Last month, we asked you to share your love stories with us, and oh boy, did you deliver! We received TONS of submissions from you with all sorts of love stories, from highschool sweethearts to missed connections, found again. Our team read (and watched!) your submissions, and wanted to share some of our favorites with you. Here are our some of our runners-up, and our contest winner from last month!
Ari & Andrew
Ari, who currently lives in Baltimore, was visiting her mom in Estero, Florida, in September 2021. Her mom and dad had purchased a winter home in this new development in 2020 during Covid, but her mom had just been spending more time there in 2021. Her mom had just started playing pickleball and had really gotten into the sport! Ari’s mom and her pickleball friends were going to a comedy show when Ari was visiting in September and so Ari tagged along. When Ari showed up, Andrew’s mom ran up to Ari and said, “How old are you? are you single? you have to meet my son!” Andrew’s mom then set up a meeting between Ari and Andrew the next day. Andrew was living in Fort Myers, Fl at the time and Ari was living in Baltimore. Ari and Andrew exchanged numbers but Ari didn’t think much would come of it, they were thousands of miles apart! But then Ari spent the holidays in Florida in December and got to know Andrew better and it’s like they say, the rest was history. They spent every day together for the week she was there. They started officially dating Jan 4th 2022, got engaged March 12th 2022, and wedding is July 2023! Ari will be moving to Florida when she graduates residency in July 2023!
Inbar & Ruben
Our love story is quite the modern one… Boy creates a profile in a last ditch effort, girl swipes right… and the rest is history!
Ruben was trying to convince a friend of his to create on online profile in order to find a mate. This was in deep pandemic times, so a meet-cute at the local bar was not exactly an option. In order to show his friend it was not so scary, Ruben created a profile for himself as well, filled with pictures of his travels. The same day, Inbar saw Ruben’s selfie at the Bahai Gardens in Haifa, and commented saying, “that’s my hometown!”. The pair quickly decided to meet in person, as safely as possible, and met for the first time 3 days later. The conversation flowed so well, that Inbar even decided to break her “happy hour only” rule and stayed to have dinner with Ruben. Before he leaned in for the first kiss, Ruben (always the physician) made sure to state that he tested negative for COVID- safety first!!
It was truly such a perfect match. We got close very quickly, and decided to take the leap and move in together after only a few months. Ruben knew right away… He soon told his mother in Peru that she MUST travel to come meet Inbar in person so that he can ask for her hand- you can bet his Mom bought that ticket right away. Little to my (Inbar) knowledge, she traveled with the engagement ring to give to Ruben.
A few months later, we took a trip to Hawaii together, and Ruben got on one knee to pop the question. I cried and cried, and somehow managed to blubber the answer YES!! It was the most beautiful and magical moment, I didn’t even notice all the tourists cheering us in the background. I’m tearing up just remembering it!
We can’t wait to meet each other under the chuppah.
And the winner is…
Emily & Sean
My name is Emily Braverman, and I’ve been married to my amazing husband Sean since August 8, 2021. Here is our story.
My husband and I met in April of 2014 as we sat across from each other at a Shabbat dinner. It was his college’s Chabad, and I had recently moved home from college away. As chance would have it, we sat across from each other (although my husband claims I sat down near him because I thought he was cute). Throughout the entire night, we talked, smiled, and exchanged information. We would go on to date for about 6 months before breaking up. The timing wasn’t right, and schedules clashed. However, we later learned that neither of us felt that it was the end. There was still a pull towards each other.
In July of 2018, nearly four years after we had initially met, Sean reached out through a dating app. While I was apprehensive, I couldn’t help but wonder. After encouragement from my best friend, I called him on the phone. That conversation lasted over an hour. We made plans to see each other, and we have continued to make plans ever since.
October 1, 2020, Sean proposed in the living room of our apartment. He had created an Alexa skill, which was supposed to sort me into a Hogwarts house from Harry Potter. Instead, it sorted me into the Braverman House.
Excited and eager to marry my besheret, I called every vendor, found my dress, and planned our wedding in about a month and a half.
On the day of our wedding, I was calm. I knew that I was about to be whole. I was about to marry the love of my life, my other half. We stood blissfully under the chuppah, surrounded by our families, friends, and rabbis that were so special to us.
It’s true what they say – you should marry your best friend. I know for sure that I married mine.
Congratulations to all of our entrants! It was truly incredible to read all of your heartwarming stories. We can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you!
