Last week, we asked readers how old they were when they first met their current spouse or partner. A full third of them were in their 20s, and another third in their 30s. The remaining third was older: about 4 percent of them were in their 60s, 70s or even 80s.
But how did these people fall in love? That’s what we want to know. Was it like in the movies, where one of them took one look at the other and thought, “That’s the person I want to live with the rest of my life”?
Or did it take a while for love to blossom?
We probably should have saved this question for Valentine’s Day, but we just couldn’t wait. We want to know! Please leave a comment. Tell us how you met your partner: We may want to follow up on this poll. We know some of you have wonderful stories to tell. So, go ahead, answer the poll, then put on your writer’s cap and tell us more.
We met in November. Engaged in February. Married in August. No children for the first 5 years. Although it wasn’t “first” sight, within a month I was smitten. Now 52 years later living full time in our RV. Well worth working thru all the “bad” times. I love that girl.
We dated on the weekends from mid October through December, by that time I was in love. DW took a little longer, she had been widowed for 10 years and wasn’t ready to give up her freedom. By May she had proposed to me, it was leap year, ladies are allowed to propose during leap year. Lol
I was living in Fort Lauderdale,Florida and met my wife to be on spring break.She was a senior in high school.Went on one date and both fell in love.I made one trip to Massachusetts where she lived to meet her parents.We dated over the phone and were married in October.We will celebrate 49 years of.marriage this October.
I worked USAF postal she worked UPS. Nope no love at first. I just divorce and she was going through a divorce I not knowing. One day she showed up at my door wanting to see my divorce papers since it was very recent. We talked and I shared info. She had a child and I had custody of my daughter. We really didn’t date just did things together with our children and it took off from there best decision I made was to propose. 33 years and it’s all good.
We met on a blind date and found we had many of the same interests. We dated for 6 months and got married on 12/24. Best Christmas present I ever received. We just celebrated our 50th in 2021.
I first saw him literally “across from a smokey dance floor in a club” just like you would hear in a song or saying. I could not keep my eyes off of him, the chemistry was undeniable. We married 1 year later while we were in Las Vegas and have been married 27 years.
We actually met when I was about 7 and I knew her brothers. My brothers and I always thought that she was very pretty. After a more than 15 years disconnect, we were set up on a date by our mothers while I was home on a Thanksgiving leave from the service. Our first kiss was on the second date and it was all history from there, married the next August. This month is 35 years!
Met in August, married in December. This years will be 52 incredible years!
We met at mutual friends half way between our homes. We enjoyed each other and after five weeks I went to her home 75 mile’s away and after three dates – I knew – she took a few months longer. Now we are 48 years married, 4 kids, and 12 grand kids. God has been good to us!
When we first met I thought she was a skinny Tom boy and she thought I was a bully. We were both right. Three years later in high school we finally started dating. 59 years later, three daughters later we are still “dating”.
Met my current partner 7 yrs ago in a grief group after our spouses had died. We were together weekly in that group for a year, then continued with a social group twice/mo for dinners. It took 3 yrs to realize a good friendship was evolving into love and take actions. We have been living together now 2yrs. We are in our 60s. Happy to have found love and companionship in our later years when neither of us was looking.
Yes, met at a midshipmen ball while In Corpus Christi. Much like the movie An Officer and a Gentlemen, but before the movie. We were married a year later and it has now been 49 years.
I walked into Jr English in high school…there he sat in the 3rd chair, second row…I knew then he was the one. We dated 3 yrs so we could get our education out of the way..it will be 56 years this Sept. it’s been a wild ride, we have been lucky to travel all over the world and now full time Rvers for 10 yrs.
My husband was dating a good friend when we met, but it was some time later after their relationship ended, that he and I became friends, and then started dating.
We both worked at a VA hospital. She was divorced and I had just gotten divorced. We started as co workers, then friends and after 5 years were married. She saved me from myself as I was spiraling down.She grabbed me by the nap of my neck gave me an ultimatum. Now after 39 years of sobriety, smoke free, drug free, I love her more than anything in life. The good Lord put her in my path and I took the detour that saved me from myself.
Congrats on your relationship, your sobriety and as a Vet, thanks for doing that hard work!
I was keen on another woman when we met. Over several weeks we spent several minutes talking via telephone. I eventually asked her out. We dated a while, had a big blow-up, and stayed apart briefly. I found I missed her, a lot, maybe she missed me too. We got back together and spent a month traveling to see MY friends. Despite that, she was still interested. I moved her 20 hours away to law school and I flew to see her as often as I could afford. She flew down during a law school recess, I propsed, she accepted, and we were married 9 months later. Thirty-three years later we still love each other and like each other almost all the time.
