Were there any cultural differences to overcome, and if so, what were they and how did you both deal with them?
LR Sure, there are some things but again, it’s not purely about culture. In the German culture, there’s a proverb that says if you love someone, you make jokes about them. For me, I made jokes all the time about her and she was always offended. She didn’t understand. Today, we joke together.

Also, she comes from a country that’s very traditional and religious. On one of our first trips, we went to Miami. That was when I was preparing for a fair. And Miami is a hotspot of the gay scene. She was shocked. But I said, “Who cares? They love each other.” Today, we have a lot of gay friends. So it’s not just about culture. It also depended on the environments we both came from.

ME It doesn’t mean that you change your principles or values. You become tolerant. You become accepting. That’s the only way human beings can come together.

What have you learnt from each other?
LR I used to be very rational. My wife, not that she’s irrational, but she’s a very emotional person. And I think I became more emotional with her, and she became more rational with me. There’s always this exchange. I’m more balanced now. Before I’d always go my own way, which was also beautiful, and fun, but it was not as balanced as it is today.

ME I admire and respect him every day. He’s someone who doesn’t compromise his ways, especially when it’s right. He works very hard. He’s clear about what he wants. He was very convinced that Singapore was the place to start something and it was. He’s also very creative. He’s a guru! He’s someone others also admire a lot, too.

What makes the two of you such a complementary couple?
LR We learn from each other. We adapt. She learns from my rational side, and I learn from her emotional side. And that’s the beautiful exchange. We change as people, but we learn so much more. We become more of a pair. We have the same ideals.

ME When we work together, we work well together because I’m more about the people. It’s not that he doesn’t like people, but I love people, and I like to bring them together. It’s my job, but it doesn’t feel like a job because this is what I love to do. I want to do it.

How have both of you worked together on something that showcases each other's opposite qualities?
LR We started Art Stage. We built up a company that we now run and develop together and we develop the market—we’re opening up a new branch in Indonesia. I handle more of the business and artistic side. I have 30 years of experience in this arena. But it’s like the brain and the heart. Whenever there’s “brain” work, I’m usually out front. Whenever there’s “heart” work, she’s in charge. She’s the best host there is. I’m a bad host. We know our strengths and weaknesses, and that’s how we function and support each other.

ME He’s the best at what he does. He created the concept, he’s the brains. I do the other part, deciding who should come to the fair and so on. I handle the relationships. So we do what we can each do best, and we respect that.

How do you deal with work conflicts when one of you disagrees with the other?
LR Our partnership is our conflict. But a partnership without friction will be the most boring thing in life. And like civilised individual, we talk and find a solution. That doesn’t mean one tries to force the other, but it’s about how we can find a solution. We talk things out.

ME Well, normally with our discussions and conflicts, we take our time to deal with them. Sometimes you have to apologise.

LR Sometimes you have to compromise.

How do you keep things harmonious?
LR Just to make a joke at the end. We have a very clear rule about how we handle our marriage. I’m the General and she’s the Major. I make all the general decisions, and she makes all the major decisions.

Read more about how these couples have journeyed through life as complementary opposites in the Fall/Winter 2017 issue of Singapore Tatler Weddings, out in November.