Age's no object

Mr Steve Zielinski remembers clearly the day he met his wife, ZiQi, a Singaporean - at an Ultimate Frisbee game three years ago. He fell for her at first sight.

The 38-year-old American expatriate who teaches the primary level at the Singapore American School was immediately attracted to her sense of adventure and the "air of mysteriousness" about her.

"I have to admit that I was drawn to her physical beauty at first, but over time, realised she had a great sense of humour and that quality of kindness in her," he says.

"I discovered later, as we went on our dates that we both shared the same values and goals in life. We love to travel, experience new adventures and having a family is important to us."

Even though there is a 14-year age difference between them, ZiQi's maturity bridged the gap.

"She was 20 when I met her, and I was concerned about the age gap. But I knew I didn't want to be without her, and that was a definite sign for me to ask her out."

They dated for a year before Steve proposed in December 2004 and ZiQi accepted, only after making a trip to the United States to visit Steve's parents in June that year.

"Steve is a very decent man, he treats people well and more so, for me. When met Steve's parents who have been married for 42 years and are his role models, knew that I could trust him as my husband, given the household that he grew up in," says ZiQi.

It was this confidence that she banked on, and they held their wedding at Sentosa on May 28, 2005.

ZiQi quit her banking job and returned to school full-time to pursue her communication studies degree, with Steve's support.

"Initially I had to ask myself if could be a wife and a student at the same time, and was comfortable knowing that he supported my decision. We are honest about our feelings, and open with our affection for each other. We make it a point to resolve any disagreements before we go to bed," she says.

The couple is looking forward to being a dual-income household once ZiQi graduates this year.

"We may even think about planning for a family soon," she says.

Early start

The Lows were 25 when they tied the knot, and certainly stood out among their peers.

Samuel & Jeanette

But age was no issue for Samuel and Jeanette.

They met in church, in 2000.

"I knew Jeanette when she was 20 and still studying in the National University of Singapore. was 21 and preparing to enter university too. We started out as very good friends who could share deeply and freely, but little did we know that we would end up as husband and wife," says Samuel.

In the first three months of their courtship, the couple spent hours talking on the phone with each other and chatting over MSN into the early hours of the morning.

They realised then that they were comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings with each other.

After about four years of courtship, Samuel proposed in January 2005, and they started preparing for their wedding in October the same year.

Jeanette says: "Prior to the proposal, we had briefly discussed about marriage, and both of us agreed that we wanted to get married straight after Samuel graduates from university."

"It was not easy working out the finances for our wedding as we had just entered the workforce, so we scrimped and saved to cover the deposits for our wedding dinner and the bridal package."

With help from some good friends for video and photography and financial assistance from Samuel's father, the couple held their church wedding and dinner for over 700 guests.

The red packets from relatives and friends covered the wedding expenditure.

"Both Jeanette and I were 25 when we got married, and we really consider it a blessing from God because of our limited funds and savings," says Samuel, a process engineer.

"One major difference from dating is that we both have to take care of ourselves and start our own family. In a way, this newfound independence can be both exhilarating and stressful at the same time."

The couple, who are expecting their first child in August, agree that their marriage has helped to develop their characters and personalities, as they learn to live with and accommodate each other.

The proud parents-to-be are eagerly anticipating a new phase in their marriage.

"We are looking forward to what life has in store for us, as we navigate through parenthood and the joys and challenges it presents."

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