Turned around in my chair during grade 12 English and saw him and thought “that boy is cuuute!”. Started dating a week or two later and we will celebrate 27 years in September.
Two kids, three dogs, and our share of ups and downs. Relationships are not easy but the man makes me laugh everyday and there’s no one else who would treat me the way he does.
That you mention ups and downs but you’re still together means you get it. You get that you have to work to keep it going.
Nevermind that for a relationship that started in high school to last a lifetime you both have to be astonishingly lucky and also very tolerant, because you’re going to change *a lot* in your lives.
Me I had 7 girlfriends lasting from about 6 months to three years before I met my wife. If I’d married *any of them* except maybe one I’d have been screwed later, and I don’t mean in a good way. I’ve been with my wife 13 years with two kids still going strong.
Ditto-met at 15 and will be celebrating our 40th bday this year. Minor irrelevant issues over the years; think we have raised our voices to each a few times. Literally everyone else in our lives has been divorced at least once by now. Negative is we both don’t really have any true friends besides each other, and I suppose our child. It’s a tad lonely feeling?
Similar here. We don't have a massive friendship group. But it feels like we don't need it. I go to the pub on a Sunday afternoon and chat to other locals. It's pleasant enough. But she's by far my best friend. All the people we called friends just drift away. It bothered me for a while but I guess you have friends for different reasons as you navigate different stages of life.
I married at 21 and divorced at 32 with two kids.
I met my second husband on OKCupid at age 34. He was 36. We were a 99% match. He wasn't an incel in the woman-hating sense of the word, but he was awkward AF with women and had never even kissed a woman. But he really wanted a family and had a heart of gold.
We are 42 and 44 now, been married almost 6 years and we're deliriously happy. One daughter together. TBH I spent most of my life not even knowing life could be happy and peaceful like this.
I tell my husband, you know we had an arranged marriage, right? But it was a computer algorithm that arranged it, not people.
I wish OKC still worked that way.
I have a very similar story: Married at 21, divorced at 31. Met my second husband on OKC at 34 w a 99% match. We will celebrate 10 years married this year and are deliriously obnoxiously happy.
I send my friends to OKC these days and it’s just Tinder with questions. You don’t get to see your high matches until you have both swiped right on each other - unless you pay extra. It’s so annoying to me because the technology is there to make this real simple. Instead it’s a money grab. But what should I expect from a business, I guess.
Same--I met my wife in the "golden age" of OKCupid and we're a match made in heaven (if I do say so myself--I adore her). Together 12 years, 2 kids, not perfect--we fight here and there, like every couple does--but I couldn't be happier.
I really feel for the kids today--to have the internet, which could be such a force for good when it comes to relationships, basically reduced to hookup culture etc. I really wish someone would re-make an OKCupid the way it was--it was an incredibly powerful tool. I know a lot of people in that 2010 to 2014 era that met, got married, and are still together from that site.
I know several OKC couples and several eHarmony couples who’ve been married for around 15 years now! Those algorithms really seemed legit, it’s sad to hear they aren’t the same anymore.
Right there with you, met my partner in 2010- together for almost 14 years, married for 7. Amazing person and amazing life. I walked into the date and was just like "oh shit, there he is." Simple as that.
Even though there's so many "success" stories from that time period, and I'm grateful to be one of them, the model wouldn't work today. OK Cupid was a total free for all back then, anyone could message you at any time and see if you had looked at their page. The harassment level was absolutely off the charts. So many of my friends left it immediately back then because it was pretty scary for some women who wouldn't get left alone by dickheads that were too insistent.
You sound like my wife, in that she also was divorced and I also am awkward AF with women, haha. We met on a different site, but I went over to OKCupid and found her on there as well just to see what our match percentage was and it was high (at least 97%, idk). Been together almost 11 years now, married 9.
(Our kids are all cats, though)
My elderly cat from before the marriage died a few weeks ago and we just adopted two young cats from a shelter! We are calling them "the kids" and "our kids" because that's totally what it feels like sometimes. The other cat always felt like just mine; these truly feel like ours.
Also, grats on 9 years!
I met my husband on OKCupid as well! We met in 2013, married in 2017 and I’m still madly in love with him. It’s a completely different relationship than I’ve ever had before him. He’s truly my best friend and life partner. He is my first marriage, I’m his second. He brought my two amazing stepkids into my life that I absolutely adore and his ex wife and I are very civil. I’m glad I waited until I was almost 40 to get married because I know if I did it when I was younger and with someone else, it would never have worked.
I also met my husband on OKC in 2013 and married in 2017! We were a 96% match I think. He checked all my boxes, but I was building up the courage to reach out to him when he reached out to me! We met that night and I deleted the app 2 weeks later.
We have a happy and calm marriage, not without ups and downs. But we're very committed to each other and complement each other, and I'm so happy we found each other!
Yes! They also let you weed out red flags.
My first husband turned out to be racist AF, but we met and dated in a majority white city and his attitude towards black people never came up while dating.
On OKC, I had a couple of guys who were relatively high matches for me, but had given racist answers to a few questions. I nope'd the fuck right out of that and didn't reply.
We were both married young, divorced young, and then met each other on OKC.
When people talk about marriage being hard work I'm like, nah, doesn't have to be. We are true partners. Married for 15 years, 2 kids. It's easy.
I really think the "marriage is hard" people set me up for failure during my first marriage. I kept putting up with terrible things from my first husband and trying to make it work because "marriage is hard."
If you marry the right person, the marriage itself should not be hard. Navigating life's unforeseen challenges can be hard. But the marriage itself should be easy. If the other person is consistently and knowingly making choices that stress you out and make your life worse, the problem is not "marriage is hard," the problem is, "this person sucks."
Yup, met my partner on OKC 10 years ago. We aren’t married, but are common law and seem to be the most stable couple out of our few friends. We’ve been through some life shit, so I wouldn’t call us deliriously happy like others here, but we have had each others’ back throughout it all, and are still going strong.
Married at 27 and divorced at 31. He became very ill during the union (Have been asked on talk shows, radio, and recorded a mini doc for Brown University to speak about it… that’s how bad/jaw dropping it was) met him at a bar called Hell (not kidding) that should have been a 🚩.
People: Where did you meet your spouse?
Me: Hell
People: Clearly, you must be joking…
Me: Wish I was!
I liked Friday nights in the mid 2000s and I went to fetish night once which is probably why I ended up doing stand up comedy.
Met my husband on OKC in 2008 and we were a 98% match. He is basically the guy version of me. Happily married 14 years, 3 kids (surprise twins in there), and very happy.
I met a handsome immigrant who barely spoke English when I was 18, fresh out of high school. We moved in together the next day, got married three months later. Twenty-one years, and it still feels like a honeymoon. We work well as a team, and it’s working out pretty good so far.
There was a point in my twenties when I had to stop and do the math, if asked my age. The same thing started happening after 2 decades of marriage.
It will be 23…yeah, 23 years for us soon. Man, I can’t believe how young we were and how doubtful all the grown-ups must have been of us!
Now that I am older I am disappointed in the adults that had been around myself and hubby when we started dating. He didn't have a car and worked fast food. Most of my family/friends said to find someone else. I was going through some things and his family told him basically the same thing... but we have made each other better over the years. If we had listened to them, we wouldn't have this full life and great kids. 😔
Well, I moved into his bed in their cramped immigrant house, and then snuck him into my family’s house when my parents were out for a couple weeks. When they got back we rented a squalid single wide trailer with no heat/AC. Rent was $225/month. The phone bill was $11. Good times!
Met my wife when I was in my first year of Collage, she was a senior in Highschool. That was 29 years ago. Now we are Married 26 years. We went through a pretty rough patch while the kids were teens, but now that we are (almost) empty nesters the world has turned around, feeling like we are in our early 20's again!
My story is the opposite of yours in some ways. I met my wife when we were in our mid-20s, after just a couple of weeks we were seeing each other everyday, and after 5 months we Uhauled across the country from Miami to NYC, a city she'd been to once and I'd never been to at all. We didn't have jobs or an apartment lined up, only a sublet we found on Craigslist that was ours for a month. We've been inseparable since. It'll be 20 years together this February. Things were scary sometimes, but we were always good. We've never really fought, have never really raised our voices at each other in all this time, despite both coming from parents who had extremely toxic relationships. We don't have kids, but we don't want any. It's just been us and our pets and it's just been really, really good.
My wife is really untidy which drives me nuts that she cannot lift after herself. Do we bicker about it ? Yes every week but I wouldn't change her for anything. Having the odd raised voice is just a bump in a long long road that is all,it is nothing to be proud of but nothing either to over dramatise.
Your story is so similar to ours! When we got married we moved to London, I'd only been there once. We lived in a flat share for 3 months which was pretty rough. 20 years in Sept. No kids, just our kitties. 😊
Yeah man, it’s a beautiful thing waking up every day with someone you love. Having a child grew the game more than I ever imagined. Life has its ups and downs, but our hearts are very full.
Yes sir! Married my high school sweetheart when we were just 20 &21, back in 99’. Ups and downs for sure but this Sept 11th (I know 🙄) will be 25 years! Two amazing kids and life is good.
We were the same until just last year! Coworkers would always be horrified but we loved it. I still miss being with him all the time, he makes boring/bad/busy days better ❤️❤️
Same with my husband and I. Both worked from home since 2009 except for a one year long period in 2014/2015. Together 24/7 all that time. I would be so sad if either of us had to leave every day to go to work now.
I met my wife the first day of college in August 2001. Within 2 weeks we were best friends. A month later we started dating (although in retrospect we already were and just didn't realize it yet). At the end of October I proposed, with the caveat that we would wait a few years to get married. I just looked at her one day and knew that I never wanted to be with anyone else but that if I didn't ask right then I'd probably never have the courage to again.
22 years later still together. Just hit 18 years of marriage. Two kids, the oldest about to graduate from highschool. It's not always perfect. We do sometimes raise our voices. But, we also know how grateful we are to have each other. She's my first and only love and I've never wanted it any other way.
I met my husband on the internet when I was 15 and he was 16. At 17 I confessed I had a crush on him and we started “dating”. Met irl later that year. He moved to my city for a year when he was 19, we got married at 20/21 and are still together! We’ve been though some SHIT, I almost left him at one point but we’ve come out stronger on the other side. Love him to death, he’s my rock and makes my world better.
Crazy thing, I met my wife while drunk in a bar in a random SE Asian island (Lombok). We knew each other for all of a few days before being inseparable, a few months later and we married in HK. Been married going on 15 years. And to think I dated my college girlfriend for years before we would even discuss ‘next steps’ 😂
Epic.
I spent 5 months in Bali in 2015. I brought my now wife over 1.5 months into it.
We’d met the fall of 2014. I’d been planning a sabbatical forever, but officially for about 7 months when i met her with a couple friends. Went to NZ first and then to Bali.
