Janette Manrara has been married to Strictly Come Dancing's Aljaz Skorjanec since 2017, but she admitted took some convincing to go on a first date as she "wasn't looking for a boyfriend."
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The professional dancers met in 2010 when Janette flew to London to perform alongside Aljaz and other Strictly pros in Burn The Floor. Speaking candidly to Prima about their relationship, Janette said it wasn't love at first sight for her, but her now-husband knew immediately that they had a connection – and he wasn't about to let that go.
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"I was rehearsing when Aljaz came in, looking like Prince Charming. Everyone just froze in awe… except for me. I was so focused on travelling the world and living my best life, I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend," she began, reminiscing about their 2010 meeting.
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"On one of our first nights out with the cast, he kept trying to buy me a drink and I kept saying no. Then he said, 'You watch, I'm going to marry you one day!'" And he was right!
The professional dancers celebrated with their Strictly co-stars
Aljaz added: "I just knew from the first moment I saw her. And after months of begging, I finally convinced her to go out with me!" He continued: "I was ready to propose five hours after meeting her! … You know how they say there's someone out there who's just right for you? Janette is perfect proof of that."
After getting to know Aljaz's personality and values, the rest was history. "Obviously he's a beautiful man, but it was when he started talking about his family values and priorities in life. He had such emotional intelligence and I remember thinking, 'Wait a minute, he’s lovely on the inside, extremely talented, funny and handsome!'" Janette explained.
Janette and Aljaz opened up about their relationship. Photo credit - Prima UK/Nicky Johnston
The couple got married in a whopping three different weddings across multiple countries, starting with an intimate ceremony in London at Chelsea town hall, followed by a celebration held at the Victorian Bath House in Bishopsgate in front of celebrity guests such as Frankie Bridge, Louise Redknapp, Oti Mabuse, Katya Jones and Anton du Beke.
They went on to have another two ceremonies in Slovenia and Florida.
The Strictly stars are the cover stars of Prima's December issue
Speaking of her first wedding on 15 July, Janette told HELLO!: "My parents and brother and sister and Aljaz's parents, his sister and her husband, and just our closest friends were all there. So that moment was 'the moment' when we signed the papers, marriage certificate."
She added: "Then we flew to Slovenia, where we got married on a hilltop - that was like a dream. Finally, we went to Miami with my entire family and it just couldn't have been better. You know obviously, we were tired with all the flights and the hotels. But all of that is a part of what made it memorable."
The December issue of Prima is on sale from 3rd November.
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