Jesinta Franklin on why she rejected husband Buddy's first request for a date.

They took everyone by surprise with a secret wedding in November last year, but Jesinta Franklin and husband Buddy’s love story almost didn’t happen.

The model, David Jones ambassador and former Miss Universe actually rejected the footballer’s initial advances.

W⚡️⚡️KENDS w// YOU ❤️

A post shared by JESINTA. (@jesinta_franklin) on Dec 11, 2016 at 10:39pm PST

“Five years ago, he got my number off someone and then he just started messaging me. And I was like, ‘Um, I’m not dating at the moment. I’m dating my career’,” she told Beauticate.

“Cringe! Oh my God, I can’t believe I said that. Back then, as soon as I came back from competing at Miss Universe I hit the ground and the years following were insanely busy. Weekends were none existent and I never took any holidays. I was so busy I couldn’t imagine fitting in any dating.”

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Fast forward a few years later and the pair crossed paths again – but their first date didn’t exactly go to plan.

“My first date with Buddy was a green tea at The Crown hotel bar [in Sydney]. I was thinking, I really need a drink, and the waiter came over to take our order and Bud was like ‘A green tea’,” she recalled.

My world ???? @buddy_franklin23 #missyou

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“I was like, shit! ‘Okay, I’ll have a green tea too, thank you.’ Really what I need is like a triple shot gin and tonic.”

Fortunately, it got better from there.

“Eight green teas later and three and a half hours I was like oh actually, you’re quite nice,” she said.

The couple got engaged in 2014 but postponed their wedding after Swans player Franklin took a break from AFL due to mental health issues.

04.11.16 ???????????? in custom @verawanggang for our special day

A post shared by JESINTA. (@jesinta_franklin) on Nov 22, 2016 at 2:54pm PST

Their intimate 2016 wedding was just immediate family and close friends in a private garden in New South Wales’ Blue Mountains.