(which is a bit incestuous - freight forwarding in case you ask). We quickly became the talk of the freight forwarding community - one of our first dates was at a business function and with a gang of others we sang a karaoke version of Love Shack!!

The Word website and we met on the internet.

..now the tables have turned

So we had to whisper not only sweet nothings, but bloody everything else as well.

She was behind the bar and said "I'm going to marry that boy one day".
True story.

She was friends with my still-best-mate when we first met, and we were kind of peripherally friendly for a couple of years. We flirted a little occasionally, but were both in and out of various other relationships and flings, the way you do at uni. It always looked like it it might happen, but then I'd find, or she'd find, that the other one was seeing someone else.

Then, I'm afraid to say, when she was seeing someone else in the third year, she done made some other plans with another man, namely me. Mwahahaha. There's a line from a sketch show in the nineties which I remember, even if I don't remember the name of the show: a German adonis booms "Und now, I vill steal your girlfriend". Well, minus the Teutonic chiselling, I was that German adonis, all too briefly. It's the only time anyone has ever left someone else, for me. Fucking ace, frankly.

We met young, got married young. Both of us had been around the block a few times - or as much as it's possible to have been at 21. It wasn't a first-flame thing, it wasn't a case of each being the first one who'd have us thing either. Generally, I'd be pretty horrified if someone I knew was planning to get married at 23 - it sounds far too young. But I honestly think that if you know you've met the right one, there's no reason not to put yer money where yer mouth is, regardless of age.

(Interesting aside: I know three devout Christian couples who got married straight after Uni, having been rigidly chaste until marriage. And I do think "rigidly" is the right word here. All three couples are divorced now; I don't know how their faith is doing. The GLW and I, who had both got around a bit before we met, are still extremely together. This underlines my strong belief in the destructiveness of pre-marital chastity.)

I love her. She's my best friend, and I fancy the arse off her, poor woman. But suffice it to say that, 12 years later, we're happier than we've ever been. It's pretty much the only thing I was right about in my twenties.

An almost identical story for me and the only thing I was right about in my 20s.

I'll keep it very brief.
Met aged 12 bunked off school together went to Regents Park for the day(1973).
Finally started going out at Stonehenge 1981 (long grass in the afternoon)! Played gig after 'Misty in roots' at about 1.00am longest day(great day/night).
Still together now - two daughters and two grandchildren.

at a house party in Gospel Oak.

Our mutual friend, who we'd each known for years separately, decided that we should meet, fall in love, get married and have babies.

So she made sure we both attended her birthday party one year and introduced us with a clear statement of intent. 'Beezer, this *****. ***** this is Beezer. You WILL like each other.'

Initial awkwardness aside we did in fact like each other a lot and spent the entire evening gassing away in the kitchen leaning against the fridge-freezer.

Although I do vividly recall that I almost didn't go. I had had an old testament dose of the threepenny bits that morning and had felt a bit out of sorts all day. Looking back I'm glad I just clenched,got on the bus and remembered not to cough. Oh yes, Mrs Beezer is a lucky girl...

I first met him when he had a joint 18th birthday party with my big brother.
But I don't actually have any recollection of him at this celebration, chiefly because I was only 11 and just very excited about being allowed to stay up so late.
Fast forward six years and by this time, funnily enough I was much more interested in my brother's friends.
Our eyes met over his noodles outside the Chinese Takeaway. We were both a little 'refreshed', and began to chat about music, comedy, films, and nonsense of all descriptions. Half an hour later we were at his house on the outskirts of town. 'I've got to walk you home!' he declared, and we turned around and went back the way we came, alcohol-fuelled conversation continuing.
On arrival at my front door he bade me goodnight with a handshake.
My mother was admittedly not particularly bowled over when the 24-year-old-lorry driver called me to ask me out on a date the next day.
But he won her and me over with his charm. And 21 years later we are still together. Him and me that is, not him, me and my mum. That would be weird.
He is the strongest, kindest, best man I have ever known.
But I did have a little hurdle to overcome early on in the relationship when he took me to meet his mum.
It turned out she was Mrs Drake, my primary school teacher when I was six. The urge to put my hand up and ask permission when I want to go to the loo does occasionally still strike me.

I met the future Mrs Law down the pub, 31st Dec 2000.

She was on a bet with her friends as to who could pull before midnight.

