‘Modern day Juliet’ has married the man she ‘fell in love at first sight’ with

A woman who has been branded the ‘modern day Juliet’ after falling in love at first sight with a man she spotted from her balcony during lockdown has revealed the they have tied the knot. 

Taking to Facebook, Paola Agnelli, 39, announced she has married Michele D’Alpaos, 38, who lives across the road in Verona, Italy, shortly after he wooed her by painting her name on an old sheet and tying it to the roof of his building for her to see.

While it is not known whether the pair are ‘officially’ married, as weddings, baptisms and other mass ceremonies remain forbidden in the country, the post has since been flooded with messages from well-wishers sending their congratulations amid the coronavirus pandemic.  

Speaking of the scene reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, Ms Agnelli told FEMAIL: ‘The first time I saw Michele it was love first sight and for him as well – our eyes just met each other. The atmosphere was so romantic.’

Paola previously spoke to Radio 4’s Today programme and told how the couple first locked eyes with each other when they both stepped out onto their balconies to listen to a community balcony concert designed to keep spirits lifted.

Among those performing was Paola’s violinist sister, Lisa Agnelli, whose rendition of Queen’s We Are The Champions caught Michele’s attention from across the street and he found his eyes drawn to Paola, who was helping with the sound.   

Paola described how ‘the music was like an arrow fired by Eros’ when she saw Mr D’Alpaos from the sixth floor of her apartment where she lives with her mother and sister.   

And her real-life Romeo has revealed how a ‘love was born’ after he found out who Ms Agnelli was from his sister Sylvia who knows her from the gym.  

Lisa Agnelli told BBC Radio Four: ‘Every day I play the violin on the balcony and on that day, March 17, my sister was helping me with the audio.

‘Michele saw my sister and fell in love while I was playing We Are The Champions.’ 

Ms Agnelli, a lawyer, added: ‘I went out onto the balcony to see Lisa playing her violin and I saw Michele standing on the opposite balcony I realised he was my friend Sylvia’s brother and I said: ‘What a handsome man”.    

Mr D’Alpaos tracked down Paola’s Instagram account and the pair started messaging until 3am where he describes being like ‘teenagers in love’. 

Speaking about the evening she received a message, Ms Agnelli said: ‘That night we wrote to each other until the early hours.

‘We realised we shared the same values and that those would be a solid base for a relationship – we are both determined people but also kind and sensitive. 

In a bid to announce his love, Mr D’Alpaos erected a huge banner on the top floor of the building with ‘Paola’ written on it and neighbours have been making detours to catch sight of the proclamation of love.  

Ms Agnelli said: ‘He organised a big surprise for me by writing my name on a bedsheet and hanging it out on the balcony – I was very moved by it. Michele knows how to caress my soul with his sweet words.’ 

And a third floor neighbour, who is also a DJ, has agreed to dedicate a song every day for the couple from his speakers. 

The couple, who are both unmarried, have lived opposite each other for most of their lives but have never met properly apart from a chance meeting a year ago. 

And the pair have vowed not to meet, even while abiding by social distancing, as Mr D’Alpaos said he wants to ‘protect’ Paola because he is in contact with people while working in a bank. 

Mr D’Alpaos told BBC Radio 4 how he longs to kiss Ms Agnelli ‘for an hour’ after describing their relationship as ‘magic’. 

But while the lockdown is in place, Ms Agnelli said she is happy for Mr D’Alpaos to ‘substitute a kiss with his words’ as they anticipate their date sitting on a bench in local park.