A couple who met when they were nine months old and “married” in kindergarten are now really getting married

Jess Peak, 20, and Joe Matthews, 21, who ‘married’ in kindergarten with cracker rings, were out of touch for 14 years but are now reunited and truly getting married

A couple who met in kindergarten and tied the knot – when they were just four years old – are now actually getting married next month.

Plymouth couple Jess Peak, 20, and Joe Matthews, 21, share their sweet love story — and it’s enough to make any hopeless romantic weep, they report PlymouthLive.

In their younger years, they held a sham wedding in kindergarten, which is where Joe proposed – but without the ring. Luckily, he later followed that up with a dolphin ring made out of a Christmas cracker.

Despite not having been in touch for 14 years, the childhood sweethearts will truly be saying yes next month.

Jess’ mother Michelle said: “They met when they were nine months old at Bambino’s daycare. They had breakfast together every day, and the kindergarten group was always so sociable that they ended up at the same birthday parties or date nights together.”

However, Joe was born in the last hours of August, so he went to primary school a year before Jess, who was born in September. If Joe had also been born in September, he and Jess would have stayed in the same school year.

They were put in different schools and lost touch, but over the years they thought of each other until Joe finally found Jess on Facebook. She said, “He texted me on Facebook and said, ‘I guess you don’t remember who I am?’ I said, ‘Are you the guy I married when I was four?’ From then on we kind of hit it off and agreed to meet at the lighthouse on the Hoe.”

However, both thought they had been raised by the other, only to later realize they were standing on opposite sides of the lighthouse. When they met Jess and Joe, who are both teachers, they hit it off again.

Jess said: “Meeting Joe’s parents again felt like a reunion too. We looked at all the old tape videos of Joe when he was younger and realized wherever Joe was, I was in the background.”

In August of last year, Joe rented a room in the Beckley Point Tower, organized a red carpet, had flower petals strewn all over the floor, hung pictures of their time together from the ceiling and proposed to his childhood sweetheart.

Jess said: “He had the kids in his class color the words for ‘marry me’ and put them up. It made me emotional.” Now they are finally set to get married for real next month at Rockbeare Manor, near Exeter.

Jess added: “I really couldn’t live without him, even though we’re chalk and cheese. I’m stubborn and he’s not, but we’re still so in love. There are times when I look at Joe and think, “I’m so lucky.”

“It almost feels too easy,” she admitted. “I was offered this relationship on a record and it’s like a dream come true to marry my childhood best friend.

“I feel like I’m in a fairy tale and the closer the wedding gets, the more magical it feels. I wish everyone could have what we have.”