WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN
Bryan: When I first met Kerry about three and a half years ago, I thought
she was gorgeous. But then I had to go on tour with the band, and I couldn't
stop thinking about her. Luckily, she rang me and we started talking and there
was a connection straight away. I'd just split up with my girlfriend at the
time. Two months later, when we were back in the country, I met Kerry again at a
concert. We smiled at each other and I realised I'd fallen in love with her. I
don't know why but, at that moment, before we'd even kissed, I knew I was in
love with her.
Nicky: I believe in love at first sight, too. When I started school, I came home and told my mum I'd seen the girl I was going to marry. But I never said a word to Georgina for four years because I was too scared. But on 8 October 1994 the day before my 16th birthday, we had a house party and we kissed for the first time. After that we were on the phone constantly, every evening after school. I don't know who actually said, `I love you' first. We just both knew we felt it. The next summer, I left home to train as a footballer in Leeds. But we didn't drift apart we kept seeing each other.
Bryan: It's funny when you fall in love, you realise the difference between seduction and romance. Seduction is when you're trying to get something out of someone; romance is when you want to give something to someone. When you love someone you want them to love you, and the next step is making love. That's what it was like for Kerry and me.
Shane: I can't believe I'm getting married at 24; I thought I'd be much older than that. I was going out with Gillian before the band even started. I met her when I was 10 years old, so we were friends for a very long time before we got involved. I can totally trust Gillian; I know her so well. It's hard to find someone like that. Our relationship is better than a fairytale.
Mark: When I look at what you all have, I wish I had it, too. At your weddings, I thought, `I wish that was me'. I'm big-time lonely right now. But I know my time hasn't come. Maybe it would have been better if I'd been in a relationship before becoming famous, too, because I have such issues about fame. I just wonder why all these women are talking to me and what they're really attracted to. Spending a lot of time at parties in the West End of London is unnatural. Those places are shallow and superficial. I'm not going to find a soulmate there.
Kian: Jodi and I have only been seeing each other for five months, but I hope we'll still have that excitement in five years' time because that will be the day I'll propose. I told Jodi I love her after we'd been together for three months. I waited until I was completely sure before I said it. But I already knew her so well because we'd been friends for five years. We started seeing each other a while ago and then our relationship fizzled out because I'd just come out of another one. But then Jodi came to see me at a concert and, as soon as I saw her, I knew I had strong feelings for her. I knew she was "the one".
Bryan: When I first told Kerry I loved her, I actually told her mum! We were having a few drinks and I turned round to Kerry's mum, pointed to Kerry and said, `I love her'. Kerry pointed at me and said, `And I love him'. We'd been together about three weeks.
THE PROPOSAL
Nicky: I always said I'd get engaged when I felt it was the exact right moment, and get married soon after, as I don't believe in long engagements. I proposed in December 2002. I'd been on tour and got home on Christmas Eve. I rushed straight to our new house and surprised Georgina with a puppy, then got down on my knee and asked her to be my wife. Then I gave her the ring; it was perfect gold with a teardrop diamond. Last summer, we got married in a French chateau, which felt like a dream come true.
Shane: I wanted to pick the perfect moment to propose to Gillian as well, so I waited. Then in November 2002, we went on holiday to Dubai and I knew the time was right we'd been together for five years. I was incredibly nervous, but secretly thought she'd say yes. After dinner, we walked barefoot on a deserted beach with our trousers rolled up. Gillian was staring up at the stars when I dangled the diamond in front of her eyes, so that she just saw this one big star shining at her. I said, `What do you think of this star, then?' I got down on one knee and proposed to her. She started crying and then she said yes. It was the most romantic moment of my whole life.
Kian: That's beautiful. I've never had a big moment like that. Jodi and I go for romantic meals; we've been to a tropical island; we've swum with dolphins; we've gone deep-sea diving and surfing together. But we can just as easily have a romantic moment sitting in a car park!
Bryan: Kerry and I got engaged twice. The first time, I took her to a castle in Donegal, went down on bended knee in front of the castle and propose after being together for less than a month. She said yes immediately, but when I put the ring on her, it just fell off it was too big. After we had our first child, Molly, we got engaged again, and exchanged new rings in September 2000.
LOVING MOMENTS
Kian: I love cuddling. Just being close to that person and feeling secure. That warm emotion of loving a person and showing them you love them.
Shane: Cuddling, wearing pyjamas and watching telly in bed is my favourite way to spend an evening together. Gillian has these huge baby blue pyjamas and the arms are too long for her. That is so cute to me.
Nicky: I love walking the dog with Georgina. We go down to the castle near where we live then walk to the beach with the dog. Just the two of us on a deserted beach.
Bryan: I think absence makes the heart grow fonder. Because we're on tour all the time, I'm not into taking Kerry to hotels or for fancy dinners. So, for me, there's nothing more special than being at home we're such a solid family. Ok, so we've had our hiccups, like the furore about the lap dancer who claimed I cheated on Kerry on my stag night. But it was just a glitch. We carried on with life, we got married, we had a baby and bought a house. All my fantasies have come true.
LOOKING FOR LOVE
Kian: I'd hate to be looking for love right now. The more famous you are, the more unbelievable-looking women will be chatting to you and, nine times out of 10, they'll only want to know you because you're in the band.
Mark: Some girls drive 80 miles to London then look you straight in the face and are so blatant. They're saying, `I am a groupie and I would love to come back to your hotel room'. For me, it's not an attractive way to spend an evening. I'm a bit deeper than that. But you start feeling sorry for the people who are sitting waiting for us night after night in the hotel rooms. These girls are degrading themselves in a way. It's unnatural to sit outside lifts and wait, hoping you catch someone's eye and marry them or start a relationship.
Shane: These girls are diving at me with Gillian standing right beside me having a drink. But Gillian trusts me; I wouldn't have asked her to marry me if she didn't trust me.
Kian: I admit I kissed some girls because they were offered to me on a plate. I think when we all started out, having our choice of girls was a novelty. But I don't want that sort of relationship any more. Why would I want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with me for me? And some of these girls are fake not just their personalities, but fake tan, fake fingernails, fake breasts as well.
Mark: I agree. But if I found my soulmate and she happened to have breast implants, I wouldn't rule her out. I just want to be able to talk non-stop with a girl and to know I can go through life with her. To be friends with her, that's what I'm searching for.
Shane: If you go out looking for love, you won't find it. If it's going to happen, it'll happen. You have a better chance of someone in a newsagent catching your eye than finding love at a showbiz party, so just bide your time and wait until you're no longer in Westlife.
Mark: I have faith in the future. I have real faith that I'll find my soulmate. This won't be my life forever and, when things are different, there'll be a greater chance to meet people who are like me who will perceive me differently to how they perceive me now. But saying that, I could meet `the one' tomorrow morning and I hope I do.