I married my teenage crush after bumping into him again on New Year’s Eve

Jen Shoubridge, 48, a photographer from Devon and her husband, Paul, 50, who works in TV, have been together for 25 years and have a 19-year-old daughter, Reese. They first met at school where Jen developed a crush on Paul then met again, by chance, five years later on New Year’s Eve, while Jen was recovering from a break-up...

I remember that New Year’s Eve so well. Even though the pub was packed, I spotted Paul straight away and said to my friend, Charlotte, "Check out that hot guy in the red shirt by the bar." I was 23 at the time and didn’t realise when I first saw him that it was the guy I’d had a crush on at school. My friend kept telling me to go and talk to him but I was still feeling pretty low after being dumped that Christmas and had sworn off men. "This is the year I’m just going to focus on me," I’d said.

I’d been having a casual relationship, something my daughter would now call a 'situationship' with a colleague for about seven or eight months. It was one of those things where he would inevitably call me at 11pm and ask if he could come over.

That Christmas, I’d really hoped to make things more official between us. It was mid-December and I had hoped we might spend Christmas together but just before the office Christmas party, he told me he wasn’t ready for a serious relationship. I was so disappointed that we wouldn’t get to have a dance together or go home together. I realised I was more into him than he ever was with me. It was so disheartening, especially at such a romantic time of year. I vowed not to make the same mistake again.

School crush

My friend Charlotte kept badgering me to come out with her over New Year and eventually, I gave in. Everywhere was so busy but we eventually found a table at this pub. Then a bloke who had been in my class at school came over and started chatting. "I’m with Paul Shoubridge. Do you remember him?" he asked.

I blushed when I remembered how much I used to fancy him. He had been in the year above me at school and had been one of the cool, rebellious skateboarders. Everyone knew who he was. No one knew who I was. I worked hard, got good grades and generally kept my head down. I wasn’t the sort of girl who rolled her skirt up or wore make-up. I'd sent him a Valentine's card at one point, but I don’t think Paul even knew I existed.

Paul came over and we got chatting but I tried to play it cool. After being hurt so recently, I wasn’t going to let the same thing happen again. I’m going to make him work for it, I thought. We reminisced about our school days and he told me he was now living and working in London but came back to Brighton quite a bit to see his brother. I told him I’d recently graduated and was working in marketing. I realised I fancied him just as much as I had back then. As midnight approached he leaned in closer and then we ended up kissing as the clock struck.

Afterwards, he said he’d really like to see me again and asked for my number. But this was the late 90s and I didn’t even own a mobile back then. I told him he’d have to take down my number and he went off to get a pen and paper. "It was nice knowing you. Thanks for the New Year’s eve snog," I joked. "I’m definitely going to call you," he said. "Yeah, right," I replied, trying not to get my hopes up too much.

A new romance

I waited and waited for him to call and finally, three or four days afterwards, he did. I was thrilled. He asked if I’d like to come and visit him in London that weekend. I jumped at the chance.

Things moved pretty quickly after that. I would go and stay with him in London or he’d come and see me in Brighton. We were both living in flat shares and a year or so into our relationship, my landlord said he wanted to put the flat up for sale and that I would have to move out. "Why don’t you come and live in London with us?" Paul suggested, so I moved into the house he shared with two others.

We had a nice little gang in London and Paul and I spent a year or so living with some friends and saving for a deposit before buying a little place in Twickenham. My mum was living in Cyprus at the time and we went out to see her at the end of the summer. Paul had booked a restaurant for dinner and I remember Mum telling me I should wear the red dress I’d bought. "Why?" I asked. "Isn’t that a bit too fancy for dinner?"

Making a commitment

That night, Paul got down on one knee and proposed in the restaurant. I was stunned but thrilled to accept. That was in September 2001 and we ended up flying home on the 11th. It was quite surreal flying back into London and hearing about the awful terrorist attacks.

We had a lovely white wedding in 2003 and went to Barbados for our honeymoon. A few weeks after we got back from honeymoon, I found out I was pregnant. We were so pleased when our daughter, Reese, was born eight months later. We were living back in Sussex at the time but my mum had moved back to Devon and we decided we needed a bit more space. Paul had gone freelance about five years before and said he could work from anywhere so we put our house up for rent and headed to Devon.

Married life

I’d be lying if I said being married for 20 years had been easy but I do believe in fate and that Paul and I were meant to be together. It’s not easy when he’s away with work so much. He’s been away filming a reality TV show for months this year and there are times, like when the lawnmower breaks down or I can’t work the boiler, when I get frustrated he’s not around to ask. Having said that, perhaps the fact he’s away so much is what has helped us keep the spark alive.

I also think that people give up too easily on marriage and it’s something Paul and I decided we would work on every single day. We made that commitment to each other and it’s one we continue to make. We genuinely enjoy spending time together. He still makes me laugh and I still fancy him.

I joke that he’s the one-night stand that never went away. I’m so glad we met that night and that New Year really was the start of the rest of my life.

See Jenniferjanephotography.co.uk.