Wearing a gold sequin gown Charlotte Lazaar 34, smiled with joy at Gaith Lazaar, 22, as the Tunisian registry official completes their wedding vows.
Leaning in to kiss her new husband, who is wearing a traditional white shirt and trousers, glamorous mum-of-one Charlotte knows she has found the man of her dreams.
But Charlotte’s happily ever after didn’t come after years of dating Gaith, a big engagement party and months of expensive wedding planning.
The carer from Margate, Kent, wed her husband just six weeks after meeting him on holiday last year.
It was a whirlwind romance with Charlotte admitting she didn’t care her husband was 12 years younger than her because he has an “old soul” and is the “perfect man”.
“I proposed to my Tunisian toyboy three weeks after meeting on holiday and we got married two weeks after that,” she said. “If people say he’s visa-hunting it’s not true – we’re in love.
Real Life
“It’s so cruel. He is the man of my dreams and the perfect husband. When you meet the perfect man, you just know.
“He is 12 years younger than me but age isn’t an issue. In many ways he is more mature than me. Age-gap marriage between older women and a younger man is a taboo which needs busting.
“My friends and family were more shocked about how fast we got married than the age gap. But when they met Gaith they realised we were a perfect match. It’s a once in a lifetime blessing.”
Charlotte, who prides herself on being decisive, said she wasn’t going to let her ‘Prince Charming’ out of her grasp because of people’s “ridiculous views.”
My friends and family were more shocked about how fast we got married than the age gap.
Charlotte
“I’m a mum of one,” she said. I am a carer. I also teach dance and I raise money for charities in my pageant competitions. I know in this world when you find love to hang onto it.
“I am shocked people can be jealous when someone finds happiness. Gaith gives me the strength to know those people are just rude and need ignorant.”
Charlotte, who is mum to eight-year-old Jacob, was on holiday in a four-star hotel in Tunisia in June last year.
“Gaith was working as a children’s entertainment coordinator and also appeared on stage every evening entertaining guests,” she said.
“Jacob went to the kid’s club and Gaith was great with him.
“I admired the way he worked with children and was clearly committed to helping them have fun and helped the shy kids join the holiday experience.”
According to new bride Charlotte, on the third night of their holiday Gaith said hello to Jacob and his mum after he finished the evening dinner entertainment.
“I’m a former dance teacher and we started talking about our love of dance,” she said. “Jacob had told me how much fun Gaith was and we had a lovely hour chatting.
“I wasn’t on holiday looking for love. I was there to relax and focus on my son.”
The next day Charlotte met up with Gaith for coffee and they both admitted they felt attracted to each other.
“It sounds weird but that day I knew I had found the man I was going to marry. I didn’t care that he was 22 and I was 33 at the time. He wasn’t interested in my age. I’d found my soulmate.”
At the end of the week a tearful Charlotte and her son returned to England.
“Gaith and I would speak for hours every night on video calls. One day we spoke for five hours.
I know people like to troll. But Gaith and I are immune to that. People are just jealous of us finding love.
Charlotte
“I know some people would say it was just a holiday romance, but they are wrong,” she said.
“Those are people who want you to hurt and fail. Who never grab love when they find it.”
Gaith, who is Muslim, wanted a woman who understood his need for a solid family life and who shared his love of dance and teaching.
Charlotte and Gaith agreed they wanted to marry after just three weeks.
“I asked him if he would marry me. I wanted to see if he was committed to the relationship, and he instantly said yes.
“I was shocked and thrilled. It was like a fairy tale.”
When Charlotte told her friends and family many were shocked at just how fast the relationship was progressing.
“My friends know when I make up my mind that’s it,” she said. “They were supportive, especially when they met him. They told me a younger man would be more sensible and caring than a man my own age and they were right.
“My parents knew I wanted to be happy like them and knew I would only marry someone who Jacob liked and would be a supportive husband.
If people say he’s visa-hunting it’s not true – we’re in love.
Charlotte
“I wasn’t prepared to listen to any negativity. I know people love to find fault.
“I know people like to troll. But Gaith and I are immune to that. People are just jealous of us finding love.
“He’s so handsome and is a gentleman.
“If I was a man and he was a younger woman and we’d met on holidays no one would criticise. It’s shocking that people would do the same to a woman.
Charlotte and Gaith now live in Margate with Jacob.
Gaith was granted a visa in October last year and now works as a special needs teaching assistant in a local school .
“He is also developing a holiday dance programme for kids and is dedicated to his job,” says Charlotte.
“That’s why trolls appall me. We married each other for love, and he is an amazing stepfather to Jacob.
“As a woman I am shocked people criticise our age gap love. If I was bloke they wouldn’t. I no longer care because Gaith is my forever husband.
“People love to attack when they see happiness in others. When you find someone perfect for you you become immune to criticism.
Gaith added: “Charlotte is amazing. She is kind and beautiful. I wasn’t looking for love but when I met Charlotte, I knew she shared my values about family. She is an amazing wife.”
