Long-distance romance can be hard to tackle for many couples. But for Joshua Tan and his wife Zoen Tay, the distance apart was not enough to faze them, thanks to the actor's persistent efforts in maintaining the relationship.
In an interview with Seow Sin Nee for Mediacorp online series Just Swipe Lah, Zoen, 25, revealed that despite being in different countries, the pair have never been apart for more than six weeks at a stretch in their five-year long-distance romance.
"Actually, he had been flying to Australia all along to accompany me, so the longest period of time that we were not together was only six weeks," Zoen said.
When asked how Joshua, 32, was able to afford so many flights to and fro, Zoen sheepishly replied: "But he wanted to see me."
The couple met in a Muai Thai gym in Singapore and their relationship soon turned into a long-distance one when Zoen went to Australia to pursue her studies.
She has since graduated and the newlyweds are now busy moving into their new home.
The star-studded wedding ceremony on Dec 26 saw the attendance of many local celebrities, such as most of the main cast members for the Ah Boys to Men (ABTM) franchise, actress Irene Ang and ABTM director Jack Neo.
Speaking to Sin Nee, Irene Ang – who was Joshua's first acting counterpart on his very first showbiz scene – said that Joshua's love for Zoen is irreplaceable, stating that he loves Zoen 10 on a scale of 10 while Zoen "loves him maybe on an eight".
"To Joshua and Zoen, mummy is very proud of you," Irene said in a congratulatory message to the couple. "I wish that God would always bless you with eternal love, bliss and also understanding and peace."
'I hope that he'll cry'
Before the wedding ceremony commenced, Joshua revealed that he had yet to see the bride in her wedding gown.
When asked if he thinks he would tear up at this sight, he said no.
On the contrary, Zoen was adamant about wanting to see her soon-to-be husband weep.
"I wanted his first look [of the gown] to be in the ballroom, so I hope that he'll cry," Zoen said. "I want him to at least shed a tear."
Sure enough, Joshua was unable to hide his tears the moment he saw Zoen walking down the aisle.
The couple were both visibly teary-eyed when exchanging wedding vows, with Joshua needing to take a break during his speech to let the tears run.
"I want to be the man that you will always be able to lean on, and ultimately, be everything you'll ever need," Joshua said during his speech.
"From now on until the day we pass from this life, my forever teammate, my soulmate, and my best friend, I love you."
This article was first published on AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.
