It's a narrative we're fed in many a rom-com, boy and girl meet and become friends, supporting each other through life's up and downs and relationship fails before realising that what they've been looking for all along is right there in front of them. Each other. Nawwww.
Corny as it sounds, that's pretty much what happened when the universe brought this magic pair together.
When Foster-Blake was 24 and Blake just 21, a media event saw them meet and quickly form a friendship.
For Blake the attraction was instant. In an interview with Good Weekend he confessed to falling under her spell pretty quickly.
"I had never met anyone like her – confident, hilarious, obviously beautiful and very full of fun and life. I've come to know it as the Zoë magic," Blake told the magazine.
However, for Foster-Blake it was more of a slow burn, with her admitting that it wasn't a case of instant physical attraction on her end.
"No offence, honey," she was quick to add.
What they did have in spades was a friendship that saw them supporting each other as they dated other people.
The pair even penned a dating book together, Textbook Romance in 2009.
But a year later, both Blake and Foster-Blake were single and realised that what had been developing between them was more than friendship.
Foster-Blake started noticing that she was missing Blake a lot more than usual when they weren't in the same city.
"It was quite a startling moment because he'd always just been firmly a friend, even brother like, to the point that when people were like 'I think you and Hamish would be good together' I'd be like [vomit sound]," she told Show and Tell in 2013.
"You know, we'd both had partners, and I'd been single for a year, out of a relationship for a few months, and it was quite organic I think."![]](/media/67794/44.jpg?width=720¢er=0.0,0.0)
The pair took the change in their relationship slowly, being tender with each other's hearts intentionally.
"You've got to take it slow, because there is no turning back. You can't go back to that original friendship," said Foster-Blake.
The pair wed in an intimate ceremony with just 22 guests in December 2012 held at Wolgan Valley in NSW, just north of the Blue Mountains.
Since then they've welcomed a son, Sonny in May 2014 and a daughter, Rudy in July 2017.
While the family are all about spending time together, Foster-Blake credits a little time apart as part of their enduring love story.
In an excerpt from her book, LOVE! On news.com.au she says "missing each other" is a key to long-lasting love.
"To stay together you also need to be apart. So, go do something with your mates, or family, or self, and give yourself a chance to miss each other," the skincare entrepreneur recommends.
"A night or two is even better. A week is sensational."
In the last few years, Hamish and Zoe have seen some sizeable changes.
They endured the tough Melbourne lockdown in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and then in December 2020, they announced they were moving back to Zoe's go-to (no pun intended...) - Sydney.
Sharing the news on Instagram, Zoe wrote: "I moved to Melbourne from Sydney (for love!) (also the bars!) eight years ago with no set return. But the time has come, I'm heading back. And in great news for my kids, husband and cat, I've decided they may accompany me."
She cited her skincare company Go-To as the reason for the move, explaining that as it expands, she needs to be near her team, who are largely based in New South Wales.
"There are so many places I can't wait to take my kids (the Blue Mountains! Kiama! Burrawang pub!) and things I will lovingly force them to do as per my childhood, especially the bit where my mum makes them collect chook sh#t to fertilize the garden and dad takes a four-year old on a 5km bushwalk in high summer," she continued.
But of course, Melbourne would be dearly missed by the family - "I feel an immense bond to this city and the people within. I love Melbourne SO hard. It's a brilliant, creative, warmhearted, innovative and beautiful city. I shall return often with much joy and a long list of people and restaurants I adore and need to see," she said in her emotional post.
While it was tough to go, Zoe looks to already be loving her time in Sydney - though Hamish stayed back in Melbourne for a short while as he finished filming Lego Masters.
"I wouldn't probably recommend moving interstate during a pandemic and border closures that mean your workin' husband can't join you for many weeks and you will have to figure it all out yourself while parenting (kids yah but also one very curious/ridiculous/escapey cat)," Zoe mused on Instagram.
"But I do recommend Doing Hard Things because the pay off is always very worth it." she reiterated.
It seems she and Hamish really are as strong as steel. We can't wait to see their adventures continue in New South Wales!
This story was originally published on our sister site, Now to Love.
