBET, JULY 1997. Kay felt her hands shaking as she held the album and blew the dust off the cover. She knew there was something in here she needed to see.
She began to flip through the pages one by one, getting lost in the happy memories and smiling faces of her family. Finally, she found what she was looking for and gasped! She almost dropped the album, the resemblance was remarkable and Kay realized she had missed one big important detail.
Believing In Love At First Sight
Heidi could not believe how good her life was going. She was busy with a job she loved and had an amazing fiancee to go home to every night. She remembered back to her first date with Ed, and couldn't believe how their lives had changed.
She was shopping for her dream wedding dress and felt like she was floating. She kept pinching herself to believe this was her life! It felt like Heidi had met her soul mate and she never wanted to live a day without Ed. At that moment, she had no idea about the surprise found in her mother's attic.
Shocking Similarities - Can It Be True?
Kay had taken many photos of Heidi with her sweet first boyfriend on that trip. The young boy was shy with blonde hair. He had the most adorable bowl cut and he always stood next to Heidi with a small smile.
Kay looked closer and all of a sudden all of her suspicions and worry clicked into place. Could it be? Was it possible? She needed to show someone else these photos immediately. Heidi’s future depended on it!
Only A Mother Would Know
At the engagement dinner, she had forgotten the little boys’ name was Ed. Could it be after all these years her daughter would end up with a fiancee that had the same name? Was it possible they were the same person?
Kay knew she had to contact Fiona and send her these pictures. The two mothers had exchanged cell phone numbers at dinner, but Kay’s hands were shaking so much she could barely type out a message! Finally, she sent Fiona a message, but now she had to wait for the response.
Time Stands Still
Waiting for Fiona’s response was torturous. The only person who would recognize this boy was his mother, and Kay suspected the Ed her daughter had met at six years old was the same man she was in love with now! She held her phone anxiously awaiting Fiona’s response.
Fiona called Kay barely able to believe with she had received. Yes! That was her son! The couple were not just college sweethearts, they were childhood sweethearts that had fallen in love at six years old! Both mothers were amazed at the coincidence and knew they couldn’t keep this magical news to themselves!
Does This Change Anything?
At first, Kay didn’t know how Heidi would react to the news. Was this exciting for a new bride to find out she had met her husband at six years old and not four years ago at University? What if the happy couple thought it was a bad omen?
Heidi and Ed had fallen in love at first sight when they were both six years old. It was so cute the families both loved seeing two children smitten with each other and holding hands. When they left Tukey no one thought they would meet again, or attend the same University.
Will This Phonecall Ruin The Romance?
Kay couldn’t wait another minute and sent Heidi the picture and then called her. When Heidi answered she couldn’t believe what her mom was telling her. It seemed like something out of a fairytale. Had she met her prince charming at six years old?
Heidi had to sit down and take the news in. Heidi asked her mother several times if she was sure, and then Kay told her Fiona had confirmed. Heidi felt her stomach drop. Does that mean Ed knew and hadn’t told her this whole time?
Don't Break My Heart And Trust
While Kay was speaking to Heidi, Fiona called Ed. At first, it sounded like a joke but then his mother explained and he started to remember the family trip, especially the little girl that stole his heart. Ed loved Heidi more each day and finding this out just made him want to spend the rest of his life with her even more.
He was shocked but he knew he had to call Heidi immediately. He needed to know how his future wife was handling this unexpected news and how she felt. He never expected to end up with the girl he had his first crush on, but he would do anything not to lose her now!
Will You Still Marry Me?
When Heidi hung up with her mother she dialed Ed right away. He picked up and they both couldn’t believe the news. They agreed to talk about it when they got home that night. Walking into the apartment, Heidi felt nervous about how Ed would respond and slowly walked into their kitchen.
As soon as they saw each other, Ed immediately wrapped her in a big hug! The couple was shocked but also agreed this made their story even more romantic. At first, Heidi thought falling for a handsome stranger at first sight in University was her storybook romance but now she knew she had met the love of her life at six years old and reunited fifteen years later.
Unlocking More Mementos
After the first photo, Fiona began to go through her family photo albums to find more pictures of the happy couple. Both mothers couldn’t believe how many pictures there were and how cute their babies were. Ed was always holding Heidi’s hand in every photo, and both of them were inseparable.
With the upcoming wedding, how would the happy couple choose to announce the news? How could they let their guests know this amazing new fact about their love story? Everyone began to put their heads together and came up with the perfect idea.
