Standing just 34.8in tall, Paulo Gabriel da Silva Barros, popped the question to 35.2in girlfriend Katyucia Hoshino in front of their closest friends at a sushi restaurant in their hometown of Itupeva, Brazil.
The 30-year-old has diastrophic dysplasia dwarfism while 26-year-old Katyucia has achondroplasia dwarfism.
But while the pair are short of stature, they say their love for one another grows bigger by the day. Speaking at the proposal dinner, Paulo said:
“Everything I researched, everything I planned on saying, I am going to forget it. I am going to do what my heart tells me. Everything is going to be improvised.
“As everyone knows, we’ve been together for eight years between living together and dating.
“And we haven’t got married yet. And since you are friends that have accompanied our journey for a long time, I wanted to share this with you and ask her to marry me.”
Katyucia, 26, who could not quite believe the offer, needed reassurance several times before saying yes.
She said: “Are you serious babe? Are you okay? Do you have a fever?”
The couple from Brazil now hope their engagement can lead to their official recognition as the world’s shortest couple.
“Once we get married we will try to be recognised as the world’s smallest couple through the Guinness World Records,” Paulo said.
They first started speaking on MSN messenger 10 years ago, but things did not originally go to plan for Paulo as Katyucia blocked him for being annoying.
She said: “The first time I started talking to Paulo, he was very annoying. He had cheap chat-up lines.”
But luckily enough for Paulo, Katyucia randomly decided to press the unblock button a year and a half later, allowing him to start again in his pursuit.
He said:
“She thought I was trying to flirt but I was just being nice. According to her I was a really boring guy.
“When she unblocked me, it didn’t take me more than a minute to say hello. we started speaking and she said I was more civilised.”
The happy couple are now planning their eagerly anticipated wedding day, with Katyucia searching for her perfect dress.
“This is the best part of getting married,” she said.
“After the marriage proposal I still feel shocked.
“The most important thing for me today is the pursuit of happiness. I think it’s about love and gratitude, always.”
Culled from Daily Mirror.
