Chloe Lusted, 23, who is 5ft 7in, shares that her husband James Lusted, 26, is just 3ft 7in tall.

Despite the height differences, the couple said it makes no difference to them.

James, also nicknamed as Jay, has a condition known as Diastrophic dysplasia which, according to Genetics Home Reference, often leads to short arms and legs, a small chest, and clubbed feet.

Diastrophic dysplasia or also known as Dwarfism is a disorder of cartilage and bone development. Diastrophic dysplasia is characterized by shortened arms and legs, spinal deformities, hitchhiker thumbs, joint contractures, and joint pain.

According to studies joint contractures and spinal deformity tend to worsen with age though mental development and intelligence are usually normal. Diastrophic dysplasia is caused by mutations in the SLC26A2 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.

Chloe shared her love story with BBC and said that when they first got together, she faced disapproval from her family because James has a rare genetic condition that causes dwarfism.

She said that when she told her mom the name of her new boyfriend, her mom’s reaction was pretty fast.

“Why Jay, why Jay?” her mother said. “Chloe, he is a dwarf, you’re not suited.”

Chloe said her mom just couldn’t understand what she saw in him at the time, but that did not stop her from going after her feelings. Now she says that Jay was “different” so she understands why her mom was so shocked and reacted hysterically.

James and Chloe said they realize they look out of the ordinary when they are out together in Cardiff UK, where she is a third-year education student.

“Life has not been easy,” James, from Colwyn Bay, North Wales told BBC. “When I was young I had a lot of surgery and went through a time of being bullied in school.”

“I have often thought from an early age who would want to marry me, a dwarf from Wales,” he continued. “But then I met Chloe and everything just fell into place.”

Chloe and James were friends for a while but she had already begun to admire his outgoing nature and positivity. So when he eventually asked her out, she said yes.

The couple met in 2012 and quickly fell in love and they are now happily married and looking forward to starting a family.

“I used to be attracted to tall, dark, handsome men and never dated anyone under 6ft,” Chloe told BBC. “But when I met Jay, his personality blew me away. He’s funny and handsome. His height doesn’t bother me, I love him for who he is.”

Meanwhile, Jay said that he previously dated tall girls.

“I’ve dated tall girls before, but I’ve never clicked with anyone like I did with Chloe,” Jay said. “My condition has never held me back. My parents are both normal height and have been so supportive, they’re delighted I’ve married Chloe.”

James works as a TV presenter, actor, and motivational speaker. He also participated in the World Dwarf Games twice and played badminton at a national level.

The couple also shares awkward situations while they were dating. There was one time when James took Chloe to a Harvester restaurant for a romantic meal and he was handed a children’s coloring book and crayons by a waitress.

It was only when the waitress heard James’s deep voice that she realized her embarrassing mistake but it was the highlight of the night for the couple who have been laughing about it ever since.

“As I said thank you to the waitress, she heard my voice and knew I wasn’t a child,” Jay said. “She immediately put the coloring book behind her back in shock. But I am man enough to see the funny side. I would never take offense.”

“All little girls dream about having their tall, dark, and handsome prince charming,” Chloe said. “Never in my life did I think I’d date someone like James.”

“People sometimes get a bit confused when they see us for the first time but we always laugh it off,” she added. “I felt a bit sorry for the waitress. She felt very uncomfortable.”

 

The couple also encountered some criticism from social media users commenting on their photos saying: “how on earth has Jay got this really beautiful girl?”

But the couple said that issues like that don’t affect their love and affection for each other. Chloe says that it is not just about looks, Jay is very attractive to her and vice-versa.

Their love eventually bloomed and decided to spend their lives together. Chloe told how she didn’t hesitate when James got down on one knee to propose.

“There may be a 2ft. height difference but when you are in love little things like that don’t matter,” Chloe said.

The couple then had a wonderful marriage.

“Our wedding day was the happiest of my life,” Chloe said. “I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with him.”