Michelle and Andrew Real Engagement Story

I met Andrew through his friend (now best man) and my love for the TV programme ‘Red Dwarf’. I was 21 and had just returned from my first ‘Red Dwarf’ Convention. I had a wicked time, met all the cast and liked nothing more than to gossip (and name drop) about my adventure. I was chit-chatting “away to the man in my local pet shop and another gentleman walked in and joined our conversation. He mentioned he had been a set builder, I said one of those made Red Dwarf and next thing, it was…”My son Matt likes ‘Red Dwarf’…” I said I would like to meet this man’s son and found out he lived above the florist. I went to the florist and, rather forwardly, let her pass on my phone number. Matt’s reaction when he phoned was, “Is this a joke?” I said no and we ended up going out. After a while, Matt and I decided we were just good friends and then, me being cheeky, I arranged to meet some of his friends at a pub quiz I was involved in. I put on my knee-high boots and short skirt and went along to the quiz. As I went round the tables collecting the money, I met Matt’s friends and Andrew was with them. I quite liked Andrew and later found out that he quite liked me – and my boots! I asked Matt to give Andrew my phone number and waited…and waited…and waited…and got fed up. I phoned Matt again and demanded Andrew’s number, which he reluctantly gave, then I phoned Andrew and managed to get a date. On the 18 January 1997, we met as arranged down my local pub and things went from there. That night, I got home and said to myself that he was the one. I was right. Within a year, I was looking for a job near where he lived and by that June, I was lodging with his brother, then some friends whilst we looked for a house. Three weeks before my 23rd birthday, in August, we went out and bought an engagement ring, then had to keep our mouths shut until we went for a walk in some woods and he officially proposed. We moved in together that October and set a date for 17 June 2000. We are still together and very much looking forward to our big day. So there you have it – it’s a bit long winded, but it’s happily ever after for us.