She thought I'd probably do. I had a suit on and everything. Looked the part.

Talking to her, she said she liked both skiing AND Teenage Fanclub.

Game on.

She still puts up with me. Tonight, walking back from the pub, I reduced her to hysterics with a particularly spectacular fart which went on for about five paces.

Some relationships are just meant to be.

Never married, happy with my lot.
I was looking after a group of people on a Christmas tour to Holland and she was looking after another group. We met several times during the course of the four days away and by the end of it, I knew I fancied her.

On the 2nd of January, I went up to her place - and never came back. We were married that February, two months to the day after first meeting. Seventeen fab years on, I still fancy her as much as I ever did.

It was in the Holland Park pub which is pictured on the inside cover of Rod Stewart's 1974 Smiler LP. She came up and started chatting about the Old English Sheepdog I took everywhere with me in those days (yes I know, what a poser).

In later years when the children would ask where their mum and dad met, I'd take them over to the record rack, pull out my original dog-eared copy of Smiler and say "gather round kids, it's a long story...."

I was home from Art School for the summer break.It was a Friday night and myself and a couple of mates were out on the town.We went into a pub that we didn't frequent very often and sitting in the corner was the ex-girlfriend of one of my muckers.Sitting beside her was a beautiful dark haired rather shy young woman,who it turned out was the ex-girlfriends younger sister.We got served and wandered over to join them.I struck up a conversation with the younger sister who I fancied at first sight.
We arranged to meet up the following day for a picnic,just me and her.The picnic has never come to an end.
We have been together now for thirty years,twenty of them happily married come this September.I love her more with each passing day.

I'm sure you've all heard it before, boy meets girl at a Deloitte careers evening for maths graduates interested in actuarial science...

...on our first day at university. It was the end of a very long first day saying "Hi, what hall are you in, where do you come from, what A levels didi you do, what course are you doing...? to every single person you met and, frankly, I was a bit pooped. I couldn't be bothered chatting either the person in front or behind me in the very very long queue for NUS cards - and just about everyone in the queue was in about the same state of shell shock!

Anyway, after what seemed like about forty-five or fifty minutes of queuing and rapidly approaching 5 o'clock I'd only got about 2/3 of the way to the registration desk. Anyway, they decided to cut off the queue about 10 people behind me. Telling them to come back tomorrow. After looking behind me at the very disgruntled set of people sloping off after wasting best part of an hour I turned back and remarked to the girl standing in front of me. "Phew, glad I wasn't about 10 people further back. They must be well brassed off!" Well, the ice was broken so conversation ensued and it turned out that the girl was in the same hall of residence as me. We walked each other back down to the hall and arranged to meet up (with a load of other girls from her corridor) for tea in the canteen.

A week later we were a couple. 27 years later we're approaching our 20th wedding anniversary and frankly I fancy her as much as I did that day, if not more!!

Of course, hooking up in the first week of uni... they said it would never last.

Our eyes met across... actually they didn't, we met through an online dating agency (Loveandfriends.com, thanks people). Our sprog was born less than a year after we first met. Well, we were neither of us spring chickens, so why hang about, eh? We've subsequently got to know each other, got married and everything. And we still like each other! Marvellous.

Bound for Tenerife, we sat next to each other.
Spent the fortnight together, and the last 30 years

... and I am still proud of the way I managed to inveigle myself into using the girls changing rooms for the duration. I caught sight of a cute redhead who looked nice in her pants. So as not to seem like a perve I waited till the play was finished before I asked her out. Almost 11 years later, she still looks cute in her pants...

In Islington, her after a night out with friends, me after a 'never going to happen in a million years' blind date that a friend set me up on. I was stood at the bus stop having a slightly tipsy, slightly fed up cigarette and the future Mrs L walked past me. I thought "nice...eyes" (yeah right!!)and decided to at least say hello. Did so, she looked at me as if I was a weirdo, but apparently thought I looked cute. When it turned out we were both getting off the bus at the same stop, and in fact lived two streets away from each other, that hello turned into a chat and the chat turned into a friendly pint a few days later that turned into being the last two left in the pub as the staff put chairs on tables around us. Which led to the usual, and an engagement within six months, married just over a year after that, and five years after that a house in the country and the cutest little boy....

