Time and politics wait for no one, as newlywed Stewart Minors discovered when, just two days before his marriage to PLP Smith's North candidate Patrice Parris, the election was suddenly called putting paid to any plans the couple had to complete last-minute preparations before their big day, but there was a bonus.

"Political life started the day after the announcement, which meant we canvassed on the Wednesday and Thursday," Mr. Minors explains.

"And on Friday we had our wedding rehearsal, but we were well received by the people while canvassing, and the older ones gave us advice on how to keep our marriage steady, and make it long-lasting," Mr. Minors says.

Like any couple returning from an overseas honeymoon, Mr. Minors and his bride planned to spend a few days quietly settling in and getting their metaphorical house in order, but that was before they called their campaign chairman and found themselves immediately catapulted back into action, canvassing during the days, evenings and weekends - as well as pursuing their professional lives.

Such pressure could well put any couple, let alone newlyweds, on a very tetchy footing, but not the Minors/Parris team.

"First of all, we are Christians, so we do a lot of talking, praying and religion-related things, and that includes talking about our individual goals," Mr. Minors says. "One of Patrice's goals was that she wanted to run again for Parliament, so I said, `Praise the Lord, go for it'."

In fact, from the moment he met his future wife a year or so ago the accounting and systems manager at the Bermuda Land Development Corporation was particularly attracted to her dedicated community spirit, so her desire to contribute to the political future of Bermuda was simply another facet for him to admire and accept.

"I am one of my wife's biggest fans," he assures.

"I enjoy talking politics with her. It was pretty early on that I noticed she was called by God to do special things."

While Mr. Minors admits that, while plodding the campaign trail in the heat has been tough, it has also been rewarding.

"I think it's worth extra points having your husband along. When my wife says, `Oh, there's my husband right there' I do the wave thing and smile."

But that's not all. Mr. Minors has also fulfilled commitments in St. George's South, both behind the scenes and in accompanying Tourism Minister Renee Webb as she canvassed.

Asked how the busy couple (Ms Parris is executive director of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Bermuda) managed to find any leisure time for themselves during the run-up to today's polls, Mr. Minors says it came down to compromise in order to get everything done.

He makes it clear, however, that no matter what other forces have prevailed and will prevail upon them, at the end of the day family will always be most important - and that will also apply if Ms Parris is successful as a Parliamentarian.

"Patrice feels strongly about her duties as a wife and companion, and I provide leeway. I didn't impinge upon her responsibilities as a Senator as long as she took care of her duties as a housewife and companion, and it will be the same again. I married her as a politician, so the late night sittings of the House, for example, will all be part of it."

Now that election day is finally here, the loving husband has his plans all worked out.

"I am going to give her hugs and squeezes and a big kiss, and later on I am going to sit down with the campaign people and watch all our winning candidates getting the limelight and glory," he says.

But what if she loses?

"In our household we have nothing but winners," Mr. Minors says. "If we lose, it will not be that Patrice lost, it will be because our campaign committee didn't do all that we could to ensure that she would win, and that would include me as well; so we will go over our plan, look over the votes that were cast, and make a tentative plan for next time; then we'll move on."