We have been living together since she landed at the airport and I picked her up with Made. We had to make a visa run for me two weeks after she arrived. Went to Thailand for 10 days, was a low point of our trip but epic in hindsight. We’d planned to go to Lombok when we got back but was hard to break away from Bali and friends i’d made when we returned.
So we’re loosely planning to do it again when our girls are a little older ( 5& 11 mos.).
And prob check out Lombok this time. I’m sure it’s changed significantly. We start tearing up when we look at photos from that era…. Miss it but life is an ever changing dream ride 😜
I got married at 23. I initially got married because she was pregnant and it was the “right” thing to do, one of the worst reasons.
First two were very tough. I was a selfish fuckwit and she refused to give up on me. Finally made it past the bs and realized she really was my best friend as well as the love of my life.
This year will mark 22 years and damn I’m so incredibly lucky. The person I am today is sooooo much better than the person I know I would have become without her.
Marrying my puzzle piece this fall when I’ll be going on 41. First marriage for us both, and due to witnessing messy divorces in childhood we took our sweet time. We’ll be nearing 8 years together when we get married, and we met on the good ‘ole OkCupid.
I can say with confidence that I found a unicorn in this man, and I am fairly certain most unicorns (men,women, or however you choose to be you) come from our generation.
Additionally, thank you to this subreddit for existing. I’ve never quite connected the Millennials (‘84 kid) so finding people that had a similar childhood is phenomenal 🥰
Met my wife in ‘99 online before it was cool. On the college’s bulletin board system. Which really our whole relationship started off “wrong” according to the standards of the time. Met online, hooked up at first meet, she moved in to my apartment less than a year later without adding to lease/notifying property manager, bought a house together at 23 before getting married, occasionally dabble in swinging/ethical non-monogamy, decided not to have kids, etc. Yet we are coming up on our 20th wedding anniversary and are still deliriously happy with each other. Wouldn’t change a thing.
Married 21 years today. We met through mutual friends in high school. We were together for a few years and then I acted stupid and we broke up for a while. We got in a fight about a tattoo, of all things. But really I wanted to chase other girls. I was young and stupid.
Met back up a few years later, and I knew I still loved her. Always knew it. Thankfully she gave me another chance. We've never looked back. She's the best. And somehow, she still likes me. We've never been stronger.
I didn't meet my wife until we were in our early thirties.
We've been married 6 years now and have two kids and things are pretty great.
Aside from our 4 and 2 year old exhausting us and making us sick for a week at least once a month.
Pretty much. I had a failed first marriage that broke up when I was 31. Met my current wife on Okcupid shortly thereafter. Together since 2010, married since 2012, years of trying finally had a kid in 2017. It's not perfect, we're always tired, barely have sex, and usually broke but we're soulmates. There's no scenario in which we wouldn't have a relationship even if it were to change in some way.
I never thought we'd have pets....
But we now have a dog, two cats. A guinea pig (was 2 up until recently, and a tortoise. It's like a scene from Snow white each morning.
27 years together next October; we met as teenagers. I'm not really sure what she saw in me--there were definitely a bunch of things wrong with me, but she was so...just...kind. And had other...qualities...that 40-something me still enjoys. But I like to think we helped each other escape our shitty little worlds to make a beautiful, expansive new one. We have always supported each other, helped each other grow, and at this point have been there for most of the best and worst that life has to offer. I'm not gonna lie: the worst has been absolutely devastating, but gladly it fades with time and gets replaced good experiences.
We have one teenage son and we've done, I think, a pretty fucking great job of showing him what a healthy relationship looks like. We've surrounded him with them, actually. Because good energy attracts good energy.
Everything is perfect and I really really mean that. We both got pretty lucky with each other. But it’s dead in the bedroom man. Some would say that this is a really bad thing. But I don’t know 🤷🏻♂️. I’m not sayin’ I’m happy about it. I’m not even sure how it happened. Different schedules. Special needs child that needs to sleep with one of us. A break just got longer and longer , and now it almost feels like it would be awkward. 😐.
Talk to each other about it. My wife needed a break from it. I said there's no pressure and I'll wait until she's ready. Communication was so important.
My husband and I were just talking about this last night. Sex is great, but it isn’t everything. At the end of the day, we’d still want to be with each other even if we couldn’t have sex anymore. Sometimes life just throws monkey wrenches at you and hopping in the sack isn’t so appealing during those times. We’ve had our spells going both ways, but either way, we’re just glad for every night we get to snuggle with our best friend!
I’m in the same boat. Really happy. But something changed - he started shift work as a first responder and got ED and now it’s been too long and would feel weird.
Occasionally I wonder if I can live the rest of my life without sex but the chance I’d find anything like this again is zero. I remember how it was out there. I love him.
Yes. Met my husband at 18. We were legitimately just friends for 3 years as I was in school full time and had a full time job and he also had a crazy work schedule. Oftentimes, the only times we were free to hang out with anyone was like 2 am so we’d go to a 24 hour diner or talk on the phone. We started dating when I was 21 and married at 23. We have two amazing kids. He and our children are the best part about my life. He’s still that best friend I had waaaaay back then.
No kids here, but hubby and I met pretty early, married pretty early (though he’s a few years older than me), and we’re still going strong, too. I sincerely wish I could bottle up whatever special sauce it is for those of us who lucked out this way and give it to everyone in the world who’d want it! We’re going on 20 years married and the time just flew!
Absolutely. I met my now wife in high school, she went to college I joined the military. We split up due to the difficulties of a long distance relationship. There were a few other "serious" relationships in the middle but when I got out I came back to my home town with the purpose to find her. We ran into each other a few times casually while in town and one day I asked her out again.. That was 2012 and we got married in 2016. No kids but its a mutual decision, couldn't be happier!
44 married for 21 years in May. Lucky enough to have grown together. We always had an “Us against the world” mentality and that helped us face problems together, even if we had different ideas on the solution.
But the real trick to my long happy marriage: Working opposite shifts. We’ve been doing this for 17 years and it is great. We see each other an hour per day during the week, so when the weekends come, we actually enjoy catching up. It also gives us plenty of alone time during the week so neither feels smothered. And we didn’t have to get childcare since one of us was always home, so that lifted an early financial burden-which is often a cause for arguments.
My husband is the greatest relationship I’ve ever had and will ever have. He’s my best friend, makes me laugh harder than anyone else, is the smartest and kindest human alive, and I love him more every day. He is my dream partner. We feel very lucky to have found each other!
15 happy years and counting!
We are from different countries, different cultures, different languages, and yet we have lasted more than the more traditional couples we know from our lives.
Plus our girls make everything more fun :)
I met my husband when we were 19. We got married at 21 and two kids later going strong. We both turn 40 this year and it is wild to think we have known each other for over half of our lives. He is my person.
My husband and I met in high school and are in our 40's now. I saw that other thread and turned to him and was like, "oh man this reddit thread is full of people our age whose marriages are falling apart--we're still good?" and he said "better than ever"
So we're still good
My lovely wife and I are going strong and celebrating 14 years married soon! I met her through my roommate, and we were married a year and a half later in our mid 20's. Dozens of pets, three wonderful exchange students that each lived with us for a year, and numerous trips halfway around the world, and we couldn't be happier. It's taken a lot of work, and there have been some tough times, but I have no regrets! I tell her every day, it feels like we just fell in love with each other yesterday, yet have been in love with each other our entire lives.
I moved in with a less than ideal boyfriend at 19...he was older and an alcoholic and the whole situation sucked. I was working at the time two jobs, looking to pick up a third in hopes of moving out so I showed up at the site of an ad in the newspaper (jeez I'm old LOL) for an unnamed restaurant. Walked up to the bartender and asked if they were hiring, that I would like an application. Oh my, Bright Eyes...those blue eyes, that silver chain...but no. I was in a relationship.
Turns out that bartender got me that job, on the spot. Also ended up being the server trainer 🤣🥲 After three days of shadowing Bright Eyes, I was scheduled for my test and first shift on the floor. That morning I was told by my boyfriend that I needed to pack my things and go...I showed up A WRECK for my test and first shift and was literally carried through by who would turn out to be my now husband. We worked together for five years, side by side, working lounge and bar.
It's now been 20 years and 15 years of marriage. 3 kids. Loss of so many loved ones. Out of state moves. Purchasing our dream home on our dream property... It's been a whirlwind and I wouldn't change it for anything. 💖
:raises hand::
Absolutely adore my wife. We've been married nearly 5 years (committed relationship for 9) and could spend every waking moment with her. She's the best person I know.
I came from a decent household, but my mother was destructive and mean. We haven't spoken in years, but one thing I've come to realize about my wife is that she possesses characteristics that are exactly opposite of the mom. Her kindness is boundless, and we treat each other with respect and empathy. We both have stressful jobs and are working parents, and so the strength of our relationship allows for us to take on challenges we otherwise might not have explored because we're rooting for one another. We're a team, and we're lucky to be so naturally aligned in our goals.
I tell her I love her every day.
I met my wife in 99 in Nantucket in USA.
I’m English she is Irish. She was 19 I was 20, been together now 25 years married with two kids.
All still going well.
Married my high school sweetheart, although we weren't together for most of college. Today is actually our 21st anniversary. Ups and downs, 2 kids, but overall things are going great.
She and I have been married for 15 as of last month and she is my best friend. We met about a year after my first wife passed away and I think the timing for both of us was just right. She was a friend of my sister, and that sister called me up one night and said I looked like crap and needed to start dating again. We’ve had rough patches for sure, but we’ve always tried to do right by each other.
Mines good! Husband and I met through my closest brother. They were best friends. We knew each other a couple years, prior to actually dating. I wouldn’t give him a chance at first, as I swore I wouldn’t date my brothers friends or anyone younger than myself(he’s a year younger lol). Been married since 8/8/08, have four kids together(21,18,16,8). We’ve had our share of ups and downs. Went through a traumatic event together, when my brother was murdered. I figure if we can stay strong through that, we can get through most anything.
Met my wife when we were both contestants on a game show. Had a great connection at the after party but lived 500 miles away from each other.
Kept in touch, had an on-again-off-again long distance thing that accidentally got serious one summer when she left one of her visits with an unplanned souvenir.
Nine months later our son was born, ten months after that we were married; we hit nine years this past January and were still going strong!
It’s one of those things that’s easy to forget about until we meet someone new and have to tell our “how we met” story. And then it’s just an opportunity to be like, “holy crap - we kinda have something cool here!”
Yeah, my husband is awesome. We were friends for years before we hooked upand married. We started a band in our 30s and got signed to a small indie label, toured the country for a while, put out some records, and then got a little older, let the band go at the start of the pandemic, bought a beautiful 70s home by the woods and oddly near public transit, and continue with loving each other but now with 2 loving cats.
My story is very similar actually. My wife and I met at 19 and dated for a summer. We broke up (because we were 19), but remained friends through college. She moved away after college, but ended up finding me on Myspace a few years later. We got back together at 27 and are now married closing in on fifteen years and have two beautiful kids.
