Sam Armytage’s love life has long fascinated fans ever since her days on Sunrise.
And since secretly tying the knot with beau Richard Lavender on New Year’s Eve in 2020, Sam’s marriage continues to garner public interest.
From meeting through mutual friends to planning a wedding in just three days, Sam and Richard’s romance is truly one for the ages!
Keep reading to find out more about the Farmer Wants A Wife guest host’s whirlwind love story.
Sam and Richard met in Easter 2019 at a mutual friend’s birthday.
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How did Sam and Richard meet?
Sam and equestrian businessman Richard met at socialite Skye Leckie’s 60th birthday party in April 2019 in New South Wales’ Southern Highlands.
Sparks flew immediately, with Sam admitting she was struck by Richard’s eyes as she confessed to our sister site Who, “there was an [immediate] connection.”
The feeling was mutual. Richard, who has two adult daughters Grace and Sasha, recalled in the same interview that “she had a sparkle in her eye.” He added: “She has a quick wit, a terrific sense of humour.”
“I remember seeing her and I got this really nice sort of feeling and I thought, that’s my girl. It sounds corny, but it was true.”
Intensely private Sam first went public with their relationship in a photoshoot and interview with Who for Who’s Sexiest People feature and revealed that her big attraction to Richard was the fact that he had “no idea” who she was when they first met.
”I instantly knew Rich was grounded and an earthy type, I liked that he had no idea who I was, and liked his blue eyes,” Sam told TV Week of their first encounter.
The couple live in Bowral, NSW.
(Image: Getty)Where do Sam and Richard live?
Richard and TV host Sam divide their time between Sydney and the Southern Highlands, where Richard owns a 40-hectare property.
Nearby lies Sam’s $2.2 million five-bedroom country retreat, which she bought back in 2017.
Sam told Now To Love that she made “massive changes” to design a new life for herself with Richard after leaving her lucrative co-hosting role on Sunrise.
“I took a huge leap of faith, a scary and risky move and I’m sure many more ambitious types thought I was mad. It was the best thing I’ve ever done. It gave me time, that most precious commodity,” she said.
Where did the couple wed?
Sam and Richard tied the knot in front of a small group of immediate family and friends at midday on Thursday, December 31, 2020 on Richard’s sprawling 40-hectare property in Bowral.
At the small reception lunch, Sam’s father Mac reportedly sat at the head of the table while other guests included Sam’s brother Charlie and Richard’s daughters Sasha and Grace.
Sam, dressed in a chic Carla Zampatti frock, posed alongside her new hubby Richard in four country-side shots that she later shared to social media.
Sam told Sunrise that her and Richard’s ceremony was “hastily arranged” in just three days.
“Three days before we decided that we’d do it for New Year’s Eve, and we did it, we got it done and it was lovely,” she said.
What has Sam publicly said about Richard?
In 2022, Sam gushed to Now To Love about her and Richard’s fairytale romance, saying she’s incredibly lucky to have found love later in life.
“I met a divine and decent man… I found the love of my life at 42. How lucky am I?” she said.
Surprisingly, Sam has also admitted that her hubbie ”enjoys this stuff [media] more than I do,” to Stellar magazine.
”This is not his world. And if you can believe it, he’s even more honest than me in interviews. I get into trouble being too honest in interviews, well, he’s next level on that.”
In the same interview, Sam said her and Richard were a ”good match”.
”I was very lucky to find him at that point in my life.”
What has Richard publicly said about Sam?
The notoriously private couple made a rare appearance together on the debut episode of Farmer Wants a Wife 2022, giving curious fans an adorable insight into their relationship.
”The moment I first saw Sammy, I thought, ‘There’s my girl,”’ shared Richard.
”We were very lucky, weren’t we, to ever find each other?” confirmed a smitten Sam, 45.
Twelve months down the track, Richard spoke lovingly about Sam with Stellar magazine.
”She’s always been a happy person while I have been around her. I think she was just looking for something a bit different when she met me. We have been enjoying what’s in front of us. It’s been really good.”
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