When Vanessa Szabo, 22, goes out for a family walk with her husband, Geza, 54, and their 18-month-old son, Henrik, she knows they’ll get stared at. Because of their 32-year age gap, strangers often do a double take at silver fox Geza strolling hand in hand with Vanessa, who is young enough to be his daughter.
But despite the backlash they received from family and friends over their relationship, the pair insist they are blissfully happy.
Vanessa, who lives in Kent, says, “When Geza and I got together, we knew it would cause some raised eyebrows. Not only was he three decades older than me, but I’d been a student at the school he taught at just months earlier.
“But the love we felt for each other was real – and no matter how much we tried to deny it, we were drawn to each other.
“Now, we’ve been together for four years, and while we may have lost a few friends, we’ve got a wonderful marriage and a beautiful little boy. We’re very lucky.”
Vanessa didn’t meet her future husband until March 2018, during her final year of school when she was 19.
She says, “My school had single- sex PE classes, with the girls only being taught by female teachers, so while I’d heard of PE teacher Geza, or Mr Szabo as I knew him, he didn’t know me.
“But during this particular PE lesson, the teachers had organised a table-tennis tournament, and they’d asked Geza to compete.
“He was amazing at table tennis, and was beating everyone. But it definitely wasn’t love at first sight – I thought he was quite full of himself!”
That summer – after Vanessa left school – she decided to sign up to Geza’s tennis lessons.
She says, “Geza was a gentleman with a good sense of humour and he made me laugh all the time.
“I’d never fancied older men before and he was old enough to be my dad.”
But Vanessa soon learned she wasn’t the only one trying to hide her feelings. She says, “One day during a coaching lesson, Geza told me that he thought there was a spark between us. I was so taken aback I just laughed it off.
“But a couple of days later I sent him a message confessing that I had feelings for him, and he said he felt the same.”
Vanessa and Geza, who had previously been married for eight years and has two daughters older than Vanessa, arranged to meet at a local restaurant, but they were both plagued by doubt.
Vanessa says, “We knew people would think I had daddy issues, and that Geza would be called a creepy old man, but as I was no longer a student at the school, we had a right to be together.”
So the pair started dating. Vanessa says, “We kept our relationship secret and went to places on the other side of town, so we wouldn’t see anyone we knew.
“We loved spending time with each other and were so happy. Geza was different to younger guys I’d dated – he could make me laugh but we could have deep conversations, too.
“We were terrified about what people would think and there were times when we each broke it off, only to get back together again.”
After a month of dating, Vanessa, who was then working as a dental assistant, and Geza decided to come clean. Vanessa says, “My parents were upset. My dad, who is three years younger than Geza, told me I was stupid for thinking he wasn’t dating lots of younger girls. They tried to persuade me to break up with Geza. My brother was just as sceptical, and only my twin sister supported us.”
Vanessa refused to break it off with Geza, but after the reaction from her parents the couple continued to lay low, and didn’t tell any other friends and family.
Vanessa says, “We moved in together, but Geza left his job at the school and began travelling around a lot to coach tennis, so it was easy to keep our relationship quiet – we didn’t put any pictures on social media and didn’t go out together where we knew lots of people would see.
“But despite everything, we stayed strong, and in August 2019, he took me on a romantic trip to Paris, and he proposed on top of the Eiffel Tower.”
But now that the pair were engaged, Vanessa wanted Geza to meet her family. She says, “It was tense. Dad shook Geza’s hand but the conversation was cold.
“After that, I posted pictures onto Facebook – announcing our relationship and engagement to the world. We got a mixed reaction. Some friends were supportive, but others distanced themselves, and Geza’s family, including his children, didn’t approve. But if anything, it brought us closer.”
Despite the critics, the pair started wedding planning. Vanessa says, “When I went shopping for my wedding dress, Geza came with me. The sales assistant looked at Geza, then turned to me and said, ‘Is this your proud father?’ When I laughed and told her the truth, she just awkwardly apologised.”
Check out: 35 celebrity couples you definitely forgot about 🤯
35 celebrity couples we forgot about SLIDER
1 of 441. Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson
Jennifer and Owen dated for a short time in 2008 after filming Marley & Me together.
2 of 442. Sandra Bullock and Matthew Mcconaughey
Sandra Bullock and Matthew Mcconaughey became a couple after starring in A Time To Kill together. Despite the fact they looked SUPER CUTE together with their matching glossy curls, their relationship lasted less than two years.
3 of 443. Seal and Tyra Banks
Before Seal married Heidi Klum and started throwing THE BEST Halloween parties of all time (seriously, if you don't know, check them out), he briefly dated model and 'smize' enthusiast, Tyra Banks.
4 of 444. Johnny Depp and Kate Moss
We don't want to be dramatic, but Kate Moss and Johnny Depp were probably the hottest couple OF ALL TIME.
5 of 44Johnny Depp and Kate Moss
Seriously, just look at them. That hair! Those cheekbones! PHWOAR!