......I was 31, she was 30. I'd grown tired (and too old) to go clubbing and try and pull women. So a mate suggested internet dating. Took me a few months to build up the courage. Signed up for one month and one month only.

6 and half years on the first and only woman I went on a date with via that site is now my wife of 2 years and mother to my 2 children.

Worked out quite well.

I decided to use Nicorette Gum to help me. I went into my local chemist and the Pharmacist was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
She gave me the usual advice on how to use it etc. I couldn't stop staring into her beautiful green eyes.
Each week I would go back for my gum, and each week my knees would buckle before I went in. It took me weeks to pluck up the courage to ask her out.
I didn't know she liked me as well. Apparently I was known as the Nicorette Man. Eventually I plucked up the courage. That was 13 years ago.
Been married for 10 years. 2 Children 9 & 5. She still makes my knees buckle.
No, I don't smoke.

I thought I'd met my special someone, but that finished in January of this year. It was very hard to take, but with the help of a good friend I got back on my feet.

Since then it's been searching Internet dating sites, but to no avail. There's been numerous e-mails sent, and pretty much no replies with many of them. There have been a few first dates, and twice it's got to the second date - but no further.

The past few weeks have been hard, and it's been tempting just to give up - but reading these posts makes me realise that I need to keep believing.

Thank you, one and all...

: )

The moment I clapped eyes on her I knew she was the one for me. It took three years to make that happen, but 20 years later, here we still are.

........at the old Wigan Rugby League ground watching Leeds play Wigan. I was with an old friend from work, she with another mutual friend with no interest whatsoever in the game.

Leeds may have lost and the ground may now be a Tesco, but 15+ years and two kids later I reckon there was a bloody good outcome for at least one Leeds supporter that night!

Then met an old friend whom I hadn't seen for years at a New Years party. All the time I spent looking for love in further flung places I had the light of my life's email address all along. That said, we both agree that given the rough times we've both been through in the last few years it was all to the good that we didn't get together until the time was right for both of us.

At a B&Q store, I worked in the warehouse and she was a YTS on the decorating section. I was particularly impressed by the fact that she wore a Clash t shirt under her overalls (which she showed me) and talked about her love for Joy Division which made a refreshing change from the norm. I think she was impressed that I had a Vauxhall Chevette with a Stranglers tape on the stereo and petrol in the tank. Married when she was 19 and I was 21. Still together 20 years later and, rather depressingly, still both working for the same company (albeit a good few rungs up the ladder).

Was sent across a crowded pub by her gay male mate to see if I was also gay. My first words to her were 'Who the fuck are you?'. (in an ironic way).

I was considering starting a thread like this but decided i was being too sentimental because wedding anniversary is coming up. Im glad I was wrong. Mrs C and i met at uni and I fancied her quite early on in the first year, mostly because she was the opposite of my ex ie happy, fun and always smiling. We had a short dalience around the end of term in the first year at a birthday party but neither of us were ready to settle down so it fizzled out. A couple of years later we nearly had anohter dalience at a birthday party but I held back - never go back etc. I got a letter from her the next week and we have been togther ever since, 14 years, 8 married. We have 2 gorgeous daughters and she is still happy, smiley and my absolute best mate. I still fancy her to bits and love her more each day. Im a lucky man.

I was the man in black and a trainee accountant. She had a bob, large blue eyes, a tartan miniskirt, black tights and DM boots and was in her final year. She was being hassled by a guy. I stepped in and gave him my best Paddington bear stare. He eyeballed me then thought better of it and walked away. She frowned at me, punched me on the arm and said "What took you so long boy?" then kissed me on the cheek. I was smitten. Still am.

By the way whats that stand for?

It's making me feel very warm and fuzzy, and is restoring my faith in happy endings. More stories please! xxx

I went against conventional wisdom and married the first girl who ever took a shine to me! We were at a theatre event and she saw me across the room with a mutural friend. She later asked said friend about my availability, we went on a date, and now we've got kids and dogs and houses and whatnot. 10 years later, we're still very happy.

...from a disastrous, ill-advised and heartbreaking relationship, I saw an advert for a live event in Newcastle with Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, who I had always liked. The ticket should have had "This gig will change your life" printed on the back as our eyes did meet across a crowded room and I ended up moving house and job. I've often used the expression "magnetic north" in relation to my partner because she was exactly that

I'm sitting in her parents front room. Her Mum and Dad are there with herself and me. The silence is deafening. I'm watching the family dog lick its balls. I'm all embarrassed and blurt out "I wish I could do that!" Her Dad looks up from his paper and advises "Give 'im a biscuit and he'll let you!"