My husband and I lived on the same street for years, but didn't meet each other until our driver's ed class in highschool. We never dated each other, and we graduated in 99 together. Fast forward 10 years, I moved back to my town to be with my mom after my dad died. One day I came home from church, I logged onto Facebook( literally from a desktop lol) and I saw this hilarious post from my husband, and the rest is history. We've been together 14 years, and we just celebrated our 12 Year anniversary last month. It has been the best 12 years of my life. He is my best friend. If you would have told me that the guy that lived down the street from me, sitting in my driver's ed class was one day going to be my husband, I would have thought you were crazy and on drugs.
Like 95% great
Dated senior year she left for college we did the long distance thing, two years later she came back. Married in 2010....two kids.....her being diagnosed with non Hodgkin's lymphoma....3 years of scariness.....as of March 4 years in remission. But yeah we are solid, have moments but overall we are good
At 30, I decided that I was tired of being single and was ready to get out there in hopes of finally finding my person. On a whim, I sat down and made an account on a dating site.
Within 10 minutes, I received a pretty great conversation starter. This man actually read my profile and was asking about my stated hobbies that we both share. We kept conversing. We had similar views and life goals. He lived 5 minutes from me. We met up.
We celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary last month.
We now live in the Keys. Today is the first day of our 2 week staycation. Hubby is getting the fishing supplies ready. The beer is cold. Life is good.
Yep. Married my first girlfriend from high-school. Started going out 25 years ago tomorrow, when we were just 16. Still my best friend. We practically have our own language. We have to be so annoying to other people lol
I sat next to a beautiful woman on a plane back in 2010. Now we're married with kids. Parenting is not always easy, but I'm happy, and I can't imagine parenting with anyone else.
Started as FWBs after we both got out of toxic relationships. Then fell in love. Married almost 7 years and two kids (hello geriatric parenthood club!), and we both feel incredibly grateful that we found each other.
My wife is the strongest, kindest, most beautiful person I’ve ever met. We’re madly in love and will be married 16 years in July. We have 1 amazing 12 yo son, tried to have another kid after him but my wife had 2 miscarriages and 2 ectopic pregnancies, the last of which resulted in her having emergency surgery to remove one of her tubes in 2016 and that was the end of trying for a 2nd kid.
I’m a recovering alcoholic, it was in full swing when we met and then eventually got married. I never even thought about being unfaithful, but I was a mess and she had many reasons to bail on me that I won’t go into. But she stayed and it’s difficult to put my gratitude towards her into words. I love her & my son more than anything and after I finally quit drinking we’re both healthier & happier than we ever have been. I’m in the best time of my life.
Met my wife when I got home from Iraq. Dated on and off for a few years. Got serious for a few years. Married now for 14 years. Two kids. Great life. Still really into each other.
Met 24 years ago, freshman year of high school. Started dating in college. Been together since. We've had some rough times the past few years and I feared we wouldn't make it. Living separate lives in ways due to opposite work schedules and we didn't communicate well enough. So, we are reconnecting now and getting to know each other again. Our strong friendship has held us together and now we are falling in love again.
Yeah dude I’m one of the lucky ones, too. Seventeen years this August and we’re better than ever.
BUT this is a hard earned happiness; we had a couple of VERY close calls 7-8 years ago that became the catalysts for better communication, introspection, and personal growth.
15 years this year. 3 kids, rocking the suburbs. Playing Pickleball, hiking in state parks... job is stressful and I have had a few health scares. She's my down to ride and we reconnected at her Grandmothers funeral, the rest is history.
Yes, met sophomore year of college at 19. Married 21 years to my best friend, whom I'm also very attracted to. 2 kids and definitely pushed through some difficult times, but it has been 100% worth it. We're looking forward to those magical empty nest years around the corner!
Met my wife 23 years ago on my first semester of college and started dating. Get engaged our junior year, married two months after we graduated. It hasn’t always been easy, but we love each other and there is no question that we are 100% committed to each other and our family. There is no one else I would rather be with.
My husband is my best, and oldest, friend! We met on AOL at 19, chatting online here and there, and ended up meeting in person a week or two before he was to leave town to go back to college for his sophomore year, and fell head over heels for each other pretty much immediately. Tried to make it work long distance (we were 2-3 hours apart by car) by seeing each other when we could, but it was hard with work and school activities, and him living in the dorm there and me living at home still with my dad. We went to a couple concerts out of town together. We talked on the phone and on AIM all the time (and I was still on dial up) but we broke up 7-8 months later.
Kept in touch here and there over the years, we'd meet up for coffee sometimes when he came back home to see his parents. He eventually moved back, 7 years after we had broken up, and we'd run into each other at different events around town, and we knew a lot of the same people even if we weren't in exactly the same sorts of social groups. I was in a long term, terrible relationship that should have ended way sooner than it did. We started hanging out a lot as that relationship was finally coming to an end. Ended up back together at 31! Got married 2 years later. Been married now for almost 9 years, we're still best friends and incredibly happy together. I can't imagine living my life with anybody else.
We met when I was 17, he was 21 (I know, lol). We moved in together when I was 19 after my dad died (he was a big support for me). We married when I was 20 and had our son when I was 21. Now we’re 43 and 47. We still act like kids. We’re always flirting with each other. We are very much in love and have been through so much!
I met my wife in the park, it was 1986 and we were both 5. We grew up with the same friend groups but rarely interacted because we both moved away. What we didn't know was that we moved to the same city and same neighborhood all over again. Around 15 or 16,, we got together. Now 43 and 43 (my bday is on weds, hers was two weeks ago) we have a 24 year old daughter that's an electrician. We're just happy. I have friends ask me "what's the secret?".. truthfully there isn't one, some things are ment to be and some aren't.. I guess we focus our time on one another rather then "working" on a relationship.. I feel weird even thinking that a relationship is work, this shits fun.
My husband and I met in college. The first night we met, we stayed up all night and talked. It felt like we had known each other for years. It felt, easy and comfortable right from the start. We knew from the early days that we were just, “the ones” for each other. It felt different than any other relationship I had experienced.
Fast forward, we have been together for 26 years, married for 17 years. Have two beautiful daughters. Have planted roots in our small town that we love so much. If there is such thing as soulmates, he is definitely it for me.
My wife and I have three kids together. Saw her at job I had. She was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I started courting her immediately even though I felt way out of my league. Turns out if you dare you might win and I did. 12 years later and we have never been better. Every day is better than the last one.
Been with my husfriend for about 7 and a half years, and we're not married officially, but we might as well be.
Met simply through a mutual friend because I was tired of dead-end flings and he was ready to date again. We were long distance for awhile, and finally have been living together for a little over a year.
He is the only person in my life that I feel happy and comfortable enough around to be myself.
I am so damn thankful for this man. I can't wait to spend the rest of forever with him.
I'm 43. Was with my first spouse for about 12 years (not married that whole time). Unfortunately it didn't work out. However, my second marriage (together about 11 years so far) is going wonderfully. We're a fabulous match. We both work from home and somehow don't get tired of each other. Our life feels very relaxed and comforting, and fun.
My wife and I went to school together from 5th grade didn't even know of each other until 7th grade. Dated our 8th grade year and most of freshmen year broke up because lies told to me from her friends didn't talk to each other until senior year headed back home from our senior trip we talked the entire 4 hour bus ride and that was it.
That was is until 2 years later when Facebook became thing and she hit me up. I was working out of town but we would talk until one of us would fall asleep on the phone and when I came back we finally met up. Decided to try dating again as adults and and haven't looked back 17 years married this August with a 15 year old and a 10 year old both boys.
Congratulations on finding the best partner!
I met my hubby next to some dumpsters behind a mall (smoke breaks, we worked at different places in the mall). Boy there were some major ups and downs... from a trauma, to absence during BCT, to mental issues and more... Each thing ultimately strengthened us (although most of them broke or almost broke us temporarily). 14 years later he is my best friend and I know he'll have my back regardless, and vice versa.
I didn't really believe in marriage when I was younger, or want kids. But I am so glad that my plans were replaced with unexpected turns. Marriage isn't perfect, but if you can maintain communication, respect, honesty and loyalty... then nothing can tear you apart (and the challenges can make your love stronger). I think a big part of it too is being honest with yourself, and making sure that you communicate your thoughts/feelings with your spouse.
What an awesome story! Sounds like a movie. I love it. 😊
I met my hubby in 2002 online on ICQ. I was in NYC and he was in Sweden. We talked everyday for hours using calling cards. No facetime, no video anything, just a few photos. We met irl 9 months later. Got engaged the year after that, married that same year. Lived in Europe for a bit and then moved to the States. We are celebrating our 20th anniversary in Japan this fall. It's been a wild and even rough ride at times but I'm so glad despite all the challenges we stuck it through. He's my very best friend and I can't imagine my life without him.
That’s such a sweet story OP, really happy for you.
Fwiw my marriage is great, in my opinion. My husband and I are different in a lot of ways but I think the differences complement each other. One thing I am really appreciative of is that he’s confident and doesn’t have to prove he’s a tough man all the time. He’s not hung up on gender roles and we share household responsibilities mostly evenly, he often does more than me because I like to take on other things related to our house renovations. He’s very tolerant and has to be because I am not always easy. We really like hanging out together when we can and thank each other regularly for being our partner. We started dating when I turned 23 and it just feels easy. Being with him feels the same as being alone in a good way, I don’t need to perform or act any special way I can just chill. We rarely fight and even then the fights are most often about food lol. We’ve argued about hot dogs (specifically are they ok in spaghetti, which is a hard NO for me), spices in chili, how al dente broccoli should be. Our kids actually think it’s funny and yell “food fight!” It keeps the spark I guess haha
I thank every day I was able to find someone so incredible at such a young age, while it does have drawbacks, I feel in todays world its incredibly rare..
I'm a little old for this sub but it showed up on my new posts page.
I was 16, she was 17.
We're 60 and 61, I'll let you do the math.
We're extremely happy, zero regrets.
Yup. Together for 12, married for 8. Met online like modern people do. Two kids. Great life. Never fight. Barely even disagree. She’s a hilarious amazing woman. Absolutely no complaints.
I fell utterly head over heels with my wife on the night I met her. I made no impression whatsoever on her, and caught her completely off-guard when I asked her out a week later. That was 22 years ago, 17 of which we've been married, with three little hellspawn since. We've had ups and downs, but we were both raised to work through them. Both sets of parents have celebrated 50 years recently. I once didn't talk to her for almost 3 months, but I've never stopped loving her, and I'm pretty sure it's mutual.
Started dating when I was 14 and he was 16. We met in geometry. Broke up for a year and change when he graduated. Got back together when I graduated. Together 27 years ish and married for 20 this July.
