SIDNEY — Sidney has its very own Farmer’s Market love story complete with a meet-cute that led to a strong relationship. Barbara Baker, now Barbara Baker Craun, and Charles Craun were wed on Jan. 28, 2023 at Holy Angels Church in Sidney.

The couple met in June of 2020 at the Sidney Farmer’s Market when Charles noticed Barbara and made an excuse to speak to her. Barbara is at the Farmer’s Market nearly every week selling her products and advertising her small business, Memorial Silks by Barb. Charles was initially a customer, purchasing side vases of silk floral arrangements for his late wife’s gravesite. As with the majority of her customers, Barbara took her time and spoke with Charles, relating with him since she lost her husband in 2018.

He returned again with the excuse of not being allowed to have the side vases out during mowing season at the cemetery his wife was laid to rest in. Again, the two spoke for a while before he left with a topper for his late wife’s gravestone. It was not until the end of July 2020, after visiting the market weekly to just stop by Barbara’s booth to say ‘hi,’ that Charles gained the confidence to finally ask her out on a date. Even though they exchanged contact information in July, it was not until January of 2021 that the two connected and Charles actually proposed a coffee date to Barbara.

Barbara agreed to go on a date with Charles, but initially wanted to wait a month or so due to COVID. However, Charles wanted to meet sooner because his birthday was coming up. Barbara agreed and the couple’s first date was at Perkins on Jan. 26, 2021.

“Since that day (Jan. 26, 2021) we’ve been inseparable,” said Barbara.

Charles reminded Barbara of the text message she sent to him almost immediately after leaving their first date. According to Charles she wrote that he had made a good impression on “this strong independent woman.”

On their six-month anniversary the couple recreated their first date at Perkins. Charles recalled the presents they exchanged in celebration of their six months together. The couple wound up getting each other a picture frame with the exact same photo inside.

Before meeting Charles in and starting their relationship, Barbara did not have anyone keeping her in the Sidney area since her husband passed away in 2018 and was preparing to sell her home to move toward Cincinnati to be closer to her kids.

“Until this bozo came along, I was going to move,” Barbara said.

Exactly one year after their first date, on Jan. 26, 2022, Charles popped the question and asked Barbara to marry him and on Jan. 28, 2023 they were joined in matrimony.

“This is all God,” Barbara said.

It was merely coincidental that the couple was able to have a Catholic wedding at Holy Angels Church. In the process of planning, Charles discovered that as a child he was baptised as a Catholic, but never confirmed into the church. So to have a Catholic wedding, Charles took the class required by the church and was confirmed as a member of the Catholic church.

“My mom and my family say they’ve never seen me this happy,” said Charles.

The couple also noted that over the past couple of years, they have been mistaken for a couple that has been married for years as opposed to newlyweds, because they are so in sync with each other.

Barbara and Charles also shared a piece of advice that they have stayed true to, to help their relationship thrive.

“Communication is number one. If anything comes up between us, we communicate it and that communication makes us stronger together,” said Barbara.