When Briony Kelly met Andy Johnston as he made deliveries to the store where she worked, he caught her eye.
They would chat and enjoy lunch breaks together and eventually agreed to go on their first date.
The 26-year-old quickly fell for Andy but three months in, she realised she had no idea how old he was.
She was shocked to discover he was 25 years older – almost the same age ash her mum – but she admits by then it was ‘too late to worry’ as they were already in love.
Eight months into their relationship, the couple, from Portsmouth, got engaged and after years of wedding planning, they are finally going to walk down the aisle next month.
Despite battling accusations of Briony being a gold digger and Andy ‘using her’ for sex, the loved-up couple have shown that age is just a number.
Briony, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, said: ‘Our first night together was amazing.
‘I would say he was a gentleman, but really he wasn’t – everything in that department is amazing.
‘That’s the thing, people think that men his age can’t keep up in that sense and oh boy he can.
‘There’s such a big stigma around relationships with an age gap.
‘I’ve been called a gold digger before but the funny thing is, if someone were to look at our bank balances, technically I’ve got more money than him.
‘I know that, which is why it doesn’t hurt me.
‘Age is just a number, I wouldn’t change him for the world – he makes me feel so loved and cherished and I’ve got a newfound confidence I didn’t think I would ever have.’
Briony was just 24 when she first met Andy, then 49, and says she was won over by his clean-cut looks and witty personality during his daily visits to the store.
Briony said: ‘When we first started talking I thought he was a lot younger just because of his demeanor and his outlook on life – nothing was stopping him.
‘He always spoke about how he was travelling – going out and enjoyed enjoying the world – trying and doing new things.
‘I would say it’s fate that brought us together as I wasn’t looking for anyone and Andy said it was the same for him but we found each other.
‘I’d tried dating people my age but it didn’t really work out and I got to a point thinking I was quite happy on my own.
‘Andy’s got icy blue eyes and really dark hair, which makes them stand out. He’s always clean shaven and well presented and you could tell he looks after himself.
‘Andy and I started chatting and getting to know each other and when we out for that lunch we just clicked.
‘We were chatting about three months into our relationship and I mentioned I didn’t know how old he was – and he said the same about me.
‘I think he thought I came across as a bit older than what I am and I thought he came across a bit younger, but there was no surprise.
‘By this point it was too late to worry about it as we’d fallen for each other.’
Initially, her parents weren’t sure about the pairing but once they met Andy, they realised they were meant to be together.
Briony said: ‘The first thing my dad said was ‘can you not find someone younger?’
‘My mum did question it at first, as there’s only four years between her and Andy, but there’s 16 years between my mum and step-dad so they would have been hypocrites for having that mindset.
‘Once they got to know him and could see how happy I was they fell in love with him too and the whole age thing, it was like it didn’t exist.
But not everyone has been so accepting as they are regularly quizzed by rude strangers on their relationship.
The couple are regularly mistakenly for father and daughter, with others accusing Briony of being a gold digger and Andy of simply wanting sex.
Briony said: ‘If we didn’t have the same outlook on life or want the same things then it would be different, but he does want marriage and he does want children.
‘A man approached us and asked “is this your dad?” when I explained he was my fiancé he replied “you must be in it for the money then” and said I had money signs in my eyes.
“At a souvenir shop in Barcelona the bloke was trying to flirt with me and said “don’t worry your dad won’t mind”.
‘When I told him he was fiancé he asked if he should go and speak to him about paying for my items.
‘I told him I was more than capable of paying for myself and he replied “so he’s not the one who wears the money trousers then?”
‘On another holiday we became friendly with a couple and the woman told me that Andy wouldn’t want to get married or have children and that he was just using me for the sex.
‘I told her straight over the dinner table that we were engaged, we were getting married and that we do want children.
‘The woman tried to apologise but her partner told her not to and said “we’re just saying what everyone’s thinking”.
‘People can be so rude and think they can say what they like when actually they’ve got no right to.’
MORE: Couple with 23-year age gap launch dating app for others who want older or younger lovers
source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/15/bride-discovered-25-year-age-gap-fiance-three-months-dating-12060793/
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