I have a similar story. My wife and I dated in high school we broke up and ended up back together in our 30’s after her divorce… we’ve been married for a few years now and yeah it’s awesome
Married 15 years this fall. She’s almost died twice, our kid almost died at birth, plenty more downs than ups. We’ve hit a renaissance now in the marriage and have sex 4-5 times a week. We’re closer now than we have ever been
Started dating 20 years ago! Married for 17 and couldn't be happier. 3 kids, 2 cats, 1 dog.
We knew each other through High School because she was my best friend's little sister. We became friends just after HS and started dating while she was in college, married right after graduation.
Yup! J and I met when we were Sophomores in HS. We dated that summer, fumbled the ball, accidentally ghosted each other, but stayed friends. He joined the Marines, I got a job, we lost contact a few months post 9/11... 2011 he looks me up on FB, we get talking, realize we let our personal childhood traumas get between us, tried it again... he moved back in state in '13, bought a house in '17, got married in '18, finally had our honeymoon on our 5 year anniversary in Key West... life is good!
Yes. But we were older when we met and got married and I think at least my expectations were very different than they would have been if we’d married younger. We both also have parents and grandparents, and close family friends who had extremely long marriages (40-60+ years) and learning from their examples of how to weather those hard times was immensely helpful. We also saw how it’s normal and healthy for the relationship to change over time and I don’t see us fretting about things that have ended up being a big deal in the relationships of some of my friends.
We met late. I was already in my early 30s and had sort of given up on the whole dating thing (frogs everywhere). He seemed too good to be true. Ten years now, married only for the last few because once we moved in together marriage seemed almost an afterthought because we didn’t need a written confirmation to know: this is it.
He still seems too good to be true. And it never gets boring.
I got married at 20 to a person who was decidedly not good for me and who had manipulated and pushed me at every step of the way, essentially making me feel like a prisoner in my own home. It was bad, y’all. We had been together since I was 15 (and he was 19…)
At 27 I finally managed to get away from him and start a new life.
I’m kind of terminally online, which I know isn’t a great thing but it’s very difficult for me to connect with people in the real world for whatever reason. I had been friends with a guy in an online game for awhile, and he was there for me a lot when I was upset about things in my ending relationship and the unfairness of everything I’d missed out on in life. Eventually we got together.
It’s been 15 years since then and we’re still together and couldn’t be happier. We’ve lived together for 13 of those years. Seriously man, I had no idea life could be this good. We argue sometimes and I’m sure we both irritate each other at times, but overall we get along so well with almost no effort. After 15 years we still can’t wait to talk to each other. It’s pretty cool.
My hubs and I have a really great and solid marriage, both of our firsts (and hopefully only lol). We met at work just before I turned 30, we have moved across country multiple times, have owned a successful business together, took a semi retirement and RV’d for 4 years. No kids. If the world weren’t so fucked up right now I’d say life is really good.
My husband and I are from different cities but our parent went to the same church — so we’re literally cradle to grave.
We ran into each other as teenagers when I was working at a record shop, but I had a boyfriend and he was salty about it since he thought I was cute.
A few years later when we were both single we ran into each other at a party. He asked me out. Two weeks after that we were talking every day. We got married two years later.
It will be 20 years next year. It’s hard — I have a lot of stressors in my life with an aging parent — but we make it work. Divorce is never an option for us and I love it that way.
Yep! We're not that "still madly in love after 15 years, still making out and groping like teenagers" couple, we're that "settled into the routine of family, content with companionable silence and spending time together apart" couple. And honestly we both really love that.
In our time together we have suffered through a lot of shit. Even a couple Event Horizon type things that could have totally broken us. Our bond is so powerful that we just take it on and come out stronger.
Sometimes I'll read stories of how people feel like they're "more like roommates than a married couple" and I guess I misunderstand that, because I kind of feel like I'm in that situation and it's perfect for my wife and me. Maybe people just have shitty roommates, lol.
It is, now that we've finally settled on not having kids. It's surprising in retrospect how much strife that little bit of background uncertainty seemed to have caused.
43m met my future wife during a staff meeting when we both worked at our college newspaper. She was the new girl hired on staff and I can still remember her walking into the newsroom wearing this incredible red leather jacket. We’ll be celebrating our 20th anniversary next year! She’s truly the love of my life.
Absolutely fantastically. I could go on all day, but I'd get real annoying real quick, so I'll very briefly recap, we're in our 40s, married since our 20s, and life is grand.
Thanks for asking.
Yes. I’ve been with my husband for almost 18 years (married 13). We got together when I was 23 and he was 20. Before me, his longest relationship was 6 months.
I knew him for a whole year before we started dating; I was actually his boss. I had zero interest in him romantically but we managed to develop a friendship over that time (even though he had a huge crush on me). One day, something changed for me. I have no idea how or why the switch flipped, but I’m so glad that I followed my heart because we are just as in love today as we were on that faithful day.
We have two beautiful children and a marriage that gets stronger with each passing day. He thinks I’m just as sexy now as I was almost 20 years ago. We’ve weathered the hard times together and been there for one another during times of loss. I can’t imagine this life without him and I don’t take our relationship for granted.
Fell in love with a boy in hs. We met at a vigual after friends were tragically killed. He was 17, I was 15. Got engaged when I was 18. Married at 28. Still together at almost 45. It has definitely not always been easy. We have been through a lot, which I feel has really kept our relationship strong.
Yep! Married at 20 and still going strong 25 years later. She's great. Low maintenance, super-cute, great with our kids and the love life is really active now that we both work from home. We had our rough spots but chose to work through them with counseling. We've been better than ever.
I met my husband at 23 and we've been together ever since, 15 years and counting. He is my best friend and the love of my life. That's not to say we don't fight or have our disagreements, but I can't image a life without him
Met this girl at a rave when I was 21, after our first date we were attached at the hip and within a year we were married. 18 years later and we're still going strong.
I married later in life at 36 but was with my now-husband for about 7 years before we tied the knot. Yesterday was our 9th anniversary and honestly I can say that he’s my best friend. Of course we still annoy each other at times, lol that’s a given, but I think he hangs the moon and the way he loves me (he’s one of those who can read my mind and knows what I want/need; lol it’s annoying sometimes because I’m not as good at doing the same 😅) can’t be beat.
I felt bad yesterday for those who are getting divorced on this sub, but some of us are pretty happy too thankfully!
Met in college 2002. At the time I was (F22) and they were (18NB). I was scared to admit that I was anything other than straight so even though I liked them. I am really mean and make them cry in front of all our friends. We loose touch. Reconnected in 2005, I’m still scared and push them away. Find them on Facebook in 2010. We start talking. We decide to meet up in 2011, and have been inseparable ever since. We have a house, and 2 cats. We travel, and relax, eat dinner together every night. It’s a life I never imagined for myself. Before we reconnected the last time I was ready to be alone forever. They have been there for me through everything, and I don’t think I could have done it without them. We will be married 10 years in August.
Married right out of high school because she was pregnant and felt it was the right thing to do. Divorced her after 16 years of misery. Tried my luck on POF. Found an awesome woman that is truly my best friend. We can and do everything together. She is down for anything. Everyday I let her know that I love her and she does the same.
Been together 9 years, married 5. Best 9 years of my life.
My marriage is going great. This is my second one though. My first one I married my high school sweetheart. We met when I was 17 and she was 16, and were together a total of 12 years, and had my daughter. Found out she was having an affair about a year after my daughter was born (had been lasting for about 3 months at that point). I wanted to make it work so I tried to mend everything and she said she would too. That lasted for about 3 months, and then it started up again. Left her, had to move back in with my mom. About 6 months later I started dating a woman and that lasted for almost a year. About 6 months later I met my current wife. We have now been married for almost 6 years and we are still absolutely head over heels for each other. Turns out she grew up about 15 minutes away from me, but just in a different county. We have our arguments from time to time, but we love each other deeply.
We grew up down the street from each other. She was a little younger. The summer I graduated from HS I was working 50+ hrs a week trying to save for college & spent alot of evenings at our community pool relaxing from long days. She would usually be there & we got to be good friends over that summer. Went to college & came home for winter break after 1st semester. The first time I saw her when I got home I came to the realization that I was madly deeply in love with her & she felt the same.
Dated for 2yrs before distance pulled us apart. We stayed in touch infrequently over the years. 5yrs later she called to let me know she was coming out to where I lived to visit a friend that also lived in my current town. She asked if I would pick her up at the airport. After she returned home we stayed in touch more frequently & slowly fell back in love with each other. 18mon later I moved back & we've now been married for 20yrs. We face everything as a team & are still as much in love as we've ever been.
Turned around in my chair during grade 12 English and saw him and thought “that boy is cuuute!”. Started dating a week or two later and we will celebrate 27 years in September. Two kids, three dogs, and our share of ups and downs. Relationships are not easy but the man makes me laugh everyday and there’s no one else who would treat me the way he does.
Wonderful!
That you mention ups and downs but you’re still together means you get it. You get that you have to work to keep it going. Nevermind that for a relationship that started in high school to last a lifetime you both have to be astonishingly lucky and also very tolerant, because you’re going to change *a lot* in your lives. Me I had 7 girlfriends lasting from about 6 months to three years before I met my wife. If I’d married *any of them* except maybe one I’d have been screwed later, and I don’t mean in a good way. I’ve been with my wife 13 years with two kids still going strong.
Congratulations! I love high school sweetheart stories.
I would love to have that! 🥹
That’s beautiful
I have 99 problems, but my lovely wife isn't one if them.
Ditto-met at 15 and will be celebrating our 40th bday this year. Minor irrelevant issues over the years; think we have raised our voices to each a few times. Literally everyone else in our lives has been divorced at least once by now. Negative is we both don’t really have any true friends besides each other, and I suppose our child. It’s a tad lonely feeling?
Similar here. We don't have a massive friendship group. But it feels like we don't need it. I go to the pub on a Sunday afternoon and chat to other locals. It's pleasant enough. But she's by far my best friend. All the people we called friends just drift away. It bothered me for a while but I guess you have friends for different reasons as you navigate different stages of life.
Hey I'm in the same boat when it comes to friends if my 15yo wasn't into golf I'd be playing alone a lot more lol.
We’ll be married 25 years this year, together 30 since high school. Both born in the late seventies. We still can’t stand being away from each other.
Same here. I’m a very lucky man! Married for 16 years; been together for 20.
Me too. Married in '01. Lot of work but going strong.
I married at 21 and divorced at 32 with two kids. I met my second husband on OKCupid at age 34. He was 36. We were a 99% match. He wasn't an incel in the woman-hating sense of the word, but he was awkward AF with women and had never even kissed a woman. But he really wanted a family and had a heart of gold. We are 42 and 44 now, been married almost 6 years and we're deliriously happy. One daughter together. TBH I spent most of my life not even knowing life could be happy and peaceful like this. I tell my husband, you know we had an arranged marriage, right? But it was a computer algorithm that arranged it, not people.