I went home on a weekend pass with a friend, hoping to get “Lucky”. My mother insisted that we go to the church picnic before going on our quest. Saw this cute girl that made our name badges. Ended up taking her home after the picnic, although she had gone with someone else. When my friend got back to the house he asked how I made out. I said “I think I just met my wife”! We got married a year later.
That was 59 years ago and she is still my one and only..
She was a new student as a junior in my small school in 1964. I was smitten at first sight but didn’t start dating until our senior year after briefly dating her younger sister. Three years later we were married and 53 years later we are still going strong. RVing the country was my dream, not hers, but 5 years ago we bought our motor home and have put 36,000 miles on the road together. She now loves it.
When we were introduced and shook hands. I swear a jolt of electricity went though my
body. I felt like I had known this guy my whole life. He later told me he also had felt some kind of connection. We were destined to be together ❤️
Met my wife to be on campus and my first thought was I could marry this girl. She had the same thought and less than six months later we were married and are now approaching our 40th anniversary.
I courted my bride for 2 yrs before asking for her hand. We met when she cut my hair one day, then again at a party, and continued to bump into each other in different places. Finally I asked if she would care to date and she said yes. We both moved to another town got employment there, dated for a while, and then one day I finally asked her. That was 41.75 years ago. I look forward to November 7th every year.
I love my bride.
My wife fell like a sack of rocks for me the first time she saw me but it didn’t happen to me, it took me a while. We have been married for 57 years.
You are funny!
We met at dancing lessons, I was 18 got married the day before I turned 20. 60 years ago. Still very much in love 🥰
More like instant dislike! We were each married to someone else and the 4 of us were completly different. Ended up becoming friends, then we all ended our marriages. He and I ended up being the best of friends. I would help him with his “love life” and he, mine. Many, many years later, he “realized” he’d fallen in love with me! Told him then he needed to date/court me, like all his other ladies! He did, now we’ve been married for over 26 years!
Well, we did fall for each other right away but it took a bit for me to actually know I was in love with her.
not sure but there was an instant, very strong attraction.
I met my wife during the summer, at a swimming pool. She looked so good in that swim suit! Didn’t see her again until school started. I thought she was the prettiest girl in the school, and she still is! We started dating and before long we were going steady. I asked her to marry me one year after high school, and she said yes. We both were 19, and a lot of people said it would never last. In 6 months, we will celebrate our 60th anniversary. She is the best thing that ever happened to me.
Yay for you both!
Fell in love and still together 36 years later ❤️
While I’m glad I have my wife of 39 years. If I had to do it over again I wouldn’t marry her.
I hope she doesn’t read this, Bob, unless the feeling is mutual. Take care, and maybe watch your back. Just sayin’. 😀 –Diane
We had our first date 1/24/81. I knew immediately he was mine. We talked marriage on date #2 which was two days after the first. Engaged 3/6/81, married 11/28/81.
Met my wife at the ice cream shop I worked at. I was working the cone line and she was a customer with her mom coming from the movie theater next door. It was attraction for me, (she says she thought I was cute, funny and she was intrigued) as I thought she was a teacher at a nearby school (she was dressed up after coming from a school event that morning, then the movies that afternoon). Turned out, she was going into 11th grade, like me. They left and I didn’t think about it again (except at how embarrassed I was at being so wrong about her age) until a year later, when a friend at school needed a wingman for a date.
His date was that same gal, who is now my wife. We became great friends, dated, I joined the Navy, we fell apart, got back together, fell apart, got married, fell apart, got back together and have been going strong for nearly 30 years now, married for nearly 34 and together for over 38….
Oh, and my parents still think it won’t last.
Met my wife when were were 15 and 16, in math class 1983. She was complaining, to a friend, that her boyfriend was not taking her to the dance. I spun around in my chair and side, “Why don’t you dump your boyfriend, and take me to the dance.”
She did, and I did. We were good friends for years, but eventually lost track of each other. 19 years later, we reconnected, and were married three months later. We’ve been married for over 11 years, and still are in love. My step-son is almost 16 now, and he treats me like his own biological dad.
No. But, I saw him across the dance floor and said to my girlfriend, “Dayum! Look at those eyes! I want him.” I asked him to dance, and we’ve been married for 37 years now.
Let’s see. I met her at a new job I took in March 1984. I couldn’t stand her! We were opposites! But I worked with her boss, so I had to see her almost daily. I guess something happened with all that animosity. We were constantly challenging each other. We realized that we needed each other, and couldn’t stand to be apart. In June we started dating, got engaged in November, and married the following July 1985. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 37 years! It seems like yesterday! I love her more and more each day. We’ve also been full-timing in a 5th wheel for the last six years! We are not opposites I guess! We are complements!
