I Rekindled My Fairytale Holiday Romance With a Drunken Text — and Ended up Marrying My Affair 10 Years After We First Met

A woman who fell in love on holiday has rekindled the relationship and eventually married her fling – ten years after they first met.

Club promoter Zoe Shepherd-Scott, now 33, was working in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, handing out injections, when she first met Michael Shepherd-Scott, also 33, who was on a lads holiday in 2012.

The pair, both originally from Britain, sparked a holiday romance and met several times during Michael’s trip.

Zoe even made a passing comment to a friend about Michael, claiming she had met the man she will “marry one day.”

Michael returned to Leeds, Yorkshire, after a week, and Zoe flew back to Britain a few months later to start a course at Bournemouth University, Dorset.

Five years later, Zoe drunkenly messaged Michael and to her surprise the connection was “still there.”

The pair renewed their romance and Zoe left her job as a steward at Emirates and moved to Leeds to be with Michael.

They married in May 2022, 10 years after they first met on holiday, and recently welcomed their firstborn, son Leo, in February 2023.

Club promoter Zoe Shepherd-Scott, 33, was working in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, handing out injections, when she first met Michael Shepherd-Scott, 33, who was on a lads holiday in 2012.

Zoe, a content creator from Leeds, Yorkshire, said: ‘When I met Michael I remember saying to my friend, “I’ve met the man I’m going to marry.” ‘During that holiday he said the same thing to his friends about me.

“I never in a million years thought I would actually marry him ten years later.

‘Despite the loss of contact, the connection was still there.

‘It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, but I’m so glad I followed my heart.’

Zoe worked as a promoter in Cyprus in the summer of 2012 while taking a gap year before going to university.

Michael was on boys’ holiday when he first crossed paths with Zoe.

She said: “We met when I encouraged them to come over for filming.

‘I don’t remember what we talked about, but I do remember how he made me feel.

Zoe and Michael on their wedding day in 2022 – ten years after they fell in love on holiday in Cyprus

They married two years later in May 2022 in Athens, Greece, with 55 close family and friends

“There was an immediate connection and I had a gut feeling about us.”

During Michael’s week-long trip, they met several times for dates on the island.

They exchanged numbers and continued messaging when Michael came home a week later.

Zoe flew back to Britain in September 2012, ready to start university.

She said: ‘We were both in very different places in life.

‘He was focused on his career and I was about to start my studies.

‘We eventually drifted apart, but we kept liking each other’s photos on Facebook.’

Five years later, in 2019, Zoe was fresh out of a breakup when she met a friend.

In 2023, the couple was overjoyed to welcome their son Leo, 20 months old.

They started talking about past relationships, and her friend reminded her of “Michael from vacation.”

“We had a few bottles of wine and I looked it up online,” she said.

‘He had two children, but was also single.

‘I didn’t really expect anything to come of it, but I drunkenly texted him to see how he was doing.

‘It was as if no time had passed.

‘We clicked again straight away.’

Zoe, who was working as a flight attendant at the time, eventually left her job and moved to Yorkshire to live with Michael in 2020.

The pair were hit by the lockdown, but despite the difficult circumstances, they made it happen.

Pictured: Zoe and Michael with their toddler Leo

She said: “It was definitely tough at times; I’ve moved there my whole life.

‘I never expected to become a stepmother.

‘But we all took it easy and the kids were so welcoming.

“Michael was so loving and supportive through it all. I knew I had made the right decision.”

During a trip to Greece in September 2020, Michael proposed to Zoe and they started planning the wedding.

Two years later, they tied the knot in Athens, Greece, in May 2022, with 55 close family and friends.

“We met near Greece, so it’s always been very special for us,” she said.

‘The proposal was perfect and it really confirmed my feeling that I had made the right decision.

Zoe said a drunken Facebook post was ultimately the spark that rekindled her romance with Michael

‘It was such a magical wedding.’

In 2023, the couple was overjoyed to welcome their son Leo, 20 months old.

Zoe said: ‘We’ve been through some tough times but I’ve had Michael by my side throughout.

‘It may not always be the fairy tale you envision, but if you put it into practice, it can be so much better.’