Manchester, UK — A young woman who gave up her old lifestyle to marry into one of Britain’s most high-profile Traveller families says she has fully embraced the community’s traditional values — including never leaving the house without her husband by her side.

Holly Joyce, 27, from Salford, met Dougie, 34, online in September 2019 after the pair exchanged likes on Instagram before striking up direct conversations. When they finally met in March 2020 at a Manchester restaurant, Dougie reportedly told her within hours: “I knew I’d marry this woman.”

The couple tied the knot in July 2022 and are now raising two children together.

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A New Way of Life

Speaking about the cultural shift she’s experienced, Holly said marrying into the Traveller community meant adapting to a lifestyle centered around respect, family, and tradition.

“The biggest difference being a Traveller’s wife is you must respect your husband — what he says goes,” Holly explained.

She added that while Dougie encourages her to work if she wishes, her main role is looking after the family and the home. She also accepts her husband’s protective rules:

“He wouldn’t want me out at parties without him. We’d always go together. He’s the man, so he can go out if he wants, but I can only go out with him. I can go to the salon or to the shops alone, but he worries about my safety if I’m out by myself. I don’t feel like I’m missing out — if I want to do something, I just ask Dougie and we do it together. I’d rather be with him anyway.”

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A Whirlwind Romance

Holly says she was drawn to Dougie immediately, describing his grin as the feature that won her heart. For Dougie, it was “love at first sight.”

Although Holly’s family initially had reservations about her marrying into a Traveller household, Dougie’s charisma and devotion soon earned their approval.

Now, Holly says her marriage feels like “a whirlwind that turned into a fairy-tale” — a life shaped by strict traditions, but also by love and loyalty.