Michelle and Paul Veal
- Michelle was working on a P&O Cruises ship in 1992 when she met Paul, who was a passenger.
- 30 years later they got married on a cruise ship to commemorate how they first met.
- The wedding package cost about $1,700 including a cake and champagne.
Three decades after first meeting on a P&O cruise, Michelle and Paul Veal tied the knot on a ship aptly named the Pacific Encounter.
The Australian couple said they first met on a two-week cruise on a P&O ship in 1992, where Michelle was working as a performer and Paul was a passenger.
The pair said they immediately "clicked" but "nothing happened" given Michelle was working, but they took a photo together before the trip ended.
About seven years later they happened to meet again when Paul was working as a butcher and Michelle came up to the counter.
Michelle and Paul Veal
"She had blonde curly hair, big blue eyes and a beautiful smile," Paul recalled. He said he remembered her face but couldn't remember where he had seen her before. Michelle returned a few times and it eventually dawned on Paul that they'd met years earlier on the cruise.
He dug out their photo from 1992 in an album. The next time Michelle came in, Paul reminded her that they'd met before. They laughed, but nothing came of it as they were both married at the time.
Five years later their paths crossed again when Michelle brought her kids to a karate lesson and found Paul was their coach. But nothing happened between them as Michelle ended up moving from Australia to the UK.
Fast-forward a few years after both got divorced, they connected on Facebook and met up in 2018. They've been together ever since.
Michelle and Paul Veal
The couple, who now live on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, had their wedding plans delayed by the pandemic.
"We actually met on a cruise ship, so we thought that would be a great way to marry each other," Michelle told Insider.
They booked a wedding package with P&O Cruises in April 2022 and got married in September. They were joined by 50 guests including their five children, close friends and family on the four-day cruise from Brisbane.
The wedding package cost them 2,500 Australian dollars (about $1,700) including a wedding cake, champagne and photography. They upgraded to a suite, which took the total cost to about $3,500. "It was a very reasonable package for the price," Michelle said.
Their guests could book a cabin for about $260 for four days, or one with a balcony for about $475, including all meals.
Michelle and Paul Veal
Michelle said it was a great deal as a typical wedding would have cost close to $7,000.
P&O Cruises reserved different parts of the ship on their wedding day, with the ceremony at the rear before moving to the restaurant and then the disco.
"We had an absolute ball – it was the best way for us to get married," Michelle said. "It was a great way for everyone to bond and spend quality time together."
Michelle and Paul got hitched just before the ship left Brisbane for Airlie Beach in north Queensland, where they spent a day before it returned.
"P&O were fantastic and they really spoiled us and made us feel very special," Michelle said.
from Business Insider https://ift.tt/B6so1ZA
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