SKIP TO CONTENTIntentionDelightsBooksWellnessFavorite ThingsSubscribeSign InLifestyleRelationships18 True Romantic Stories That

SKIP TO CONTENT

Logo

Intention

Delights

Books

Wellness

Favorite Things

Subscribe

Sign In

LifestyleRelationships

18 True Romantic Stories That Are More Heartwarming Than Any Rom-Com

Warning: You will need tissues. And maybe chocolate.

By Melissa GoldbergPublished: Apr 29, 2021

preview for 6 Things You Didn't Know About Valentine's Day

Of course The Notebook, Titanic, and When Harry Met Sally all have a special place in our heart (and film queue). But you know what we adore even more than these classic rom-coms? Tales of love that are actually real. In anticipation of Cupid's favorite holiday, we’ve rounded up the most touching and tear-jerking true romantic stories that are sweeter than anything you'll find in a Valentine's Day movie. So, while you're stressing about scoring the perfect gift for him, her, and everyone in between, let these tender accounts, stripped from actual headlines, remind you what February 14 is actually about...besides chocolate.

Bob Harvey and Annette Adkins

Bob Harvey first met Annette Adkins during study hall in 1955—and was immediately smitten. "I couldn’t take my eyes off her," Harvey told the New York Times. "She had auburn hair and a stunningly beautiful face and her eyes were just, wow." The two teens ended up going to prom together, but as many young relationships go, they lost touch after high school and married other people. Harvey never forgot about Adkins, though. In 2017, after his wife died, he searched for Adkins on Google and discovered she had also become widowed. He sent her a card with his phone number and after chatting for a bit, Harvey drove 500 miles to visit her, stopping only for gas and a bouquet of carnations. "I handed her the flowers, and then I cupped her face in my hand and said, 'Whether you like it or not, I’m going to kiss you,'" he recalled. In October, the high school sweethearts married at a '50s-style diner and danced to Johnny Mathis—just like they did at prom 63 years earlier.

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Matthew Pomeroy and Natasha Lamb

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Talk about an encore! On December 27, Matthew Pomeroy, who plays the title character in a British production of Aladdin, proposed to his girlfriend, Natasha Lamb, who plays Jasmine, just after taking their final bows. "For the last four years, you have changed my life," he told Lamb before pulling out a shining, shimmering, splendid ring. "I love you with all my heart. You're my best friend, and if you'd let me, I want to be your husband."

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Elan Gale and Molly C. Quinn

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

What do you get when you cross an American actress with a former producer of ABC’s The Bachelor? A made-for-TV marriage proposal. During a weekend getaway to Seattle, Elan Gale and his then-girlfriend of eight months, Molly C. Quinn, stopped by a jewelry store where she fell in love with a vintage emerald ring. "If you ever do propose to me, try to find something to kind of look like this," said Quinn. The next day, Gale returned to the store, bought the ring, and placed it in a box under their bed—for the next three years. "That’s where the ring has been hiding for the last 40 months," he recalled in an i********: post. "Three feet away from where Molly sleeps every night." In December 2019, while on a ski trip in Japan, Gale finally popped the question.

Liz and Scott Shoesmith

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Most wedding-planning checklists include picking a dress, finding a venue, and booking a photographer. Liz Shoesmith's also included learning how to sign the lyrics to one of her favorite songs. Instead of the traditional walk down the aisle, the Australian bride surprised her husband, who is deaf, by signing the words to Christina Perri's hit song, "A Thousand Years" as she walked towards him. "Every time I had practiced it leading up to the day I would make mistakes or go blank," she told Inside Edition. "But when I was left at the top of the aisle and locked eyes with Scott