#21. Modern Dating
Can you meet someone just by accident? Does Cupid still work that way? The truth is that today, in the 21st century, online dating has become kind of like a norm. It seems that people have grown used to going on dates with total strangers that they’ve only met on dating platforms.
Let’s say that you match with someone on Tinder. How do you start a conversation without even knowing who the person is or what his interests are? Oh, boy, this seems to be way too stressful. However, even though most people rely on dating apps such as Tinder, there are times in which going old-school is what it takes to find a romance worthy to be turned into a movie. You’ll want to check #17 and #2!
#20. Can’t Buy Me Love
Meet Haline Ly and Richard Wheeldon. This story took place in Sydney, Australia. It seemed that it was a typical Sunday morning for Haline. This 38-year-old designer went grocery shopping after waking up. Not a big deal, right? But, on top of buying the groceries she needed, she came home with more than that!
Casually, Richard came up with the same idea that Sunday morning. In February 2019, this 41-year-old high school teacher told The Sydney Morning Herald that he was heading to the shops to stock up on “the rudimentary items you need for survival as a bachelor.” Once he took everything he needed, he proceeded to the checkout.
#19. The Right Timing
Guess who happened to be in the line Richard chose? Yes, Haline was there, and while doing one of the most ordinary tasks, the eyes of these two Australians first met. She was placing the divider on the belt behind her shopping when Haline smiled politely at the customer who was next in line: Richard. When she saw him, she thought to herself “Oh my god!”
On his side, Richard recalls spotting Haline for the first time at the checkout and noting her charming “half-smile” when placing the divider behind her groceries. He broadly returned her smile, and he felt the chemistry between them right away. Such a spark was impossible to ignore. Once Haline had paid for her shopping, she walked towards the exit, but she was dying to look back and see if they could make eye contact again. Keep reading to find out what happened!
#18. Nice To Meet You
Before stepping out of the store, Haline shot a quick glance right where Richard was standing. To her pleasant surprise, the man was still beaming back at her. So, he finished paying for the shopping of his bachelor essentials and went after her. Then, they chatted briefly on the escalator.
To be honest, it wasn’t the most interesting chat he’d ever had. Richard recalls recommending a produce store in the area, and Haline asked for its name. In Richard’s own words, “I didn’t really dazzle her with my mighty intellect.” Even though they didn’t share a deep conversation, he felt the connection between them.
#17. Take A Chance On Her
Such was the connection, that after they said their goodbyes, Richard was aware that he couldn’t just let her go. He realized that this was his chance and that he had to listen to his gut. Thus, he took a receipt, wrote a message down and dashed after the stranger. Five minutes later a true act of spontaneity took place: he caught up to her and trying to catch his breath, placed the receipt in her hands.
Richard told The Sydney Morning Herald, “I felt sheepish handing it over but figured if it failed, I’d never see this person again and wouldn’t have to admit to it to anyone.” What he thought was that there were few chances of her ever replying to his note, so he wasn’t really expecting much. He had nothing to lose, but still, Richard couldn’t stop thinking how special she was as he walked away.
#16. Call Me, Maybe
What did Richard’s message say? In case you were wondering, he just wrote down his name, number and this phrase “Crazy, I know.” Believe it or not, Richard’s crush replied back, and with an actual note of her own. Upon arriving home on that same day, she wrote on some paper she found: “That was really cute, Richard. I say, Yes.” She took a picture of the note with her cellphone and sent it to Richard’s phone number.
This was an opportunity that Richard had to seize, so he asked Haline out on the spur of the moment. As a matter of fact, he was hoping to have dinner together on that very same evening. Unfortunately, she had other plans, but this didn’t stop them from seeing each other again. They organized to meet up at midnight. After all, that Sunday was destined to be a special one.
#15. A Never-Ending Sunday
They chose Glebe, a bohemian neighborhood in Sydney, to meet up. They didn’t have too many options, to be fair, since it was late on a Sunday evening. They weren’t’ concerned whether they found the right place or not, they just wanted to be together. So, the pair ended up chatting for hours while walking around the area.
