Strangers Who Got Engaged On Holiday After Two Days Still Together After 11 Years

It's often said that when you meet 'the one', you know, but in reality, it's hard to determine if you're actually going to be with someone longterm after a few days.

However, for two strangers who took a leap of faith and got engaged just two days after meeting each other on holiday, this was the case – and they're still together 11 years later!

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Shari Thorpe, 33, met Ryan Thorpe, 33, in Gran Canaria, Spain, while on a girls holiday in her early 20s, and the two Brits immediately fell for each other.

The pair first laid eyes on each other at the pool, with Shari saying: "I instantly thought he was good-looking.

"It turns out Ryan was eyeing me up too and told his friend he was with I was the girl he was going to marry."

But they didn't get chatting until they were in a karaoke bar.

Then, in a moment of blind faith two days later, Ryan decided to pop the question to Shari, who admitted she was surprised, but said yes regardless.

However, fortune wasn't entirely on the side of the lovebirds, and despite meeting in the same place, they actually lived over 300 miles away in the UK.

Shari was based in Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, while Ryan lived in Odiham, Hampshire.

But all it took was a further six months of dating for Shari to move in with her two-day fiancé.

The happy couple went on to welcome their first child in 2012 before finally trying the knot in 2015.

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They now have three sons together – aged one to nine – and have defied all odds to be happier than ever.

Shari said: "It's all so crazy for me still.

"I only ended up going on holiday with my friend because her boyfriend couldn't go last minute, and I never expected to find a husband.

"As soon as I saw him, I thought he was good looking and when we got chatting, he made me laugh. When he asked me to marry him after just two days of knowing each other, I just thought 'why not?'.

"We had so much chemistry and it just felt like I had to go for it. I've never looked back."

Meanwhile, Ryan was told he'd 'no chance' when he admitted to his friend on holiday that Shari was the girl he was going to marry.

"But I had instant feelings for her that I'd never felt before. My mates thought I was mental proposing," he said.

"I think knowing people thought it would just be a fling, it pushed us to prove them wrong and make it work.

"It's crazy now looking back on memories and how far we have come."

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Ryan popped the question at the karaoke bar where they got chatting, but Shari didn't actually think he was serious when she said yes.

"I just said 'go on then' not really realising he was serious," she said.

"He and his friends joked that he was an upcoming singer, but he was actually really good," Shari said. "I remember him belting out a Westlife song."

"Then he came out with a ring the next day. But I couldn't not go for it, there was something about him."

While Shari's friends and family had their understandable doubts about the romance lasting, Ryan was able to win them over.

Clearly a fan of the little details, he remembered everything about his two-day proposal when the actual big day came in 2015.

"We had a lovely day and Ryan sang the same Westlife song he sang to me at the karaoke bar,” she said.

I guess this is a decent argument in favour of a holiday fling?! You never know!