The sparkle in my partner’s eyes and her amazing smile drew me in immediately. We moved in together within a couple of months.
NO. We moved in together after dinner that night. We have been together now 50 years.
The first time I met my husband was just a casual meeting. But I could not stop thinking about him. When I saw him again, 7 months later, and we spent some time together, I knew he was the one! We were married 6 months later and have been married 30 years!!
Sixty years ago we moved to a new town. My brother and I were exploring the new town on our bicycles. We noticed two girls following us on their bicycles. Long story short – she chased me for nine years before I caught her. She woke her father after coming home late one night to show him her engagement ring. He said: “It’s about time.” . and rolled over and went back to sleep. She still chases me but not too fast or too far.
We met gambling in jail.
Actually, we were in the Air Force studying for promotion testing. When it came time for a break, we all trooped over to the nearest Coke machine, which was in the next building — the brig. She was in line, cute as could be. I struck up a conversation. We flipped coins to see who would buy drinks. She lost, but I eventually won her heart. We got married and had 51 years together. Good times!
I think it was for him, but it took a while for me. First I had to trust, respect, and admire him. 46 years later, it worked out well.
I was discharged from the USAF on April 1, 1974. While in the service, all my buddies got married and were raising families. On July 4th with nothing to do I went to my grandparents. Their house was on a lake and we were sitting on the dock when a girl walks out on the next dock over. I introduced myself and we went to the movies that night. Fast Forward: September 20, 1974. 2 months and 16 days later we married. Bought our 1st RV, a 5th wheel, in 2018. Started to make plans to see the world (at least what we could see in our RV.) Thanksgiving 2020 she is diagnosed with throat cancer. By the time they got the throat cancer it had moved to the lungs. She passed May 12, 2022. God knew what He was doing when he put us together. So yes, I do believe in love at first sight.
Met May 5, 1971 when he got out of the Navy. We were married May 16, 1971. It lasted until his death in 10/23/2020.
I met my wife 13 April 1974. I asked her to marry me on 21 April 1974. We got married 25 April 1974. We have been married for over 48 Years. So, Love at first sight.
Three Months from First Date To Marrage. Lasted 60 wonderful years until her passing. Not a single bad day.
I met the love of my life by accident, at 19 years old I landed in a hospital full of student nurses. A pretty 19 year old, student girl took care of me, we got along so well that by the time I recovered, she introduced me to her parents. We got married two years later, and were married for 56 years, until her death in 2020.
Nope, I was introduced to her when she was eighteen, and married her at twenty one. I never dated anyone else after I met her. Tall women are easy to see, but single tall women are hard to find.
Literally the first time I saw my wife, I felt I needed to get to know this person. I had never felt that before. I had been attracted to others, sure. But this was something different, something stronger. I can’t explain it, but we got married 15 months later. We were both 32. And that was 27 years ago this month. We had planned a trip to Germany for our 25th anniversary in 2020. We rescheduled it and are leaving in 2 weeks!
Wouldn’t change anything.
It took a couple of weeks. We met in Great Lakes, Service School Command Propulsion Engineering A school. After doing things together for 2 weeks I ‘kind of’ proposed. 3 1/2 months later, on July 30th we got married. We celebrated our 47th anniversary this year.
It wasn’t love at first sight, but it was a real attraction. 53 years later we are still attracted and richly in love.
I was working as a telephone installer for the USAF and installed the phone in her office. Loved her from the moment I saw her and 32 years later still feel the same every time I see her.
I met my wife in jail…………. OK she worked there and I was picking up inmates to transport them to other jails. It must have appeared that I was hungry. She offered me potato soup, which I took. Made a comment to a friend that I met the one. My wife told me if she knew that I made that comment she would have made me work harder to get her…LOL…We have been married for over 32 years and still going strong.
We met on Halloween Day, Instant connection the moment our eyes met, We married 30 Days Later and have been together 41 years.
We met in a class for writing at LCC in Eugene, Oregon, 1969. Professor said the boys should take the girls to a community play, come August 20 been married 52 years, helps to marry someone who likes the same things. Although that can get us in trouble occasionally.
I answered “no”. I answered his personal ad in the Seattle Weekly Magazine 30 years ago (way before internet dating). It took 2 months of dating to figure out we liked each other a lot 🙂
We both worked at an aeronautical company in Burbank, CA. I saw him and knew immediately he was my Prince Charming for my life. Thank goodness he had strong feelings for me too after courting me several months.
I asked him out for our 1st date. He asked me to Marry him after we purchased our home together four years later. We took our honeymoon before our wedding in Maui, Hawaii. We had our Hawaiin Themed Wedding in our new home. We are Celebrating as of this year, 32 years of marriage & 37 years together. We are retired and each day is a new adventure for us in Love, Life together and traveling.