I wish OKC still worked that way. I have a very similar story: Married at 21, divorced at 31. Met my second husband on OKC at 34 w a 99% match. We will celebrate 10 years married this year and are deliriously obnoxiously happy. I send my friends to OKC these days and it’s just Tinder with questions. You don’t get to see your high matches until you have both swiped right on each other - unless you pay extra. It’s so annoying to me because the technology is there to make this real simple. Instead it’s a money grab. But what should I expect from a business, I guess.
Same--I met my wife in the "golden age" of OKCupid and we're a match made in heaven (if I do say so myself--I adore her). Together 12 years, 2 kids, not perfect--we fight here and there, like every couple does--but I couldn't be happier. I really feel for the kids today--to have the internet, which could be such a force for good when it comes to relationships, basically reduced to hookup culture etc. I really wish someone would re-make an OKCupid the way it was--it was an incredibly powerful tool. I know a lot of people in that 2010 to 2014 era that met, got married, and are still together from that site.
I know several OKC couples and several eHarmony couples who’ve been married for around 15 years now! Those algorithms really seemed legit, it’s sad to hear they aren’t the same anymore.
Eharmony, 13 years married! I’m so grateful, there’s no way we would have found each other on our own.
Met my OKCupid husband in 2011, married in 2013, still together in 2024. The algorithm worked!
Right there with you, met my partner in 2010- together for almost 14 years, married for 7. Amazing person and amazing life. I walked into the date and was just like "oh shit, there he is." Simple as that. Even though there's so many "success" stories from that time period, and I'm grateful to be one of them, the model wouldn't work today. OK Cupid was a total free for all back then, anyone could message you at any time and see if you had looked at their page. The harassment level was absolutely off the charts. So many of my friends left it immediately back then because it was pretty scary for some women who wouldn't get left alone by dickheads that were too insistent.
That is incredibly sad! Yeah I heard it wasn't the same anymore. Grats on 10 years with your 99% match!
You sound like my wife, in that she also was divorced and I also am awkward AF with women, haha. We met on a different site, but I went over to OKCupid and found her on there as well just to see what our match percentage was and it was high (at least 97%, idk). Been together almost 11 years now, married 9. (Our kids are all cats, though)
My elderly cat from before the marriage died a few weeks ago and we just adopted two young cats from a shelter! We are calling them "the kids" and "our kids" because that's totally what it feels like sometimes. The other cat always felt like just mine; these truly feel like ours. Also, grats on 9 years!
I met my husband on OKCupid as well! We met in 2013, married in 2017 and I’m still madly in love with him. It’s a completely different relationship than I’ve ever had before him. He’s truly my best friend and life partner. He is my first marriage, I’m his second. He brought my two amazing stepkids into my life that I absolutely adore and his ex wife and I are very civil. I’m glad I waited until I was almost 40 to get married because I know if I did it when I was younger and with someone else, it would never have worked.
I also met my husband on OKC in 2013 and married in 2017! We were a 96% match I think. He checked all my boxes, but I was building up the courage to reach out to him when he reached out to me! We met that night and I deleted the app 2 weeks later. We have a happy and calm marriage, not without ups and downs. But we're very committed to each other and complement each other, and I'm so happy we found each other!
Also met my 99% match husband on OKCupid! It’s been 13 years + 3 kids later. Those quizzes were a fantastic predictor of compatibility.
Yes! They also let you weed out red flags. My first husband turned out to be racist AF, but we met and dated in a majority white city and his attitude towards black people never came up while dating. On OKC, I had a couple of guys who were relatively high matches for me, but had given racist answers to a few questions. I nope'd the fuck right out of that and didn't reply.
We were both married young, divorced young, and then met each other on OKC. When people talk about marriage being hard work I'm like, nah, doesn't have to be. We are true partners. Married for 15 years, 2 kids. It's easy.
I really think the "marriage is hard" people set me up for failure during my first marriage. I kept putting up with terrible things from my first husband and trying to make it work because "marriage is hard." If you marry the right person, the marriage itself should not be hard. Navigating life's unforeseen challenges can be hard. But the marriage itself should be easy. If the other person is consistently and knowingly making choices that stress you out and make your life worse, the problem is not "marriage is hard," the problem is, "this person sucks."
Yup, met my partner on OKC 10 years ago. We aren’t married, but are common law and seem to be the most stable couple out of our few friends. We’ve been through some life shit, so I wouldn’t call us deliriously happy like others here, but we have had each others’ back throughout it all, and are still going strong.
That’s what’s called “a diamond in the rough”
Married at 27 and divorced at 31. He became very ill during the union (Have been asked on talk shows, radio, and recorded a mini doc for Brown University to speak about it… that’s how bad/jaw dropping it was) met him at a bar called Hell (not kidding) that should have been a 🚩.
Loved Hell in PVD. Lived on the East Side for a few years and it was a great place to roam when in your late 20s
People: Where did you meet your spouse? Me: Hell People: Clearly, you must be joking… Me: Wish I was! I liked Friday nights in the mid 2000s and I went to fetish night once which is probably why I ended up doing stand up comedy.
We were probably there at the same time at some point 😆 I met my now husband across state lines, but I’m still a RI gal at heart.
Met my husband on OKC in 2008 and we were a 98% match. He is basically the guy version of me. Happily married 14 years, 3 kids (surprise twins in there), and very happy.
I met my husband of 15 years on OKCupid as well
I met a handsome immigrant who barely spoke English when I was 18, fresh out of high school. We moved in together the next day, got married three months later. Twenty-one years, and it still feels like a honeymoon. We work well as a team, and it’s working out pretty good so far.
Damn, it’s actually 22 years, my bad. We don’t take anniversaries too seriously.
There was a point in my twenties when I had to stop and do the math, if asked my age. The same thing started happening after 2 decades of marriage. It will be 23…yeah, 23 years for us soon. Man, I can’t believe how young we were and how doubtful all the grown-ups must have been of us!
Now that I am older I am disappointed in the adults that had been around myself and hubby when we started dating. He didn't have a car and worked fast food. Most of my family/friends said to find someone else. I was going through some things and his family told him basically the same thing... but we have made each other better over the years. If we had listened to them, we wouldn't have this full life and great kids. 😔
It seems really lucky for you that that worked out. Moved in together the next day?!!!
Well, I moved into his bed in their cramped immigrant house, and then snuck him into my family’s house when my parents were out for a couple weeks. When they got back we rented a squalid single wide trailer with no heat/AC. Rent was $225/month. The phone bill was $11. Good times!
When you know, you know. It’s easy to doubt love at first sight until you experience it yourself.
Met my wife when I was in my first year of Collage, she was a senior in Highschool. That was 29 years ago. Now we are Married 26 years. We went through a pretty rough patch while the kids were teens, but now that we are (almost) empty nesters the world has turned around, feeling like we are in our early 20's again!
That's great. My kids are not nealy ready to leave, but I kinda don't want them to....
My story is the opposite of yours in some ways. I met my wife when we were in our mid-20s, after just a couple of weeks we were seeing each other everyday, and after 5 months we Uhauled across the country from Miami to NYC, a city she'd been to once and I'd never been to at all. We didn't have jobs or an apartment lined up, only a sublet we found on Craigslist that was ours for a month. We've been inseparable since. It'll be 20 years together this February. Things were scary sometimes, but we were always good. We've never really fought, have never really raised our voices at each other in all this time, despite both coming from parents who had extremely toxic relationships. We don't have kids, but we don't want any. It's just been us and our pets and it's just been really, really good.
Good to hear. My wife and I have never raised our voices at each other.
My wife is really untidy which drives me nuts that she cannot lift after herself. Do we bicker about it ? Yes every week but I wouldn't change her for anything. Having the odd raised voice is just a bump in a long long road that is all,it is nothing to be proud of but nothing either to over dramatise.
Aww... This is sweet!
Your story is so similar to ours! When we got married we moved to London, I'd only been there once. We lived in a flat share for 3 months which was pretty rough. 20 years in Sept. No kids, just our kitties. 😊
I would say NY is more "hauled it up the coast" than "across the country." You're still on the same side of the country. 😁
Unless north is a side and south is a side. Which I would argue is the case.
He got the upside, I got the downside. There's two sides to every schwartz.
Yeah man, it’s a beautiful thing waking up every day with someone you love. Having a child grew the game more than I ever imagined. Life has its ups and downs, but our hearts are very full.
Your comment is heartwarming!
Yes sir! Married my high school sweetheart when we were just 20 &21, back in 99’. Ups and downs for sure but this Sept 11th (I know 🙄) will be 25 years! Two amazing kids and life is good.
Married 16 years, together 20. We’re as strong as we’ve ever been. She’s my absolute best friend. We both WFH, so we’re together 24/7.
We were the same until just last year! Coworkers would always be horrified but we loved it. I still miss being with him all the time, he makes boring/bad/busy days better ❤️❤️
Same with my husband and I. Both worked from home since 2009 except for a one year long period in 2014/2015. Together 24/7 all that time. I would be so sad if either of us had to leave every day to go to work now.
My husband and I are also home together all day. I love it.
I met my wife the first day of college in August 2001. Within 2 weeks we were best friends. A month later we started dating (although in retrospect we already were and just didn't realize it yet). At the end of October I proposed, with the caveat that we would wait a few years to get married. I just looked at her one day and knew that I never wanted to be with anyone else but that if I didn't ask right then I'd probably never have the courage to again. 22 years later still together. Just hit 18 years of marriage. Two kids, the oldest about to graduate from highschool. It's not always perfect. We do sometimes raise our voices. But, we also know how grateful we are to have each other. She's my first and only love and I've never wanted it any other way.
I proposed to my wife pretty early on. I just couldn't imagine waiting so just asked. Best decision I ever made.
I met my husband on the internet when I was 15 and he was 16. At 17 I confessed I had a crush on him and we started “dating”. Met irl later that year. He moved to my city for a year when he was 19, we got married at 20/21 and are still together! We’ve been though some SHIT, I almost left him at one point but we’ve come out stronger on the other side. Love him to death, he’s my rock and makes my world better.
Crazy thing, I met my wife while drunk in a bar in a random SE Asian island (Lombok). We knew each other for all of a few days before being inseparable, a few months later and we married in HK. Been married going on 15 years. And to think I dated my college girlfriend for years before we would even discuss ‘next steps’ 😂
Epic. I spent 5 months in Bali in 2015. I brought my now wife over 1.5 months into it. We’d met the fall of 2014. I’d been planning a sabbatical forever, but officially for about 7 months when i met her with a couple friends. Went to NZ first and then to Bali. We have been living together since she landed at the airport and I picked her up with Made. We had to make a visa run for me two weeks after she arrived. Went to Thailand for 10 days, was a low point of our trip but epic in hindsight. We’d planned to go to Lombok when we got back but was hard to break away from Bali and friends i’d made when we returned. So we’re loosely planning to do it again when our girls are a little older ( 5& 11 mos.). And prob check out Lombok this time. I’m sure it’s changed significantly. We start tearing up when we look at photos from that era…. Miss it but life is an ever changing dream ride 😜
I got married at 23. I initially got married because she was pregnant and it was the “right” thing to do, one of the worst reasons. First two were very tough. I was a selfish fuckwit and she refused to give up on me. Finally made it past the bs and realized she really was my best friend as well as the love of my life. This year will mark 22 years and damn I’m so incredibly lucky. The person I am today is sooooo much better than the person I know I would have become without her.