6 of 44Johnny Depp and Kate Moss
The couple met in 1994 - when Johnny was 31 and Kate was just 20 - and dated for four years and were reportedly even engaged.
7 of 445. Kirsten Dunst and Jake Gyllenhaal
Brace yourselves, ladies, for you're about to witness pictures of dreamboat Jake Gyllenhaal looking TOTALLY besotted with another woman. The woman in question is, of couse, Kirsten Dunst, who he dated from 2002 - 2004.
8 of 44Kirsten Dunst and Jake Gyllenhaal
Look, here he is gently cupping her face as he stares adoringly into her eyes...
9 of 44Kirsten Dunst and Jake Gyllenhaal
And here they are snogging each other's faces off in a doorway. JEALOUS!
10 of 446. Kate Bosworth and Orlando Bloom
Long before he went naked paddle boarding with Katy Perry, British actor Orlando Bloom dated super-chic actress Kate Bosworth.
11 of 447. Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere
Wow, these two REALLY looked great together. Just look at them! Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere first met in 1987 when Cindy was just 21, and wed four years later. Sadly their huge 17-year age gap proved fatal, and the couple divorced just four years later in 1995.
12 of 448. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Gosling
Yes, much to everyone's surprise, Ryan Gosling and Sandra Bullock were once a 'thing'. Briefly.
13 of 449. Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger
Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin were married for nine years and have one child - Ireland Baldwin - together. Sadly, their relationship ended in a bitter divorce in 2002.
14 of 4410. Blake Lively and Penn Badgley
Long before Blake was ultimate #CoupleGoals with hubby Ryan Reynolds, she made Gossip Girl fans' dreams come true by dating her GG co-star Penn Badgley. Sadly the couple broke everyone's hearts by splitting up three years later, but we think we can all agree it was for the greater good.
15 of 4411. Natalie Portman and Moby
Yes, Oscar winning actress Natalie Portman briefly dated the much-maligned musician (and fellow vegan), Moby. Strangely, the only image we could find of them was this one where they're posing with Questlove and Black Thought from The Roots and even more inexplicably, Natalie's holding a cake. GO FIGURE.
16 of 4412. Whoopi Goldberg and Ted Danson
Whoopi Goldberg and Ted Danson's relationship may have been short (it only lasted about a year), but it had HUGE ramifications - mainly because Ted was married at the time and his affair with Whoopi resulted in his second divorce. Gulp.
17 of 4413. Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt
Can we all just take a moment to remember just how great Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt were together. Look - they even had matching hair! The couple, who were together from 1994 - 1997 met when Gwynnie was just 24, and were even engaged. Talking about the relationship years later, Oscar winner Gwyneth admitted: "I f----- that up, Brad!" REGRETS!
18 of 4414. Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck
Who do you possibly date if you've just broken up with Brad Pitt? Well, if you're Gwyneth Paltrow, that answer's Ben Affleck. The couple dated on and off till 2000.
19 of 4415. Sienna Miller and Rhys Ifans
Let's take a trip back to 2007, when Sienna Miller had everyone asking, 'WTF does SHE see in HIM?' when she began dating super-scruffy Welsh actor Rhys Ifans (yes, we know he's probably got a great personality, but COME ON!).
20 of 4416. Kim Kardashian and Nick Cannon
Back when Kim Kardashian was BFFs with Paris Hilton and still had most of her real face (circa 2006), she was doing the dirty with Nick Cannon - aka. Mariah Carey's baby daddy.
21 of 44Kim Kardashian and Nick Cannon
And look, here they are posing with a topless woman who's carrying a snake. Good times!
22 of 4417. Ashton Kutcher and January Jones
Before we all knew her as Betty Draper in Mad Men, January Jones dated Ashton Kutcher. The couple dated from 1998 - 2001, but sadly, despite the fact they look seriously happy in this snap, it turns out Ashton was a bit of a jerk. Talking to GQ in 2009, January admitted: "He was not supportive of my acting... He was like, 'I don't think you're going to be good at this."
23 of 4418. Kiera Knightley and Jamie Dornan
Long before he was dark and brooding and Christian Grey, Jamie Dornan was the dark, brooding boyfriend of Kiera Knightley. Lucky girl!
24 of 4419. Chris Evans and Jessica Biel
Yes, Jessica Biel (who's now happily to married to Justin Timberlake) used to date Captain America! Sorry, we mean, Chris Evans. Who knew?
25 of 4420. Madonna and Sean Penn
Madonna's dating history is long and varied - from legendary artist Jean Michel Basquiat to, er, Vanilla Ice - but let's take a minute to remember that her first husband was none other than Sean Penn. The couple were married from 1985 - 1989, and although they weren't suited in many many ways, they certainly looked great together.
26 of 4421. Jennifer Lopez and Wesley Snipes
J-Lo has had some hot, and seriously famous, O/H's (hiya Diddy, Marc Anthony, Ben Affleck!), but did you know she briefly dated actor Wesley Snipes in the mid-90s? No, neither did we!
