Meet Paulo And Katyucia, World's Shortest Married Couple

Paulo Gabriel da Silva Barros and Katyucia Lie Hoshino, a Brazilian couple claimed the Guinness World Record for the world's shortest married couple. Barros, aged 31, is 90.28 cm (35.54 in) in height and Hoshino is 28 years old and 91.13 cm (35.88 in) tall. The couple met in 2006 and got married in 2016. “We may be short but we have big hearts and lots of love for each other as well as everybody in our lives. Our life isn’t without its challenges but we are so happy we can tackle these challenges together," the couple told the Guinness World Record Organisation.

Meet The World's Shortest Married Couple

Paulo Gabriel da Silva Barros and Katyucia Lie Hoshino's story is one that proves the beauty of love. The couple met on the now-defunct social media platform Orkut in 2006. "I found her very beautiful from the first moment I saw her," he told the Guinness World Records Organisation. While Hoshino initially did not reciprocate, Barros eventually won her over.

The couple chat online regularly for a couple of years before first meeting in person on 20 December 2008. They began dating a few days later. However, they maintained a long-distance relationship for four years, managing to see each other every couple of months. In  2012, Hoshino decided to move from her hometown of Londrina to Barros’ town, Itapeva.

In 2016, the couple got married and were recognised by Guinness as the world's shortest couple to marry. "We are so happy to be a part of Guinness World Records Day and to have our unique record celebrated. We hope our new record will encourage the world to look past the physical differences in others and understand all people should be treated equally,” Hoshino said.

Challenges They Faced

Barros and Hoshino's marriage is not just about romance but also the triumph of love over any societal barriers. Growing up, they faced a lot of struggles and were often bullied for their height. Barros, a government servant, was unable to walk until the age of 21. He used a child’s tricycle to aid his mobility in his late teens and upgraded to a four-wheeler when he turned 20. 

Barros eventually learned to walk using orthopaedic boots in 2008. That was when vowed to never use a child’s bike again. He and Hoshino, a beauty salon owner, continue to get a lot of attention when they are in public together. However, amid all these adversities, their love is what helped them embrace each other wholeheartedly and deal with the challenges together.