After four years of wooing, former karung guni man Peter Khiew finally tied the knot with girlfriend Sally Khoo on Saturday.

They first made the news in 2005 when he proposed to Ms Khoo, a childcare centre principal, through The Sunday Times.

Back then, a street poll showed women here avoided dating men with non-glamorous jobs - from undertakers to rag-and-bone men - but Ms Khoo was an exception.

When the newspaper spoke to Mr Khiew then, he said he wanted to propose, and asked if he could do so via The Sunday Times.

His public declaration of love caught the attention of many but failed to win her heart. She was unprepared to discuss marriage and refused to address the matter - until this year.

Last Saturday, they celebrated their union at Raffles Marina in Tuas with 300 guests.

Mr Khiew, 40, who enjoys karaoke, crooned his favourite Mandarin tune Liang Zhi Hu Die by Chinese pop artiste Pang Long, about two butterflies in love, to his 43-year-old bride.

At the end of the dinner, they sang and danced to the Malay song Joget Pahang in traditional Nonya garb, together with her Peranakan family.

They plan to travel to Eastern Europe for a two-week honeymoon in January.

Mr Khiew's acceptance by her family did not come easy.

The lovebirds met at a karaoke session for singles, organised by matchmaking agency Heartstrings Connect, in 2003. They hit it off instantly and began dating.

Unlike many other women who might sniff at Mr Khiew's karung guni job, which netted him $1,500 monthly, Ms Khoo did not mind.

He has a diploma in computer studies and was working in an architectural firm for almost 14 years until it closed down in 2003. When he could not find another job, he joined the rag-and-bone trade.

She is a qualified nurse with a diploma in early childhood education, and earned twice as much as him back then.

After two years, he knew she was the one. But she was not ready for marriage.

Then 39, the swinging single enjoyed her freedom. In fact, Mr Khiew was her first serious boyfriend.

Thus, his public proposal came as a shock to her. She did not speak to him for a week. The situation worsened when a Malaysian newspaper ran the story, resulting in added pressure from her relatives in Malacca.

The income disparity did not bother her but it became a glaring issue for her loved ones, who had not met Mr Khiew.

'They were concerned that I was being cheated by him because he was younger than me and without a steady job,' said Ms Khoo.

When they met each other's families a month later, however, 'all concerns vanished', her mother told The Sunday Times. Ms Khoo is the seventh of 10 children of retired rubber tappers.

Alas, the death of Mr Khiew's father that year delayed the wedding.

Chinese customs dictate that, following a death in the family, couples planning to wed must do so within 100 days, or wait three years. Since Ms Khoo was not ready, they could not get hitched until last year.

Since then, Mr Khiew has found a nine-to-five job as a purchaser for a local environmental management company and draws a 'slightly higher' salary.

But the greatest obstacle remained Ms Khoo's heart. Slowly but surely, however, he won her over with acts of kindness.

Once, when she was stung on the toe by an insect, he removed the stinger lodged under her skin by sucking on it. 'He did not even hesitate,' she recalled.

On another occasion, when Ms Khoo, who lived in a Woodlands HDB flat with her brother, was home alone, he camped out all night at the carpark below so she would feel safe.

'I was very touched. I never intended to get married but Peter changed my mind,' she said with a smile.

So, when he proposed once more on her birthday in January this year, she responded with a resounding 'yes'.

For Mr Khiew, her long-awaited answer is a dream come true. 'I'm finally the lucky person who has won her heart. To me, this is a victory.'