I thought I'd seen this blog post before, so I wondered if I'd actually posted on it. It seems I did...

http://wordmagazine.co.uk/content/did-your-eyes-meet-across-a-crowded-ro...

Looking back at the past 12 months, and how my life is now, things have changed - and very much for the better.

The wonderful woman now in my life will be known to a few of you, as it's through here and Twitter that we first met. A general comment about a work trip led to an invite to meet for a drink next time I was visiting the city she lives in. And things moved on from there...

I'm not sure what else to add - I won't embarrass you and (more likely) myself, but I just want to thank those who offered kind words when I posted in August of 2010.

... in Liverpool 20 years ago, she was on a work-placement from Germany. I promised her I'd move to Germany if she proved her love by living on Merseyside for 20 years. We've been in Munich for 3 months.

We met in the Pilgrim in Liverpool in 1991 (April 20 if anyone's interested).

Mrs U was with her friends, one of whom was the ex of the guy who'd moved into my place in a shared house after I'd moved out. I gone round to the house one Sat night to see my old house mates and we'd decided to go for a beer in town. Fortunately the new guy tagged along, as while in the Pilgrim we bumped into Mrs U and her friends. The new guy chatted with his ex and the rest of us spent a while talking while waiting for them to finish. The two groups then went their separate ways...

...only to meet up again later in the Blue Angel club (AKA the Razz, AKA a complete shit-hole of a nightclub). I'd decided in the Pilgrim that I fancied the short, dark-haired Welsh girl in the docs and was then a bit pissed off when our groups hadn't stayed together. When we saw them again, I decided not to waste a second opportunity so went to talk with her. Fortunately she'd decided in the Pilgrim that she fancied the bloke in the white shirt. We were married two years later; child no. 1 followed three years after that; and no. 2 another two and a half years on.

We're still going strong. And I still fancy her. Oddly, we've never been back to the Pilgrim or the Razz together...

My Best Friends Girl

Er.. Yes.

Hers were a bit watery and bloodshot owing to the amount of tart-fuel previously consumed.

I, of course, didn't take advantage.

We were both seeing other people at the time. After a while, her relationship ended and mine was heading rapidly downhill. One night, we ended up back at our friends house after the pub and I walked her home where she asked me in for coffee. A couple of hours later I left and she kissed me goodnight, just a peck but she lingered just a moment too long. I walked home and resolved to get my life in order
We've been married twelve years ( last week) and have two children, been through the usual ups and downs but I still look at her and think "phwoar!"

the Rotary Club offshoot service organisation for young people (as some would say, 'anyone with a pulse') between 18 and 28 - latterly called 'The Marriage Bureau'. I was the District Vice Chairman and Past President of the Billericay Club and the future Mrs Phil was Secretary of a rival branch 10 miles away in Brentwood. Whilst this wasn't exactly Montague and Capulet stuff, if the two clubs met on the sports field or quiz table, competition was, shall we say, robust. So eyebrows were always raised if any romantic liaisons ever happened along.

Anyway, we had met briefly at several events before being sat next to each other at a black tie dinner with the upshot that I asked her for a dance before pummelling her feet black and blue with my ill timed moves. Further dates somehow followed and I managed to poach her back to Billericay and ultimately marriage. Oh yes (punches air).

Rotaract is unfortunately a shadow if its former self, but 25 years on we are still going strong.

I was on a sort of working holiday (a British Council jaunt as I recall) and as the lift doors slid back they revealed a vision of loveliness.

Not speaking much Russian, I nodded politely as I stepped into the lift then was overjoyed to hear that she was speaking English to her friend. In those Soviet days, the USSR was pretty grim so it was nice to hear a new English voice and I introduced myself with some sort of comment along those lines. Turned out she was assisting on a school trip.

Our paths crossed over the next few days so I ensured I had her contact details before I left town. We got in touch again back in the UK and the rest is history.

Sadly, it didn't last - too much too young and all that - but we're still friends today and we have a cracking son (and two grandchildren) to show for it.