27 of 4422. Mila Kunis and Macaulay Culkin
And the award for the cutest celeb couple of all time is... Mila Kunis and Macaulay Culkin. Seriously, just look at them! We. Can't. Cope.
28 of 4423. Winona Ryder and Matt Damon
Winona Ryder and Matt Damon met in 1997 after being introduced by Gwyneth Paltrow (who was dating Matt's mate Ben Affleck at the time). The couple became official in 1998, but broke it off just two years later in 2000.
29 of 4424. Owen Wilson and Sheryl Crow
Owen Wilson dated All I Wanna Do singer Sheryl Crow from 1999 - 2001. Here they are having a red carpet snog which Sheryl doesn't look 100% comfortable with. Eek!
30 of 4425. Courteney Cox and Michael Keaton
Courteney Cox and Michael Keaton dated for an impressive (in Hollywood terms, at least) six years. Following their split in 1995, Courteney said: "It's the most important relationship I've ever had, and I think he's the most wonderful person I've ever met." Awww!
31 of 4426. Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn
Remember when Jennifer Aniston dated Vince Vaughn? The couple started dating after filming The Break Up together (which was possibly a bad omen) because, as you can see from this snap of them not enjoying each other's company, it wasn't really #CoupleGoals
32 of 4427. Ryan Reynolds and Alanis Morissette
Does Ryan Reynolds and Alanis Morisette strike anyone else as a bit of an odd coupling? Yes, we know they're both Canadian, but still. Anyway, the couple dated for five long years after meeting at Drew Barrymore's birthday party in 2002 (IMAGINE!), and were even engaged to be married.
33 of 44and Alanis Morissette
Sadly they never made it down the aisle, but they did manage to get in A LOT of PDAs before splitting in 2007.
34 of 4428. George Clooney and Lucy Liu
George Clooney's dated more gorgeous women than we've had hot dinners, but we were particularly into his short-lived fling with Charlie's Angels star Lucy Liu.
35 of 4429. Cameron Diaz and Jared Leto
Look at these cool kids! Yep, Cameron Diaz and Jared Leto dated from 1999 - 2003 and were reportedly even engaged. We think they looked pretty great together tbh.
36 of 4430. Nicole Kidman and Lenny Kravitz
Despite the fact that Nicole Kidman and Lenny Kravitz dated for two years (2003 - 2005) and were even engaged, the only photos we could find of the pair was this seriously awkward encounter with Nicole's hubby Keith Urban.
37 of 44Nicole Kidman and Lenny Kravitz
Like, REALLY awkward. Let go of her hand, Lenny!
38 of 4431. Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr.
Yes, that is Robert Downey Jr. And yes, he dated Sarah Jessica Parker - for an incredible seven years in fact! We love this snap of them looking seriously cute and gawky back in 1990!
39 of 44Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr.
And here they are at the London premiere of SJP's film LA Story shortly before their split in 1991.
40 of 4432. Whitney Houston and Ray J
We LOVED Whitney, but she really did have awful taste in men. At the time of her death the legendary singer was dating Ray J (of Kim Kardashian sex tape fame).
41 of 4433. Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake
Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake began dating after meeting at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in 2003 (proof that love can strike any time, any place). The couple dated for almost four years, and appeared to spend much of their relationship looking loved-up at sports events. Here they are staring lovingly into each other's eyes at a charity basket ball game...
42 of 44Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake
And here they are having a cheeky snog at a Lakers game. As you do.
43 of 4434. Jennifer Aniston and Tate Donovan
Before Brad, Jennifer Aniston dated Tate Cooper- who you'll probably know as Jimmy Cooper, Marissa's hot dad in The O.C.
44 of 4435. Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz
And finally, who can forget the time that Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz began dating and everyone REALLY hoped they'd get married and double barrel their names #Mems
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Then, in January 2020, Vanessa found out she was pregnant. She says, “I knew Geza would make a great dad and I couldn’t wait to start a family with him. We knew he wouldn’t have as much time with our child compared to younger dads, but we tried not to think about it. The main thing I worried about was that Geza would be a much better parent than me because he was older and wiser.”
Vanessa gave birth to Henrik in August 2020 and, two days later, the pair got married at a register office.
Vanessa says, “Everyone was so surprised that I was still able to walk down in the aisle just days after giving birth. But I think being a young mum helped me recover quickly.
“My family came to the wedding, as did two of my friends and three of Geza’s. None of Geza’s family came. It was a lovely day and all of our guests could see how happy we were.”
Now, four years on, and the pair have settled into family life – they’re also writing a book about their relationship. Vanessa says, “Falling in love with my teacher means I’ve certainly ruffled a few feathers, and it’s taught us who our real friends are.
“But I have absolutely no regrets. Geza is my soulmate, and a wonderful father. We couldn’t be more in love.”
Geza says, “From the moment I met Vanessa, I was captivated by her personality. We’ve faced lots of challenges, but it’s only made us stronger.”