Though they barely knew each other, Richard had a strong hunch that meeting Haline again would be an important moment.
“You never want to skip ahead to the point of being crazy, but there was a genuine sense [that]this person was pretty special. Haline captured the imagination in all sorts of wonderful ways”, Richard told The Sydney Morning Herald.
#14. Great Minds Think Alike
The odds were in Richard’s favor since Haline also felt the same special connection. Haline usually preferred to be friends with a person for at least 12 months before going on a date, yet with Richard it was different. She had the feeling that they had known each other since forever, though she had just met him for a couple of hours.
They met up again shortly afterward, and yes, the magic was still there. Richard stated, “The next time we met, it was just as lovely, and there were all sorts of connections, laughter, and silliness.” The two of them started to spend most of the time together, and as a result, their relationship grew closer. You won’t guess what they did next!
#13. A Perfect Match
What Richard started to realize only a couple of weeks after their first encounter was that maybe Haline was “The One” for him, and he was dying to confess his feelings for her. This was such a whirlwind romance, for the dimension of their relationship escalated at a speedy rate. Richard confessed that “it all happened quickly.”
It all went so quick that after only three weeks, Haline and Richard took their relationship to the next level: they moved in together. Even though they hadn’t known each other very long, there was something that felt right about taking this next step. There’s something worth mentioning, and it is the fact that Haline wasn’t even looking for a partner when she met Richard. This was totally unexpected for her.
#12. Me, You & Leo
Actually, Haline had been in a serious relationship for more than half a decade. Barely a couple of weeks after she had broken up, she bumped into her Prince Charming at the grocery store. What’s even more complicated, Haline and her ex had also been business partners. Even so, Haline received strong support from Richard during this tough time.
As the months went by, Haline and Richard’s relationship was strengthened. What is more, a new member was welcomed to their household, a cat named Leo. Thanks to Leo, Ly could see Richard’s caring, paternal side. She stated that “Richard would hold him and have deep-and-meaningful [conversations]with him. There was something really sweet about it.” This is just the beginning…
#11. New Additions
The way Richard took care of Leo became a source of inspiration to Haline, so they decided to make a new addition to their little clan. After being with Richard for less than a year, Haline got pregnant. They welcomed their very first child together—Amelia— and a couple of years later, James was born.
In the blink of an eye, Haline and Richard formed a wonderful family of one cat and two children. What is more, the couple seemed to have the full support of those around them. Richard became a hit with Haline’s family and friends. She revealed, “My sister and her best friend call Richard a dreamboat. Everyone says he’s a real gentleman, which he is.”
#10. Surprise, Surprise!
The couple had already accomplished a lot of achievements together, but it seemed that there was one thing left, for them to get married. Haline hadn’t ever been concerned about putting their relationship on paper.
“I was never interested in getting married – never dreamt of having a big Cinderella wedding. The idea of planning one was my worst nightmare“, Haline confessed.
But when Richard heard that Haline was about to throw him a surprise party for this 40th birthday, he decided to come up with a secret plan on his own. He revealed, “I thought I’d out-surprise the girl who was trying to surprise me.” Therefore, Richard put the wheels in motion.
#9. No Spelling Mistakes
Amelia, their daughter, helped Richard to spell out the phrase “Marry Me” on separate sheets of paper and handed them to his friends before the party. They had to keep the letter hidden throughout the lunch to reveal them at their cue. It was when the meal was over that Richard had the opportunity to beat Haline at her own game!
Once they had lunch, Richard went on to make a speech. He first began thanking Haline for the wonderful celebration, and then he moved on to talk about the impact she had made on his life and how she enriched his existence every day. This was the cue for the guests to show the letters they had been hiding, and thus Richard popped the question. Wait, did she say yes or no?!
#8. We Are Engaged!
Richard believes that such a romantic event bothered Haline in someway, maybe it was because she was overshadowed. Richard said that “she was a bit embarrassed and a little annoyed I’d out-surprised the surprise birthday she’d organized.” Still, she said Yes. “I’d like to think she was a bit moved,” Richard added.