I had just moved overseas, ina new city, so I joined an internet dating site. She was my first date. I had joined for 6mths, and I met her within 2 weeks...I'll never get that membership fee back! Just kidding, we will be married for 3 years in September with a wee boy and another baby due next month. Deliriously happy.
The 2nd date nearly didn't happy (me being very quiet), but I cooked her dinner and she was smitten....I guess if I had made beans on toast rather than the sumptious feast it would have been a very different story.

Over 40s dating website.

Jobs a good un.

as foreheads across a crowded playground. I was literally smitten - into a muddy puddle. Luckily for me she became friends with my younger brother, which gave me an 'in', albeit years and years and years later.

Found herself in a very stinky Irish pub one dull Sunday afternoon in Melbourne, allegedly against her wishes, dragged there to meet her workmate's elder brother. Me. A couple of magic tricks and a few Roddy Wreckers (aka Cocksucking Cowboys) later, and it's on like Donkey Kong.

Dissolve to Dublin, Ireland v Wales at Landsdowne Road a few months later: she swung by, stayed that Saturday night, and never left. Coming up to eleven years ago. Magic stuff.

We were 'set up' at a dinner. I maintain that she was all over me that night whereas she insists that I ravished her. We started dating, she moved in by stealth over the next 6 months or so - every week there appeared to be another pair of her shoes in the spare bedroom. We've had our ups and downs but we've been together for 16 1/2 years now and will celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary next month. She's still the best thing that ever happened to me.

It was across a room, kind of - actually it was a bar in the Leeds Uni union, pre-gig. We were with our respective groups of mates, and IIRC the link was that she was on the same course as a girl who shared a house with another girl who was on the same course as a bloke who'd shared a house with me in the first year. Or something like that.

Anyway, the way she tells it is that one of her friends had waxed lyrical about the general dishiness of a friend of a friend, and when we met up she mistook me for the dishy one - these days she goes on about the bottle of Newcastle Brown I was nursing, an astute move in the days when it wasn't unknown for the dregs to be recycled back into the kegs. I just thought she was cute. That night Bronski Beat were playing - not with Jimmy Somerville, or even his replacement. No, the singer was one of the other two original members; I think they were OK but my mind was elsewhere and I really wasn't paying much attention to them.

It took several months for us to finally get together, but we've never looked back. That was nearly 24 years ago, and today is our 16th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary darling.

the future Mrs Pedro was a friend of a female friend. I did some work for her which she paid me for with a cheque. Guess what, the cheque bounced twice (not her fault it transpired but the banks). Eventually I paid her a visit with a friend to collect the cash & my friend commented on how nice she seemed. Had not crossed my mind before but got me thinking. About a month later I arrived at a party to find my mate chatting her up which I thought was unfair as it was me she had owed money to. Got talking to her which was tricky as she was mortaly embarresed. Anyway turns out she was a big music fan into Joni, John Martyn & Roy Harper & we've been groovin' ever since.

Took us five years to get together, and another eight years to get married. I'm a bit stubborn.

Sorry this is a bit long but hopefully not too boring...

I met the GLG (not married YET) in The Coach And Horses in Old London Town.

I was out with a friend when two girls asked to share our table. So far so two seperate pairs of people having seperate conversations.

Then this strange character came and stood next to my future GLG and asked her if she had a broken nose as he thought it was a bit wonky.

I told him to leave her alone as I thought he was being incredibly rude. He then asked which of us had degrees as he had one and claimed he must therefore be really clever. I turned to him and said (probably in an attempt to impress the ladies) "I don't even have any A-Levels but I'm definitely cleverer than you". I'm still not sure where that came from.

Anyway...he then grabbed the future GLG's arm and tried to stuff her hand down his pants towards his privates. What a charmer!

I stood up and said "WTF are you doing, I think you should leave".

He said "Do you want to take this outside"

I then said "I've never been in a fight and I'm not starting tonight"

Then thankfully the landlord threw him out and we all started chatting. We all went home seperately, I sent her a mix CD (as you do), then we started dating properly and the rest is history.

I've moved to the other side of London which has been very positive for me. So a troubled man in a pub brought us together.

A few months later the GLG saw him again in a restaurant and he apologised for his behaviour, saying he was on heavy medication when he'd met her previously.

Thank You Colin... I owe you one.