The Universe Works In Mysterious Ways
One thing the couple agreed on, was the concept of fate. The universe had brought them together again from Turkey to Newcastle they were meant to be together. Anything else felt trivial now and they knew their love served a bigger purpose.
Before this news, neither Heidi nor Ed thought about fate. They felt everyone made their own destiny and path. Their romance proves that when you are meant to fall in love with someone, nothing can stand in the way.
Washing Machines To Wedding Dresses
Wedding preparations were their main focus now and they knew they had to share this with their guests. It was an important detail about their love story. After trying to find the best way to incorporate the pictures, they agreed it should be the first thing their guests saw.
What better way to use the photographs than with the invitations. After the first photo Kay found, Fiona found several more of the young couple in love in Turkey. They had numerous ones to choose from and this would make their invitations perfect. Sealing the envelopes they waited to hear back from friends and family about their big news.
The Invitation No One Would Forget
Each guest received an invitation to the wedding with a photo of Ed & Heidi from when they were six years old on the front. The picture let everyone know that their love story was destined by fate and how happy the couple was that they found each other.
The phone calls started coming with everyone's shocked reaction. Could it be true? How did they find out? One thing every guest agreed on, they wouldn't be missing this wedding for anything. The guest list began to grow. Could the happy couple accommodate everyone?
The More The Merrier
Everyone wanted to witness the magical wedding. Heidi and Ed were proving that soulmates existed and felt like the true definition of romance. The guest list grew to hundreds of people but the couple was not stressed.
With the support of their friends and family, they knew it would be the perfect day. They found an idyllic church for the ceremony and planned a lavish reception. They knew it would be a day that both families thought of for many years to come.
What Did The Rest Of The Family Think
That trip to Turkey didn’t just introduce Heidi and Ed. It was also the first time their families met. It meant that the friendship Fiona and Kay had developed, had also started fifteen years ago. The pictures the mothers were finding captured everyone together not just Heidi and Ed.
The whole experience bonded everyone and made them feel like family before the wedding. So many brides have issues with their mothers-in-law, but Heidi had won hers over at six years old. Did Kay feel the same way about Ed?
The Perfect Match
Kay was so happy her suspicions about Ed had paid off. She was thrilled to find the photo albums and give the couple the big news about when their love story started. The first night at the restaurant, that feeling in her brain could have never predicted this future.
Both families began to plan more trips together and couldn’t wait to build more memories. Kay knew in her heart that the same little boy that fell in love with her daughter was the man marrying her. She had no doubts that Ed would love her for the rest of his life, but did he feel the same?
He Knew From Day One
Since the trip was so long ago, neither Ed nor Heidi really remembers their first two-week romance. After looking through more pictures, they both agreed they have excellent taste. Ed hasn’t had a doubt since he took over Heidi’s lease that she was special and would change his whole life.
For Heidi, Ed represents everything she thought her future husband would be. He is kind, generous, thoughtful and her family and friends love him. This wedding was another exciting milestone in their love story and needed the perfect details. Would she find them in time?
Something Borrowed, Something Blue
The traditional wedding poem says you should have “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue”. Heidi was trying to match everything to the list for her perfect day.
Something old, was the photographs of her and Ed from when they were kids, something new was her dress, something borrowed was her mother’s necklace, and finally something blue. Heidi decided on blue accents in her bouquet and Ed looked sharp in a blue tuxedo. What was the groom doing to prepare for his big day?
Was Anyone Having Doubts?
With all the focus on their relationship and the romantic way, their love story had stated. The couple began to feel the pressure. Could they live up to this romantic story? Did their love story have what it took to last a lifetime?
They knew what mattered most was the way they felt and it was undeniable the love they shared. From a beach in Turkey to a washing machine in Newcastle, when they looked at each other, they fell in love all over again. It was the night before the wedding and Heidi kissed her fiance one last time before he became her husband.
The Big Day Arrives
Every bride and groom have wedding day jitters but their love story made them feel confident this was the right decision. Heidi had found her dream dress and as she walked down the aisle towards Ed, he became overcome with emotion.
The wedding took place in August 2017 in the town of Derbyshire. It was a huge celebration of two families joining together. It wasn’t just Ed and Heidi that met the first day, it was their extended families. As toasts were done to the couple’s bright future, there wasn’t a single dry eye in the room.
A Life Filled With Love
This happy couple cannot wait to spend the rest of their lives together. As they continue to grow their family and careers, their love story is incredible. After they said their vows they knew their bond was invincible.
From two children on a beach in Turkey to two university students doing laundry, love always finds a way. They hope their story can inspire more people to believe in love at first sight and to always believe that your soul mate is out there.