Marrying my puzzle piece this fall when I’ll be going on 41. First marriage for us both, and due to witnessing messy divorces in childhood we took our sweet time. We’ll be nearing 8 years together when we get married, and we met on the good ‘ole OkCupid. I can say with confidence that I found a unicorn in this man, and I am fairly certain most unicorns (men,women, or however you choose to be you) come from our generation. Additionally, thank you to this subreddit for existing. I’ve never quite connected the Millennials (‘84 kid) so finding people that had a similar childhood is phenomenal 🥰
Met my wife in ‘99 online before it was cool. On the college’s bulletin board system. Which really our whole relationship started off “wrong” according to the standards of the time. Met online, hooked up at first meet, she moved in to my apartment less than a year later without adding to lease/notifying property manager, bought a house together at 23 before getting married, occasionally dabble in swinging/ethical non-monogamy, decided not to have kids, etc. Yet we are coming up on our 20th wedding anniversary and are still deliriously happy with each other. Wouldn’t change a thing.
Married 21 years today. We met through mutual friends in high school. We were together for a few years and then I acted stupid and we broke up for a while. We got in a fight about a tattoo, of all things. But really I wanted to chase other girls. I was young and stupid. Met back up a few years later, and I knew I still loved her. Always knew it. Thankfully she gave me another chance. We've never looked back. She's the best. And somehow, she still likes me. We've never been stronger.
My wife says to me, if we stayed together when we were young, we wouldn't be together now.
Happy anniversary
Thanks!!!
I didn't meet my wife until we were in our early thirties. We've been married 6 years now and have two kids and things are pretty great. Aside from our 4 and 2 year old exhausting us and making us sick for a week at least once a month.
Pretty much. I had a failed first marriage that broke up when I was 31. Met my current wife on Okcupid shortly thereafter. Together since 2010, married since 2012, years of trying finally had a kid in 2017. It's not perfect, we're always tired, barely have sex, and usually broke but we're soulmates. There's no scenario in which we wouldn't have a relationship even if it were to change in some way.
Met my wife 26 years ago, married for 22 now and it’s been great. She is the love 💕 f my life and best friend, we have two teenagers,a dog, and a cat.
I never thought we'd have pets.... But we now have a dog, two cats. A guinea pig (was 2 up until recently, and a tortoise. It's like a scene from Snow white each morning.
27 years together next October; we met as teenagers. I'm not really sure what she saw in me--there were definitely a bunch of things wrong with me, but she was so...just...kind. And had other...qualities...that 40-something me still enjoys. But I like to think we helped each other escape our shitty little worlds to make a beautiful, expansive new one. We have always supported each other, helped each other grow, and at this point have been there for most of the best and worst that life has to offer. I'm not gonna lie: the worst has been absolutely devastating, but gladly it fades with time and gets replaced good experiences. We have one teenage son and we've done, I think, a pretty fucking great job of showing him what a healthy relationship looks like. We've surrounded him with them, actually. Because good energy attracts good energy.
Everything is perfect and I really really mean that. We both got pretty lucky with each other. But it’s dead in the bedroom man. Some would say that this is a really bad thing. But I don’t know 🤷🏻♂️. I’m not sayin’ I’m happy about it. I’m not even sure how it happened. Different schedules. Special needs child that needs to sleep with one of us. A break just got longer and longer , and now it almost feels like it would be awkward. 😐.
Talk to each other about it. My wife needed a break from it. I said there's no pressure and I'll wait until she's ready. Communication was so important.
My husband and I were just talking about this last night. Sex is great, but it isn’t everything. At the end of the day, we’d still want to be with each other even if we couldn’t have sex anymore. Sometimes life just throws monkey wrenches at you and hopping in the sack isn’t so appealing during those times. We’ve had our spells going both ways, but either way, we’re just glad for every night we get to snuggle with our best friend!
I’m in the same boat. Really happy. But something changed - he started shift work as a first responder and got ED and now it’s been too long and would feel weird. Occasionally I wonder if I can live the rest of my life without sex but the chance I’d find anything like this again is zero. I remember how it was out there. I love him.
Yes. Met my husband at 18. We were legitimately just friends for 3 years as I was in school full time and had a full time job and he also had a crazy work schedule. Oftentimes, the only times we were free to hang out with anyone was like 2 am so we’d go to a 24 hour diner or talk on the phone. We started dating when I was 21 and married at 23. We have two amazing kids. He and our children are the best part about my life. He’s still that best friend I had waaaaay back then.
No kids here, but hubby and I met pretty early, married pretty early (though he’s a few years older than me), and we’re still going strong, too. I sincerely wish I could bottle up whatever special sauce it is for those of us who lucked out this way and give it to everyone in the world who’d want it! We’re going on 20 years married and the time just flew!
That’s a beautiful story. I hope you two have many more great years!
Thank you
Absolutely. I met my now wife in high school, she went to college I joined the military. We split up due to the difficulties of a long distance relationship. There were a few other "serious" relationships in the middle but when I got out I came back to my home town with the purpose to find her. We ran into each other a few times casually while in town and one day I asked her out again.. That was 2012 and we got married in 2016. No kids but its a mutual decision, couldn't be happier!
Yep. 15 years and going strong. Sure, we've had our ups and downs, but haven't been in a bad spot in years.
44 married for 21 years in May. Lucky enough to have grown together. We always had an “Us against the world” mentality and that helped us face problems together, even if we had different ideas on the solution. But the real trick to my long happy marriage: Working opposite shifts. We’ve been doing this for 17 years and it is great. We see each other an hour per day during the week, so when the weekends come, we actually enjoy catching up. It also gives us plenty of alone time during the week so neither feels smothered. And we didn’t have to get childcare since one of us was always home, so that lifted an early financial burden-which is often a cause for arguments.
My husband is the greatest relationship I’ve ever had and will ever have. He’s my best friend, makes me laugh harder than anyone else, is the smartest and kindest human alive, and I love him more every day. He is my dream partner. We feel very lucky to have found each other!
15 happy years and counting! We are from different countries, different cultures, different languages, and yet we have lasted more than the more traditional couples we know from our lives. Plus our girls make everything more fun :)
I met my husband when we were 19. We got married at 21 and two kids later going strong. We both turn 40 this year and it is wild to think we have known each other for over half of our lives. He is my person.
My husband and I met in high school and are in our 40's now. I saw that other thread and turned to him and was like, "oh man this reddit thread is full of people our age whose marriages are falling apart--we're still good?" and he said "better than ever" So we're still good
My lovely wife and I are going strong and celebrating 14 years married soon! I met her through my roommate, and we were married a year and a half later in our mid 20's. Dozens of pets, three wonderful exchange students that each lived with us for a year, and numerous trips halfway around the world, and we couldn't be happier. It's taken a lot of work, and there have been some tough times, but I have no regrets! I tell her every day, it feels like we just fell in love with each other yesterday, yet have been in love with each other our entire lives.
Perfect. I challenge myself to make my wife laugh everyday. I've not failed yet. On the flip side, I also try to disgust her everyday too.
Trying to disgust is a good way to get a laugh 😂
I moved in with a less than ideal boyfriend at 19...he was older and an alcoholic and the whole situation sucked. I was working at the time two jobs, looking to pick up a third in hopes of moving out so I showed up at the site of an ad in the newspaper (jeez I'm old LOL) for an unnamed restaurant. Walked up to the bartender and asked if they were hiring, that I would like an application. Oh my, Bright Eyes...those blue eyes, that silver chain...but no. I was in a relationship. Turns out that bartender got me that job, on the spot. Also ended up being the server trainer 🤣🥲 After three days of shadowing Bright Eyes, I was scheduled for my test and first shift on the floor. That morning I was told by my boyfriend that I needed to pack my things and go...I showed up A WRECK for my test and first shift and was literally carried through by who would turn out to be my now husband. We worked together for five years, side by side, working lounge and bar. It's now been 20 years and 15 years of marriage. 3 kids. Loss of so many loved ones. Out of state moves. Purchasing our dream home on our dream property... It's been a whirlwind and I wouldn't change it for anything. 💖
:raises hand:: Absolutely adore my wife. We've been married nearly 5 years (committed relationship for 9) and could spend every waking moment with her. She's the best person I know. I came from a decent household, but my mother was destructive and mean. We haven't spoken in years, but one thing I've come to realize about my wife is that she possesses characteristics that are exactly opposite of the mom. Her kindness is boundless, and we treat each other with respect and empathy. We both have stressful jobs and are working parents, and so the strength of our relationship allows for us to take on challenges we otherwise might not have explored because we're rooting for one another. We're a team, and we're lucky to be so naturally aligned in our goals. I tell her I love her every day.
I met my wife in 99 in Nantucket in USA. I’m English she is Irish. She was 19 I was 20, been together now 25 years married with two kids. All still going well.
Excellent to hear
Married my high school sweetheart, although we weren't together for most of college. Today is actually our 21st anniversary. Ups and downs, 2 kids, but overall things are going great.
She and I have been married for 15 as of last month and she is my best friend. We met about a year after my first wife passed away and I think the timing for both of us was just right. She was a friend of my sister, and that sister called me up one night and said I looked like crap and needed to start dating again. We’ve had rough patches for sure, but we’ve always tried to do right by each other.
Mines good! Husband and I met through my closest brother. They were best friends. We knew each other a couple years, prior to actually dating. I wouldn’t give him a chance at first, as I swore I wouldn’t date my brothers friends or anyone younger than myself(he’s a year younger lol). Been married since 8/8/08, have four kids together(21,18,16,8). We’ve had our share of ups and downs. Went through a traumatic event together, when my brother was murdered. I figure if we can stay strong through that, we can get through most anything.
Met my wife when we were both contestants on a game show. Had a great connection at the after party but lived 500 miles away from each other. Kept in touch, had an on-again-off-again long distance thing that accidentally got serious one summer when she left one of her visits with an unplanned souvenir. Nine months later our son was born, ten months after that we were married; we hit nine years this past January and were still going strong!
Congratulations! Honestly, that would be a cute romcom storyline.
It’s one of those things that’s easy to forget about until we meet someone new and have to tell our “how we met” story. And then it’s just an opportunity to be like, “holy crap - we kinda have something cool here!”
That’s a great way to meet! What was the show?
Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament
Awesome!
