7 Sweet How We Met Stories from Real Couples

There's nothing quite like a good love story.

Bride and groom on boat welcome cruise on the Seine River in Paris surrounded by rose bushes

Photo by Oliver Fly

Who doesn’t love a good meet-cute? While we all love a Hollywood rom-com, there’s no denying that there are few things better in life than hearing the charming story of how a real person met his or her significant other. Whether their romance sparked because of a chance encounter, one person's bold move, a setup by mutual friends, or something else entirely, there's just nothing like the moment a smitten couple recounts every special detail of their "how-we-met" story.

Here, we're sharing seven heartwarming stories that will remind you of all the unique ways happy couples come together and find love.

01 of 07

Kristin and Wyatt

bride and groom snuggling close during outdoor portraits at wedding

Photo by Shannon Skloss

Kristin and Wyatt met in New York when their mutual friends hosted a pregame before the biggest summer concert of 2016. As their friends filed out of the apartment and into their rides to the show, the two of them found themselves on the Brooklyn sidewalk without tickets to the concert or plans for the rest of the evening. Thinking fast, Wyatt invited Kristin to grab some Thai food instead, and though she was a little skeptical about the idea, Kristin figured it couldn't hurt to go.

On the walk to the restaurant, the two talked about music, pop culture, and their least favorite character on the TV show Power—a promising start to their unofficial first date. While there were a few things that gave Kristin pause during the evening (“I couldn’t believe Wyatt was vegan and that he didn’t pay for the meal,” Kristin remembers), the two shared incredible conversation and the night flew by. Kristin says she left the date feeling "pleasantly surprises" and Wyatt headed home knowing he just met the woman he was going to marry.

Before they parted ways, the duo exchanged numbers and spoke on and off for a few months. After more dates over the next few months, the duo enjoyed a taco and tequila Cinco de Mayo date to make their relationship official.

02 of 07

Lana and Caitlyn

two brides during their first look in Northern California

Photo by Catalina Jean Photography

Lana and Caitlyn met at Scribe Winery in Sonoma, California, in July of 2019. Lana was there with a group of friends while Caitlyn was wine tasting with a pal who was visiting from out of town. When Lana arrived, her dog, Remy, was immediately drawn towards Caitlyn’s dog, Walt. After a round of introductions were made between the pups and their owners, everyone went back to their wine tastings and moved on; everyone, that is, except Lana. She kept her eye out for Caitlyn and as she saw her leave, Lana chased her down in the parking lot of the winery to ask for her number.

The bold move paid off: Less than a year later, in June of 2020, Caitlyn suggested the couple head back to Scribe Winery, where they first met, to pick up a couple bottles of wine. “When we arrived at the winery, I led Lana to the very spot we met and got down on one knee to propose!” Caitlyn says. The next weekend, Lana gave Caitlyn the excuse that they should walk the dogs at Crissy Field in San Francisco and planned her own surprise proposal.

03 of 07

Tiffany and Michael

Couple holding hands at the altar while exchanging vows

Photo by Mallory Dawn

For Tiffany and Michael, work is what first brought them together: She serves on the board of directors for Triumph Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to provide a support network for children, adults, and veterans with spinal cord disorders and injuries; he is the Adaptive Recreation Program coordinator at UCLA, supporting individuals with and without disabilities at UCLA and in the greater Los Angeles area with opportunities to participate in adaptive sports and recreation activities. “I found out about one of [Michael's] wheelchair basketball games which is where we met,” Tiffany says. “We were good friends for many years before we started dating... I honestly don’t know how he was still single when we met, but I’m so grateful he was!” 

04 of 07

Christina and David

Groom kissing bride's hand in garden during first look

Photo by Lara Rose Photography

Christina and David’s paths first crossed in Puerto Rico in August of 2019. David was living and working in San Juan and Christina was there on a work trip. "We were both out for dinner in La Placita de Santurce in San Juan and we were sat right next to each other,” Christina says, admitting that sparks flew the moment they locked eyes. “We were very attracted to each other.” Christina had her sister, Alysa, by her side as her wing woman, and after some great conversation, she worked up the courage to ask David for his number.

The two arranged for David to show Christina around the area during her next visit to Puerto Rico and two years after their fateful encounter, they were engaged.

05 of 07

Jen and MC

Couple kissing on a retro blue couch with ombre flowers behind them

Photo by Sylvie Rosokoff

Like many modern couples, Jen and MC have online dating to thank for their introduction. The couple met on OKCupid in March of 2020 shortly after New York City went into lockdown. “MC’s profile mentioned that she was working on an ambitious cross-stitch project, and I had just bought myself a kit to keep myself busy during the ‘two-week’ shutdown,” Jen says. When Jen sent MC a message with an opening line about cross-stitching, she got a quick reply.

The two stuck to texting and FacetTime dates at first, but once everything started opening up in May, the duo planned their official first date. MC made tea sandwiches and a charcuterie plate for a socially distanced picnic followed by a walk on Roosevelt Island where the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. “We spent the whole day walking and talking together, and we haven’t stopped since,” Jen says.

06 of 07

Jasmine and John

Groom in white tuxedo and bride in off-the-shoulder wedding dress posing for portraits in front of floral arch

Photo by Amy Anaiz Photography

Though many couples meet by happenstance or are introduced by mutual friends, Jasmine and John can thank their employers for bringing them together. Jasmine, who works as cyber security senior manager, was auditing John’s place of employment when he asked her out to lunch. Unfortunately, Jasmine wasn't looking to mix work and play: “I told him I didn’t date my clients,” she says. But she just couldn't shake the feeling that she might be walking away from something special. “After a week of playing hard to get, I no longer saw John at work and I was worried I'd miss the opportunity as it was my last day on site.”

Luckily, John had made one last effort: As Jasmine walked to her car that evening, she found a note on her windshield asking her on a date. As fate would have it, when John arrived to pick Jasmine up for their first date, the two discovered they lived across the street from each other the whole time. “I could literally see his house from my bedroom window but never saw him!” Jasmine says.

07 of 07

Angela and Allister

Angela and Allister pour champagne tower while guests hold sparklers

Photo by Oliver Fly

Angela and Allister got together after a series of missed connections. They're both from Vancouver, where they attended high schools down the street from each other; when it came time to attend college, both chose universities in New York and called the Big Apple home for years. When Angela’s friend threw a birthday party in June of 2019 at a bar downtown, she almost skipped it, exhausted from a week of traveling for work. Allister happened to be bar hopping with buddies that night who convinced him to prolong the evening. When the two groups crossed paths, Angela and Allister got to talking and exchanged numbers. “Our joke is that I 'ghosted' him after that first evening, but in reality I had just ended a two year long-distance relationship,” Angela explains.

They bumped into each other again a month later and agreed to meet up for a date. This time, it was Allister who left Angela hanging; he had a few busy weekends and it took a while for the duo to settle on a time to get together. When the two finally met up, Angela remembers how quickly Allister introduced her to his friends (who would eventually become groomsmen and their wedding officiant). “I joke that he must have had a really good feeling about me!”

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