Richard Hall

Alan Cookman discovers music was the food of love for Richard Hall and Louise Swan, who met at the Bethel City Church in Abbey Hulton just six months ago and are due to marry in May after following a classic whirlwind romance. 09:40 - 12 February 2008. Read this story on The Sentinel website

Richard, a 26-year-old software developer who lives in Newford Crescent, Milton, and Louise, a 24-year-old children's worker from Lockley Street, Northwood, are both members of the church's worship team. He plays bass guitar and keyboards and she sings and plays the flute.

When and where did you meet?

Richard: I moved to the Potteries from Cardiff last October to join our senior pastor James Galloway. I spotted her across the room, and I gather she spotted me too. I knew she was single, thanks to a friend who I think must have been trying to do a bit of match-making. I later heard she'd looked at my finger to see if I was wearing a wedding ring. Louise: It's true that I checked to see if he was wearing a wedding ring. There aren't too many single men in the church, and when he first appeared I thought, 'Who is he? Is he single?' There was something about him. It wasn't just a visual attraction. We are both committed Christians, so God was in the equation too.

What did you do on your first date?

Richard: I didn't know the area very well so Louise drove us to a pub and restaurant called the White Lion at Bucknall. We had a drink and ordered just pudding from the menu - chocolate fudge cake. The following night we watched a movie together, and the next evening we went for a walk after Bible study group. I'd already begun to think that we'd be together for good.

Louise: We talked a lot and I found out a lot about him, what his priorities in life were and so on. I liked what I heard and I thought it might be the start of a serious relationship.

How soon did you think you might marry?

Richard: Within the first two weeks I'd made my mind up. I just had a sense of how comfortable we could be together. I'd been looking for various things in a potential wife, including someone who could sing, make music and worship God with me, and she met all the criteria. Over Christmas we met each other's parents and on New Year's Day we went to Stourhead, the National Trust mansion and gardens in Wiltshire, and I asked her to marry me, having previously asked Louise's father for her hand in marriage.

Louise: I think I knew after a week or two that he was the one for me.

I had a mental list of the things I was looking for in a husband, and Richard ticked all the boxes. You just know when you've met the right one. He's caring, gentle - and gentlemanly - and quite romantic. And the shared love of music is important, too, as well as our Christian faith.

Are their any traits in your partner that you find irritating?

Richard: Not really. But although it's not Louise's fault, I have found it frustrating to have to part each night because we both agreed that we wouldn't live together until after we were married.

Louise: He's a bit of a night owl and likes to stay up late, while I'm the early morning person.

Where will the wedding be?

Richard: At Bethel Church, of course, on May 31, with Pastor Galloway officiating and all our friends and family in attendance. There will be a honeymoon somewhere hot with a beach, but the destination's a secret.

Louise: He won't tell me where the honeymoon will be, but I trust him to make it a lovely surprise. After that, I'm looking forward to our life-long commitment to each other and to the church, and we'd both love to have children eventually.