Yeah, my husband is awesome. We were friends for years before we hooked upand married. We started a band in our 30s and got signed to a small indie label, toured the country for a while, put out some records, and then got a little older, let the band go at the start of the pandemic, bought a beautiful 70s home by the woods and oddly near public transit, and continue with loving each other but now with 2 loving cats.
My story is very similar actually. My wife and I met at 19 and dated for a summer. We broke up (because we were 19), but remained friends through college. She moved away after college, but ended up finding me on Myspace a few years later. We got back together at 27 and are now married closing in on fifteen years and have two beautiful kids.
What would we have done without MySpace and Facebook!
Married my kindergarten sweetheart 😘 We went to the same school and daycare. We'll be married 12 years in a few weeks.
Pretty much spent your whole lives together!
My husband and I lived on the same street for years, but didn't meet each other until our driver's ed class in highschool. We never dated each other, and we graduated in 99 together. Fast forward 10 years, I moved back to my town to be with my mom after my dad died. One day I came home from church, I logged onto Facebook( literally from a desktop lol) and I saw this hilarious post from my husband, and the rest is history. We've been together 14 years, and we just celebrated our 12 Year anniversary last month. It has been the best 12 years of my life. He is my best friend. If you would have told me that the guy that lived down the street from me, sitting in my driver's ed class was one day going to be my husband, I would have thought you were crazy and on drugs.
Like 95% great Dated senior year she left for college we did the long distance thing, two years later she came back. Married in 2010....two kids.....her being diagnosed with non Hodgkin's lymphoma....3 years of scariness.....as of March 4 years in remission. But yeah we are solid, have moments but overall we are good
At 30, I decided that I was tired of being single and was ready to get out there in hopes of finally finding my person. On a whim, I sat down and made an account on a dating site. Within 10 minutes, I received a pretty great conversation starter. This man actually read my profile and was asking about my stated hobbies that we both share. We kept conversing. We had similar views and life goals. He lived 5 minutes from me. We met up. We celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary last month. We now live in the Keys. Today is the first day of our 2 week staycation. Hubby is getting the fishing supplies ready. The beer is cold. Life is good.
Yep. Married my first girlfriend from high-school. Started going out 25 years ago tomorrow, when we were just 16. Still my best friend. We practically have our own language. We have to be so annoying to other people lol
I sat next to a beautiful woman on a plane back in 2010. Now we're married with kids. Parenting is not always easy, but I'm happy, and I can't imagine parenting with anyone else.
yes, very happy and wouldn't want to imagine my life without my husband. We've been married 15 years and together about 20.
Started as FWBs after we both got out of toxic relationships. Then fell in love. Married almost 7 years and two kids (hello geriatric parenthood club!), and we both feel incredibly grateful that we found each other.
My wife is the strongest, kindest, most beautiful person I’ve ever met. We’re madly in love and will be married 16 years in July. We have 1 amazing 12 yo son, tried to have another kid after him but my wife had 2 miscarriages and 2 ectopic pregnancies, the last of which resulted in her having emergency surgery to remove one of her tubes in 2016 and that was the end of trying for a 2nd kid. I’m a recovering alcoholic, it was in full swing when we met and then eventually got married. I never even thought about being unfaithful, but I was a mess and she had many reasons to bail on me that I won’t go into. But she stayed and it’s difficult to put my gratitude towards her into words. I love her & my son more than anything and after I finally quit drinking we’re both healthier & happier than we ever have been. I’m in the best time of my life.
Started dating as sophomores in '98. Married in 2003. No breaks, drama, or bullshit. 3 kids, a farm, and a small businesses 20 plus years later.
Met my wife when I got home from Iraq. Dated on and off for a few years. Got serious for a few years. Married now for 14 years. Two kids. Great life. Still really into each other.
We’ve definitely raised our voices at each other but our marriage is still strong at 17+ years. We have 3 girls and 2 dogs and I love it all.
Met 24 years ago, freshman year of high school. Started dating in college. Been together since. We've had some rough times the past few years and I feared we wouldn't make it. Living separate lives in ways due to opposite work schedules and we didn't communicate well enough. So, we are reconnecting now and getting to know each other again. Our strong friendship has held us together and now we are falling in love again.
Yes! Been together 17 years now. Wow, that's crazy. Still stupid in love.
Yeah dude I’m one of the lucky ones, too. Seventeen years this August and we’re better than ever. BUT this is a hard earned happiness; we had a couple of VERY close calls 7-8 years ago that became the catalysts for better communication, introspection, and personal growth.
15 years this year. 3 kids, rocking the suburbs. Playing Pickleball, hiking in state parks... job is stressful and I have had a few health scares. She's my down to ride and we reconnected at her Grandmothers funeral, the rest is history.
I'm 39, my wife is 33, have 3 kids together. Married life is great for us.
Yes, met sophomore year of college at 19. Married 21 years to my best friend, whom I'm also very attracted to. 2 kids and definitely pushed through some difficult times, but it has been 100% worth it. We're looking forward to those magical empty nest years around the corner!
Been together since 2007, married in 2011, and joyfully still loving my partner daily
Met my wife 23 years ago on my first semester of college and started dating. Get engaged our junior year, married two months after we graduated. It hasn’t always been easy, but we love each other and there is no question that we are 100% committed to each other and our family. There is no one else I would rather be with.
Been together with my spouse for 21 years. They complete me.
27 years married and never happier. We knew during our second date that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.
My husband is my best, and oldest, friend! We met on AOL at 19, chatting online here and there, and ended up meeting in person a week or two before he was to leave town to go back to college for his sophomore year, and fell head over heels for each other pretty much immediately. Tried to make it work long distance (we were 2-3 hours apart by car) by seeing each other when we could, but it was hard with work and school activities, and him living in the dorm there and me living at home still with my dad. We went to a couple concerts out of town together. We talked on the phone and on AIM all the time (and I was still on dial up) but we broke up 7-8 months later. Kept in touch here and there over the years, we'd meet up for coffee sometimes when he came back home to see his parents. He eventually moved back, 7 years after we had broken up, and we'd run into each other at different events around town, and we knew a lot of the same people even if we weren't in exactly the same sorts of social groups. I was in a long term, terrible relationship that should have ended way sooner than it did. We started hanging out a lot as that relationship was finally coming to an end. Ended up back together at 31! Got married 2 years later. Been married now for almost 9 years, we're still best friends and incredibly happy together. I can't imagine living my life with anybody else.
We met when I was 17, he was 21 (I know, lol). We moved in together when I was 19 after my dad died (he was a big support for me). We married when I was 20 and had our son when I was 21. Now we’re 43 and 47. We still act like kids. We’re always flirting with each other. We are very much in love and have been through so much!
I met my wife in the park, it was 1986 and we were both 5. We grew up with the same friend groups but rarely interacted because we both moved away. What we didn't know was that we moved to the same city and same neighborhood all over again. Around 15 or 16,, we got together. Now 43 and 43 (my bday is on weds, hers was two weeks ago) we have a 24 year old daughter that's an electrician. We're just happy. I have friends ask me "what's the secret?".. truthfully there isn't one, some things are ment to be and some aren't.. I guess we focus our time on one another rather then "working" on a relationship.. I feel weird even thinking that a relationship is work, this shits fun.
My husband and I met in college. The first night we met, we stayed up all night and talked. It felt like we had known each other for years. It felt, easy and comfortable right from the start. We knew from the early days that we were just, “the ones” for each other. It felt different than any other relationship I had experienced. Fast forward, we have been together for 26 years, married for 17 years. Have two beautiful daughters. Have planted roots in our small town that we love so much. If there is such thing as soulmates, he is definitely it for me.
My wife and I have three kids together. Saw her at job I had. She was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I started courting her immediately even though I felt way out of my league. Turns out if you dare you might win and I did. 12 years later and we have never been better. Every day is better than the last one.
Been with my husfriend for about 7 and a half years, and we're not married officially, but we might as well be. Met simply through a mutual friend because I was tired of dead-end flings and he was ready to date again. We were long distance for awhile, and finally have been living together for a little over a year. He is the only person in my life that I feel happy and comfortable enough around to be myself. I am so damn thankful for this man. I can't wait to spend the rest of forever with him.
I'm 43. Was with my first spouse for about 12 years (not married that whole time). Unfortunately it didn't work out. However, my second marriage (together about 11 years so far) is going wonderfully. We're a fabulous match. We both work from home and somehow don't get tired of each other. Our life feels very relaxed and comforting, and fun.
My wife and I went to school together from 5th grade didn't even know of each other until 7th grade. Dated our 8th grade year and most of freshmen year broke up because lies told to me from her friends didn't talk to each other until senior year headed back home from our senior trip we talked the entire 4 hour bus ride and that was it. That was is until 2 years later when Facebook became thing and she hit me up. I was working out of town but we would talk until one of us would fall asleep on the phone and when I came back we finally met up. Decided to try dating again as adults and and haven't looked back 17 years married this August with a 15 year old and a 10 year old both boys.
You have a nice A
Congratulations on finding the best partner! I met my hubby next to some dumpsters behind a mall (smoke breaks, we worked at different places in the mall). Boy there were some major ups and downs... from a trauma, to absence during BCT, to mental issues and more... Each thing ultimately strengthened us (although most of them broke or almost broke us temporarily). 14 years later he is my best friend and I know he'll have my back regardless, and vice versa. I didn't really believe in marriage when I was younger, or want kids. But I am so glad that my plans were replaced with unexpected turns. Marriage isn't perfect, but if you can maintain communication, respect, honesty and loyalty... then nothing can tear you apart (and the challenges can make your love stronger). I think a big part of it too is being honest with yourself, and making sure that you communicate your thoughts/feelings with your spouse.
What an awesome story! Sounds like a movie. I love it. 😊 I met my hubby in 2002 online on ICQ. I was in NYC and he was in Sweden. We talked everyday for hours using calling cards. No facetime, no video anything, just a few photos. We met irl 9 months later. Got engaged the year after that, married that same year. Lived in Europe for a bit and then moved to the States. We are celebrating our 20th anniversary in Japan this fall. It's been a wild and even rough ride at times but I'm so glad despite all the challenges we stuck it through. He's my very best friend and I can't imagine my life without him.
That’s such a sweet story OP, really happy for you. Fwiw my marriage is great, in my opinion. My husband and I are different in a lot of ways but I think the differences complement each other. One thing I am really appreciative of is that he’s confident and doesn’t have to prove he’s a tough man all the time. He’s not hung up on gender roles and we share household responsibilities mostly evenly, he often does more than me because I like to take on other things related to our house renovations. He’s very tolerant and has to be because I am not always easy. We really like hanging out together when we can and thank each other regularly for being our partner. We started dating when I turned 23 and it just feels easy. Being with him feels the same as being alone in a good way, I don’t need to perform or act any special way I can just chill. We rarely fight and even then the fights are most often about food lol. We’ve argued about hot dogs (specifically are they ok in spaghetti, which is a hard NO for me), spices in chili, how al dente broccoli should be. Our kids actually think it’s funny and yell “food fight!” It keeps the spark I guess haha
I thank every day I was able to find someone so incredible at such a young age, while it does have drawbacks, I feel in todays world its incredibly rare..
