Valentine’s Day: Are these the sweetest love stories in NSW?

For Valentine’s Day 2022, we asked our readers — straight from the heart — to share with us their great love stories, and, boy they did not disappoint.

This Valentine’s Day we asked our readers to share with us their great love stories - fun, sweet, corny or just damn romantic, we wanted to know. We were blessed to have had these tales of true love shared with us, and while every love is special here are our favourite four as told to us by our readers.

Ronda and Bruce Wooderson, South Windsor

The love story of 81-year-old Ronda and Bruce Wooderson from South Windsor is one for the ages.

Married in 1961, the couple adopted two children and now have five grandchild and a great grandchild.

Celebrating their sixty-first wedding anniversary last year they are as in love as ever: Ronda says ‘life is good’, and cites the secrets behind their successful marriage as “just doing what you gotta do, as well as having a sense of humour.”

Ronda and Bruce Wooderson pictured at Holsworthy Army Barracks in 1959.

Bruce and Ronda Woodersen from South Windsor have been married for over 60 years. Photo: Tim Pascoe

Recalling how at last year’s anniversary celebration, surrounded by close family and friends Bruce offered up a rendition of the song “Would you marry me again?” crooning the words” if I got down on one knee to confess my love to you to which Ronda replied,

“Don’t you dare get down on one knee, because I’ll have to help you up and then we’ll both end up on the floor.”

In their early years of marriage Bruce would send Ronda roses to her work every day almost daily, which he then continued to do in her later years before retirement. He holds a tremendous amount of gratitude and respect for his wife who is now his carer, since he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, causing him to use a wheelchair.

“Ronda is the backbone of my family, and Ronda is my Valentine.”

Julie and Chris Rigney, Goulburn

This story is one of destiny at work and starts with a scene straight from a rom com.

For Julie and Chris Rigney it was love at first fright one Friday afternoon at the Goulburn branch of Commonwealth bank. Julie had walked in to do her banking when she mistook her future husband for a cardboard cutout. “He was so handsome I thought he was a cardboard cutout, like those ones wearing a suit with speech bubbles.” “I went to walk past but then the cardboard cutout came to life by saying 'hello'’ and trying to shake my hand, so naturally I screamed.”

Julie and Chris Rigney on their wedding day in 2013.

Chris had been working as a concierge to greet clients at the front door and he explains that the optical illusion seen by Julie was the result of direct sunlight reflecting from office buildings across the road.

“When you walk into the branch it’s quite dark and your eyes do have to adjust, you know, takes a second. Jules came in to do her banking and I stepped forward to say, ‘Hi, can I help you?’ And yeah, she thought I was a cardboard cutout so she screamed. She screamed loud, and the whole branch pretty much turned and looked at us”.

Julie and Chris Rigney pictured with their four children

After dating for a few years the pair tied the knot in March 2013, before another bizarre parallel of their union was revealed. During a discussion around holidaying on the south coast it came to light the Culburra Beach house Julies family stayed in during school holidays actually belonged to Chris’ family who rented it out.

“We sort of always believe that, you know, the universe sort of looks after you, and I’ve been very fortunate,” says Chris.

Chris and Julie live in Goulburn with their four children where they own a real estate agency together and will be celebrating their ninth wedding anniversary this year.

Liz and Mark White, Sydney

True love can be found on the dancefloor at Castle Hill RSL, or as it was called on a Friday night back in 1983, Disco Hill. Cold Chisel’s Bow River was playing, when an 18-year-old Mark and 17-year-old Liz — who had snuck in using her sister’s ID — first met. After denying her future husband’s first request for a dance, Liz finally agreed on his second offer, and the dance led to a first date the very next night at the Epping Club.

Mark and Liz White on their wedding day in 1987

Mark and Liz White meeting their first grandchild Lena Jane in 2021.

After Mark popped the question on two occasions — the first time while on Schoolies Gold Coast — the pair tied the know four years later in 1987. They are celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary this year. They share three adult children and one granddaughter.

Kate and Alex Damo

Kate and Alex’s love story begins back when they met on Valentines Day in 1989 at a wedding of mutual friends where they were both in the bridal party.

Alex and Kate Damo on their wedding day in 1988.

Despite first impressions getting off on the wrong foot the pair got engaged three months after first meeting and then married eighteen months later in 1987. Kate and Alex have stayed married through two children and three home renovations and will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary this year.