Even when they weren’t a hundred percent sure about the prospect of getting married, they decided to take a leap of faith. They thought that it would be one of the few opportunities to gather all their loved ones in the same room. After all, Richard noted, “The only other time that happens is at your funeral.” They wanted to be with the assembled guests at the party!
#7. Taking A Closer Look
Being engaged, Haline and Richard discovered even more things about each other. Haline came to know that her fiancé had two different sides. Ahe told The Sydney Morning Herald, “When he’s at school, he’s ‘on,’ but when he’s not, he can be quite introspective.”
Haline continued: “He’s quite private, whereas I want to know everything. It took me a while to accept that.” What is more, it was interesting for her to become aware of the things they saw eye-to-eye and the things they didn’t. As happens in most relationships, they had different opinions on certain matters. However, they did share the same view on marriage.
#6. You Balanced Me
For instance, Haline and Richard have different perspectives on life. As Haline noted, “Richard is quite black and white and has little patience for nonsense, whereas I like the grays, the nuances [and]the melancholy. He does have his quirks and wears odd socks all the time. It used to drive me up the wall.”
But let’s be fair, we all know someone who has annoying footwear habits. However, they also had differences in other areas. Richard has a long-term vision on most matters, whereas Haline finds it hard to follow through projects and she isn’t good at organizing either. Haline said that Richard has basically planned their lives for the next 100 years. We can say that they are the perfect balance for each other.
#5. Totally Got You!
What is it that makes them click as a couple? They surely have enough similarities putting their differences aside. For instance, both tend to shy away from confrontations, which means that they barely argue. As Richard funnily put it, they are “two really repressed, pent-up individuals!” for the most part. He rarely airs troubles that have been on his mind.
Sharing the same type of humor is one of the most important aspects of every relationship, including Richard and Haline’s.
“Both have a sense of the ridiculous – especially Haline. She’s clever and thoughtful. And she does impromptu dances in the middle of things and talks to random people at random times – like in supermarket queues”, Richard said.
#4. Their US Counterparts
An amazing thing about meet-cutes such as Haline and Richard is that they can happen to others too. At the same time, there was another couple in one of the busiest cities in the world, New York, that experienced their own movie-like meeting. It was the iconic yellow cabs what made their first encounter memorable. Moreover, they’ve been together ever since.
Stephanie Shulman went to the famous Studio 54 nightclub and was trying to get home, while Mark Calem had just left a party thrown by Gloria Vanderbilt. The two of them stood on the same sidewalk, and guess what, they hailed the same cab. However, neither of them was willing to let the other go first.
#3. Go For It!
There wasn’t a trace of gentlemanly instincts left for Mark. He told the New York Post in February 2015, “I tried to cut in front of her to get a cab.” There was no way for Stephanie to accept that kind of behavior so they ended up getting in the same cab and splitting the fare. It all worked out perfectly since they both lived in Queens.
Stephanie and Mark had begun to experience feelings for each other by the end of the ride. Mark worked in the cosmetic field, so he offered to get Stephanie some complimentary accessories just to ask her for her business card. That move was brilliant!
#2. Long-Lasting Love
This romance was clearly meant to be, and yet neither of them can recall who contacted the other first. More than 30 years of marriage and two kids later, the happy couple is now living in Long Island, NY.
These two lovebirds always love to remember that they met by sheer luck. Stephanie told the New York Post “You never know what’s around the next corner. Look both ways the next time you catch a cab!”
#1. Heart-Warming Stories
Which story did you like best? For Haline and Richard, their bet on this whirlwind romance paid off. Haline told The Sydney Morning Herald about her now-hubby, “[Richard] makes you feel like you’re the only person in the room, which is quite rare. He’s the best person I know.”
Now, they share a connection that they had never expected to find. The main characteristic of these two love stories is not that they had Hollywood-worthy first encounters, but that they prove that following your gut can lead you to places beyond your imagination.