When 16-year-old Jaydene Roberts had a holiday fling with a Turkish barman, her parents assumed it would fizzle out.
But Jaydene went from beauty school student to bride-to-be in just two months – and her mum and dad have supported her all the way.
On Tuesday, they will even wave Jaydene off as she flies to Turkey alone to stay with Emre Karaca, the 21-year-old fiancé who she plans to marry in August.
Mum-of-two Michelle, 39, admits many will be appalled by her actions.
But she says she and husband Michael are acting in Jaydene’s best interests – and she could not be happier for their beloved daughter.
Michelle says: “I understand people are going to be outraged when they hear what we are allowing Jaydene to do, but we are letting her go because she is following her heart.
“You only live once. You only get one shot at life.
“I couldn’t be happier for Jaydene. It’s wonderful to see two people who are so much in love.”
The couple met in Marmaris in August when Emre was working as a barman in the hotel where Jaydene and her family were staying.
Recalling their first meeting, Michelle says: “They started talking, then went on a date to the shops. Emre asked my permission. After that they were inseparable.
“It was obvious they were in love. They were so happy and you couldn’t fail to see how deeply they felt for each other.”
Dad Michael, 41, a self-employed builder, was not so sure.
He says: “At first I thought it was just a holiday romance and that it should be left at that. But seeing them when we came back – the way they chatted on Skype all the time – I realised it was much more.”
Michelle - also mum to 11-year-old Allanah – agrees.
“Jaydene left school in January last year because she was bullied mentally and physically,” she says.
“She was home-schooled until June and got three GCSEs. But she had lost her self-confidence and, to be honest, it was such a relief to see her happy again after she met Emre.”
Two months later, Michelle and Michael agreed to pay for a return trip to Turkey. This time Michael, who had to work, remained at home.
The young lovers were inseparable and Emre took Jaydene back to his family farm on the outskirts of Marmaris to meet his parents, who welcomed her “with open arms”.
Michelle recalls: “That’s when their relationship blossomed.”
But seven days later, when it came to saying their goodbyes, Michelle says they were both in pieces.
“I literally had to separate them to get Jaydene back on the bus which was taking us to the airport.
“Then, the minute we landed back in the UK and we got off the plane, they were texting each other.
“As soon as we arrived back home and walked through the door, they were Skyping each other.
“After that I felt I owed it to my daughter to help her follow her heart.”
When Jaydene and Emre became engaged in October, Michelle and Michael agreed to support her. Michelle says: “I was a bit shocked. I had this overwhelming feeling this was my little girl. But then I realised she wasn’t my little girl anymore.”
As the young couple had only spent three weeks together in total, Michelle and Michael agreed to allow their daughter to go and live with Emre and his family for seven weeks.
She will leave on Tuesday and return at the end of April.
Michelle and Michael, who themselves met as teenagers, are adamant they are not agreeing to it in the hope the relationship will fizzle out.
“There’s no ulterior motive,” says Michelle, who works at a Co-op store in Swindon, Wilts. “It’s what Jaydene wants to do – 100 per cent – and we’re backing her. We really hope the romance will last.
“Jaydene has not spent as much time with Emre as a normal couple would so we agreed it would be best if they got to know each other more. The relationship had already become physical the first time we were on holiday in August. I am not worried about her getting pregnant. They have talked about having a family but nothing will happen immediately.”
Jaydene will return to Turkey a second time in August – just six weeks after she turns 17 – to tie the knot in a traditional ceremony.
But Jaydene’s impending nuptials have divided the extended family.
Michael says: “My mum and dad don’t want anything to do with it. A lot of nasty things have been said.
“Before Christmas, when Emre was on Skype he asked to said hello to my parents but my mum just said, ‘I don’t want anything to do with him.’” Michelle adds: “Some of my family have said to me, ‘She’s really young. She’s only 16 and doesn’t know her own mind.’ But I think she does.
“My mum is not completely happy, but she has told Jaydene that no matter what, she will be there for her.
“We believe the family should support Jaydene even if they think it is wrong. We really just hope that we can all put our differences aside in time for the wedding.” Jaydene will marry Emre just months before he begins his year-long national service in the Turkish army in November.
Michael says this was one of the reasons for the couple’s haste in getting married.
He adds: “There’s a good chance Emre may be stationed on the Syrian border. Jaydene wants to do it in case anything happens to him.”
The couple also hope to have a traditional British wedding in the UK when Emre has completed his National Service. They then plan to live here for a couple of years before moving back to Turkey.
Michael says: “I’m glad Jaydene has found Emre. I know a lot of people will say he’s only doing it for a visa to get into this country, but he doesn’t really want to come here.
“We have discussed the future. Emre’s dad is a builder – like me – and has a lot of land and a farm and he is talking about building two houses on the land – one for Emre and Jaydene, and one for us. We may all end up living over there!
“Emre is Muslim but he is very westernised. And he’s respectful, polite, and will help anyone.”
Jaydene, who has recently had ‘Emre’ with a small heart tattooed on her arm, says: “I know there’s going to be good and bad reactions to what I’m doing. I’ve seen people on shows like Holiday Love Rats Exposed but they are just unfortunate.”
She says she is over the moon her parents approve of her decision to marry Emre, but adds: “If mum and dad hadn’t been supportive I would have done it anyway. If you love someone you are not going to listen to other people’s opinions. My love for Emre is out of this world.”