Our Story
Our Story
First Glance
Martin and Maria met whilst he was travelling around Brazil at the end of 2012, visiting Felix, a friend he had lived with during his time in Budapest.
One night in a bar called Beco in São Paulo, Maria caught sight of Martin and followed him onto the dance floor where he was showing off his moves and singing to Queen at the top of his lungs .
Long Distance
Martin moved fulltime to live in Brazil and spent six months learning Portuguese, teaching english and volunteering, all while Maria was finishing University.
They spent the following two and a half years studying and working abroad whist dating long distance, seeing each other on average every six months but talking on Skype for hours each day.
Maria moved to Malta in 2015, where they spent a further year living in a very old house, opposite which lived some ponies, and adopting a street cat named Faye.
London
Early 2016 Martin and Maria decided to move to London.
Martin working for Octopus Energy as one of its first employees, and Maria for different Fashion suppliers as a Print Designer, ending up with hundreds of dresses on the high street, though learning quickly not to inform people on the street that she had designed their dresses after many weird looks from strangers.
Finally a Proposal!
After only eight years and much pointing at watches from Maria’s parents, Martin decided it was time to propose. Martin had always planned to propose in Barcelona, but despite many attempts, Maria refused to travel during the pandemic. Martin changed tactics and proposed instead that they return to one of their favourite destinations they had ever visited, Lake Como.
Finding a waterfall inside a national park overlooking the lake, Martin forced Maria into an uphill hike in the wrong direction (Maria’s pet peeve is Martin saying he knows 100% the correct directions to their destination, before realising they are going the wrong way!).
Martin got down on one knee producing a pink velvet ring box that had been hidden for months in their downstairs neighbour Russel’s safe and Maria said ‘Yes’, though because of Martin’s bad directions they missed their dinner reservations and boat ride back across the lake, ending up by chance in their favourite restaurant instead with much wine and local fish!
Bye Bye London, Hello Brazil
After six years living in London and finally buying a house in Greenwich that a psychic told them that they wouldn’t be living in for long, and as expected they soon moved again….
Martin moved to work in the Embassy in Brasilia and then to a role in the British Consulate in São Paulo bringing Maria full circle and back to Brazil again after renovating their new house.
Life Now
Having now lived in São Paulo for almost four years, Maria and Martin have truly made the city their home, adopting two gorgeous cats, Narciso and Orquidea (@diplomaticats on Instagram, Martin need’s more followers please), they bought a cute little beige jeep for off roading in the mountains and getting out of the city on weekends to the beach whilst Martin has been working away at the British Consulate and Maria freelancing in UK, Brazil, Scandinavia and Europe.
After the wedding they will be leaving Brazil , to a a yet undetermined location!