For them, it was love at first flight

It is a pity if marriage brokers here close down, says one happy groom.

If it weren't for these agencies, he would not have met and married his Vietnamese wife, says engineer Wong Chun Long, 32.

Mr Wong had wanted to start a family because "at 31, 32, I'm of age". He wanted someone who shares his dream of raising a family.

"She must also get along with my aged parents, who are very traditional," he tells The New Paper on Sunday.

Mr Wong dated Singaporean women when he was younger but none of his local girlfriends had wanted children.

"They were highly career-minded and wanted to make sure they got to a certain level before they consider having children. By then, I'd be too old," he says.

He then set his sights on women from China but having dated a couple, he felt they were not right for him.

"I wanted the simple life but they wanted more," he says.

Then last year, Mr Wong turned to marriage brokers.

"I approached Mr Loi Eng Tuang of Idealbride.sg for help and he showed me photos of women from Vietnam. It was from there that I picked my wife," he recalls.

Madam Pan Thi Thanh Thuy is four years younger than Mr Wong and has a sister who is married to a Singaporean and living here.

"I paid for her to fly in and it was love at first sight. Within a month, we were married," he says.

Her ability to speak Mandarin was a bonus for Mr Wong.

The couple are expecting their first child next month and although they have a flat in Bedok ready, Mr Wong says he is still trying to convince his wife to live with his parents "so they will be able to help us look after the baby when it comes".

This article was first published on Sept 20, 2015.
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