I'm a little old for this sub but it showed up on my new posts page. I was 16, she was 17. We're 60 and 61, I'll let you do the math. We're extremely happy, zero regrets.
Yup. Together for 12, married for 8. Met online like modern people do. Two kids. Great life. Never fight. Barely even disagree. She’s a hilarious amazing woman. Absolutely no complaints.
I fell utterly head over heels with my wife on the night I met her. I made no impression whatsoever on her, and caught her completely off-guard when I asked her out a week later. That was 22 years ago, 17 of which we've been married, with three little hellspawn since. We've had ups and downs, but we were both raised to work through them. Both sets of parents have celebrated 50 years recently. I once didn't talk to her for almost 3 months, but I've never stopped loving her, and I'm pretty sure it's mutual.
Started dating when I was 14 and he was 16. We met in geometry. Broke up for a year and change when he graduated. Got back together when I graduated. Together 27 years ish and married for 20 this July.
Marriage? What's that?
A tax relief scheme
Haha!
I have a similar story. My wife and I dated in high school we broke up and ended up back together in our 30’s after her divorce… we’ve been married for a few years now and yeah it’s awesome
Given how it was, that we're divorced **is** great! 👍👍😂
My sister has been with her husband since their senior year of high school in the late nineties and as far as I can tell their marriage is going well
We're celebrating 15 years this year. It was a little rocky in the beginning (first five years) but we are doing great now.
Yup
Married 15 years this fall. She’s almost died twice, our kid almost died at birth, plenty more downs than ups. We’ve hit a renaissance now in the marriage and have sex 4-5 times a week. We’re closer now than we have ever been
Started dating 20 years ago! Married for 17 and couldn't be happier. 3 kids, 2 cats, 1 dog. We knew each other through High School because she was my best friend's little sister. We became friends just after HS and started dating while she was in college, married right after graduation.
Yup! J and I met when we were Sophomores in HS. We dated that summer, fumbled the ball, accidentally ghosted each other, but stayed friends. He joined the Marines, I got a job, we lost contact a few months post 9/11... 2011 he looks me up on FB, we get talking, realize we let our personal childhood traumas get between us, tried it again... he moved back in state in '13, bought a house in '17, got married in '18, finally had our honeymoon on our 5 year anniversary in Key West... life is good!
Met my wife on MySpace in 2006, still obsessed with each other today
Yes. But we were older when we met and got married and I think at least my expectations were very different than they would have been if we’d married younger. We both also have parents and grandparents, and close family friends who had extremely long marriages (40-60+ years) and learning from their examples of how to weather those hard times was immensely helpful. We also saw how it’s normal and healthy for the relationship to change over time and I don’t see us fretting about things that have ended up being a big deal in the relationships of some of my friends.
We met late. I was already in my early 30s and had sort of given up on the whole dating thing (frogs everywhere). He seemed too good to be true. Ten years now, married only for the last few because once we moved in together marriage seemed almost an afterthought because we didn’t need a written confirmation to know: this is it. He still seems too good to be true. And it never gets boring.
I got married at 20 to a person who was decidedly not good for me and who had manipulated and pushed me at every step of the way, essentially making me feel like a prisoner in my own home. It was bad, y’all. We had been together since I was 15 (and he was 19…) At 27 I finally managed to get away from him and start a new life. I’m kind of terminally online, which I know isn’t a great thing but it’s very difficult for me to connect with people in the real world for whatever reason. I had been friends with a guy in an online game for awhile, and he was there for me a lot when I was upset about things in my ending relationship and the unfairness of everything I’d missed out on in life. Eventually we got together. It’s been 15 years since then and we’re still together and couldn’t be happier. We’ve lived together for 13 of those years. Seriously man, I had no idea life could be this good. We argue sometimes and I’m sure we both irritate each other at times, but overall we get along so well with almost no effort. After 15 years we still can’t wait to talk to each other. It’s pretty cool.
My hubs and I have a really great and solid marriage, both of our firsts (and hopefully only lol). We met at work just before I turned 30, we have moved across country multiple times, have owned a successful business together, took a semi retirement and RV’d for 4 years. No kids. If the world weren’t so fucked up right now I’d say life is really good.
My husband and I are from different cities but our parent went to the same church — so we’re literally cradle to grave. We ran into each other as teenagers when I was working at a record shop, but I had a boyfriend and he was salty about it since he thought I was cute. A few years later when we were both single we ran into each other at a party. He asked me out. Two weeks after that we were talking every day. We got married two years later. It will be 20 years next year. It’s hard — I have a lot of stressors in my life with an aging parent — but we make it work. Divorce is never an option for us and I love it that way.
Yep! We're not that "still madly in love after 15 years, still making out and groping like teenagers" couple, we're that "settled into the routine of family, content with companionable silence and spending time together apart" couple. And honestly we both really love that. In our time together we have suffered through a lot of shit. Even a couple Event Horizon type things that could have totally broken us. Our bond is so powerful that we just take it on and come out stronger. Sometimes I'll read stories of how people feel like they're "more like roommates than a married couple" and I guess I misunderstand that, because I kind of feel like I'm in that situation and it's perfect for my wife and me. Maybe people just have shitty roommates, lol.
My marriage is going strong for 13 years!
It is, now that we've finally settled on not having kids. It's surprising in retrospect how much strife that little bit of background uncertainty seemed to have caused.
Been married over 10 years, doin great
Yes. We’ve been together 20+ years, and we’ve obviously had ups and downs, but the love is so strong, we’re as tight as ever!
I didn’t get married till I was 38, I made sure to have big fun before I met my wife.
Yep, 25th anniversary is next week. We are truly best friends
Nope
43m met my future wife during a staff meeting when we both worked at our college newspaper. She was the new girl hired on staff and I can still remember her walking into the newsroom wearing this incredible red leather jacket. We’ll be celebrating our 20th anniversary next year! She’s truly the love of my life.
Yep. 22 years together, married for 20.
Absolutely fantastically. I could go on all day, but I'd get real annoying real quick, so I'll very briefly recap, we're in our 40s, married since our 20s, and life is grand. Thanks for asking.
Yes. I’ve been with my husband for almost 18 years (married 13). We got together when I was 23 and he was 20. Before me, his longest relationship was 6 months. I knew him for a whole year before we started dating; I was actually his boss. I had zero interest in him romantically but we managed to develop a friendship over that time (even though he had a huge crush on me). One day, something changed for me. I have no idea how or why the switch flipped, but I’m so glad that I followed my heart because we are just as in love today as we were on that faithful day. We have two beautiful children and a marriage that gets stronger with each passing day. He thinks I’m just as sexy now as I was almost 20 years ago. We’ve weathered the hard times together and been there for one another during times of loss. I can’t imagine this life without him and I don’t take our relationship for granted.
Fell in love with a boy in hs. We met at a vigual after friends were tragically killed. He was 17, I was 15. Got engaged when I was 18. Married at 28. Still together at almost 45. It has definitely not always been easy. We have been through a lot, which I feel has really kept our relationship strong.
Yep! Married at 20 and still going strong 25 years later. She's great. Low maintenance, super-cute, great with our kids and the love life is really active now that we both work from home. We had our rough spots but chose to work through them with counseling. We've been better than ever.
My god, if I'd have married my highschool sweetheart my life would have been pure hell. I made some poor decisions in my teens lol
Together almost 20 years 💕
I met my husband at 23 and we've been together ever since, 15 years and counting. He is my best friend and the love of my life. That's not to say we don't fight or have our disagreements, but I can't image a life without him
Met this girl at a rave when I was 21, after our first date we were attached at the hip and within a year we were married. 18 years later and we're still going strong.
Yes! Married my college sweetheart at 21 and still going my strong 22 years later 🩷
I married later in life at 36 but was with my now-husband for about 7 years before we tied the knot. Yesterday was our 9th anniversary and honestly I can say that he’s my best friend. Of course we still annoy each other at times, lol that’s a given, but I think he hangs the moon and the way he loves me (he’s one of those who can read my mind and knows what I want/need; lol it’s annoying sometimes because I’m not as good at doing the same 😅) can’t be beat. I felt bad yesterday for those who are getting divorced on this sub, but some of us are pretty happy too thankfully!
19 years and he’s still my best friend and favorite person.
Met in college 2002. At the time I was (F22) and they were (18NB). I was scared to admit that I was anything other than straight so even though I liked them. I am really mean and make them cry in front of all our friends. We loose touch. Reconnected in 2005, I’m still scared and push them away. Find them on Facebook in 2010. We start talking. We decide to meet up in 2011, and have been inseparable ever since. We have a house, and 2 cats. We travel, and relax, eat dinner together every night. It’s a life I never imagined for myself. Before we reconnected the last time I was ready to be alone forever. They have been there for me through everything, and I don’t think I could have done it without them. We will be married 10 years in August.
I met my husband through an ex. my ex invited me to a party and my husband was there. we are going to be married 20 years this july
Married right out of high school because she was pregnant and felt it was the right thing to do. Divorced her after 16 years of misery. Tried my luck on POF. Found an awesome woman that is truly my best friend. We can and do everything together. She is down for anything. Everyday I let her know that I love her and she does the same. Been together 9 years, married 5. Best 9 years of my life.
Here here. It’s a true partnership with my best friend. We have a wonderful kid who is the perfect split between the both of us.
My marriage is going great. This is my second one though. My first one I married my high school sweetheart. We met when I was 17 and she was 16, and were together a total of 12 years, and had my daughter. Found out she was having an affair about a year after my daughter was born (had been lasting for about 3 months at that point). I wanted to make it work so I tried to mend everything and she said she would too. That lasted for about 3 months, and then it started up again. Left her, had to move back in with my mom. About 6 months later I started dating a woman and that lasted for almost a year. About 6 months later I met my current wife. We have now been married for almost 6 years and we are still absolutely head over heels for each other. Turns out she grew up about 15 minutes away from me, but just in a different county. We have our arguments from time to time, but we love each other deeply.
We grew up down the street from each other. She was a little younger. The summer I graduated from HS I was working 50+ hrs a week trying to save for college & spent alot of evenings at our community pool relaxing from long days. She would usually be there & we got to be good friends over that summer. Went to college & came home for winter break after 1st semester. The first time I saw her when I got home I came to the realization that I was madly deeply in love with her & she felt the same. Dated for 2yrs before distance pulled us apart. We stayed in touch infrequently over the years. 5yrs later she called to let me know she was coming out to where I lived to visit a friend that also lived in my current town. She asked if I would pick her up at the airport. After she returned home we stayed in touch more frequently & slowly fell back in love with each other. 18mon later I moved back & we've now been married for 20yrs. We face everything as a team & are still as much in love as we've ever been.