It all began with a simple shoebox tucked away in an attic.
Make-up artist Kate Pymm stumbled upon it while hunting for Christmas decorations back in 2020, only to discover a bundle of letters tied together with a scrunchie.
“Do you remember when we all used to tie our hair with these?” she laughs. Opening the letters instantly transported her back decades.
These weren’t just any letters—they were reminders of her first love, Guenther, the boy who once wrote poetry and songs just for her.
But Kate could never have predicted that rediscovering them would not only rekindle her romance but also inspire a future Hollywood film.
Teenage Romance in Torquay
Kate first met Guenther in 1989, while on holiday in Torquay with her mother.
She was 17; he was 23. She was immediately drawn to him, partly because he reminded her of the keyboardist from Norwegian pop band A-ha.
“I still remember the electricity when he smiled,” Kate recalls. “
He was tall, blond, and had this accent—I thought I’d gone to heaven.”
She later discovered he was actually from Bavaria, but at the time, geography mattered little.
Guenther also played the guitar, adding another spark to her teenage crush.
Letters Across Borders
When Guenther returned to Germany, the couple kept in touch through heartfelt letters, especially while he completed his national service.
Kate poured her own feelings onto Victoria Plum stationery, cherishing every word.
They even met several times over the next few years, including a visit to Germany in 1990, where Kate’s mother accompanied her—a protective presence in a different era.
Despite the deep connection, distance eventually got the better of them.
By 1993, Guenther’s letters stopped, and the song he had written for her, Only You, went unheard.
Kate moved on, marrying an Englishman named Dave, though the marriage didn’t last.
Her focus turned to a thriving career in make-up, working with major names like Charlotte Tilbury and Trinny Woodall.
Rediscovery and Shock
Decades later, Kate’s life took an unexpected turn when she unearthed the shoebox.
Some letters were already familiar, but others, posted later, remained sealed.
Her mother—now living with dementia—had apparently kept them from her.
“It was such a shock,” Kate admits. “I know she was trying to protect me, but seeing those letters after all those years brought everything rushing back.”
The letters revealed not only Guenther’s enduring love but also a glimpse into her mother’s protective instincts, shaped by her own difficult upbringing.
Reconnecting Across Time
Kate spent two days reading the letters, moved by the purity of Guenther’s feelings.
She didn’t rekindle old flames immediately but wanted to ensure he was safe and happy.
A Facebook post seeking advice on whether to find him resulted in overwhelming encouragement.
Her detective work led her to Guenther’s brother, and soon Kate had his contact.
When the call finally came, the German country code on her phone made her heart race.
“Hello?” she answered. “Kate?” he replied. It was him.
Love Reborn
Video calls brought their hearts back together. Guenther, now 54 and recently divorced, was captivated by the woman Kate had become, while Kate, 48, appreciated his unchanged charm.
Over time, their conversations melted away the decades.
In January 2021, Guenther visited the UK, and the spark reignited instantly.
By November, he proposed in Germany, returning to the same mountains they had visited in 1990, bottle of Veuve Clicquot and a diamond ring in hand. Distance and time had failed to diminish their love.
They have since celebrated three weddings: a legal one in Bavaria, a white wedding in North Yorkshire, and a blessing in Barbados.
A Story Fit for the Big Screen
Their tale caught the eye of film director Nick Moorcroft, known for feel-good hits like Fisherman’s Friends.
After hearing their story—including the hidden letters—Moorcroft decided it was a perfect script for a romantic comedy.
Titled Only You, the film will shoot in both the UK and Bavaria, exploring not only their love story but also the complicated dynamics with Kate’s mother.
Kate and Guenther are already imagining their Hollywood counterparts: “Maybe Julia Roberts for me,” Kate jokes, “and Hugh Jackman for Guenther.”
For her mother, they consider Lesley Manville or Joanna Lumley, while younger versions of themselves could be played by Gemma Arterton or Suranne Jones.
Waiting Was Worth It
Looking back, Kate reflects on the twists of fate that brought them together again.
“Some things just get better with time,” she says, stroking their puppy Snoopy. “And some things are definitely worth the wait.”
From a shoebox in an attic to a life and love renewed, their story is a reminder that first loves can endure—and that happy endings, even decades later, are possible.
