I blogged about the term “Meet-Cute” back in October 2011. “Meet-cute” is a phrase from the romantic comedy “The Holiday” describing how the guy and girl meet — and the crazier the better, in many cases.
Some of you reading this blog know my “Meet-Cute” story: How my husband knocked me down … um, swept me off my feet at a karate studio. Author Rachel Hauck recently shared that story on her blog during her “Beautiful Brides” series.
Sometimes in a romance novel or movie, the hero and heroine manage to meet all on their own. Think of Nicky (Gary Grant) and Terry (Deborah Kerr) in “An Affair to Remember”: They meet on a cruise. No help needed. Or Shay Brandenberger and Travis McCoy in “The Accidental Bride” by Denise Hunter: They were high school sweethearts. Probably met walking to class.
Then there are the times when someone helps the hero and heroine meet. In “Gone with the Wind,” Scarlett didn’t invite Rhett Butler to Tara. And in Susan May Warren’s “My Foolish Heart,” a rambunctious dog helped Caleb and Izzy meet.
In my own romance, my husband Rob and I had help with our first meeting. Another instructor, John D., asked Rob (dared, maybe?) to sneak attack me. And Rob agreed.
Hhhhhm. Did I ever thank John for arranging my Meet-Cute? Well, he was one of the groomsmen in our wedding … but sadly, we lost touch with John through the years.
Until … this week.
John tracked Rob and me down via Rachel’s blog post and we’ve been emailing back and forth, catching up on several decades of “how have you beens?” And, yes, I made sure that John remembered he was pivotal in my happily ever after.
In Your Words: Ah, Meet-Cutes. I love ’em. And I’d love it if you’d share a favorite romantic Meet-Cute — one that required assistance or not, doesn’t matter. Maybe it’s your story or one from a novel or movie. Join the conversation!
Casey Herringshaw reviews “Wish You Were Here” over at her blog today!
Comments 23
Oh my word, Beth, how fun to reconnect with the person who arranged your marriage. 🙂 That’s a great story.
I met my Canadian husband skiing–he and a friend pretended they didn’t knoow their way around Mt. Baker, Washington, while I was there weekends taking ski instruction for college–cause I worked too hard and my advisors urged me to get exercise and fresh air. I learned later he & his German Cdn. friend had skied there often, probably knew the mtn. better than I, but as I’d worked for U.S. Natl. Forests, I became their tour guide–leading to other Sat. ski times, and more.
I met my Mr. Right while on a date with Mr. Wrong. God has the best sense of humor.
Would love to hear more about that, Michelle.
Okay, Beth. You’re making all the single women want to put “”meet-cute, please” at the top of their prayer list. LOL.
Well, at least somewhere on the prayer list, Scoti!
My daughter’s friend was walking from the municipal parking lot to work one day when she passed a handsome man. After passing him on a few more mornings, she stopped, introduced herself, and suggested they meet for coffee. Within a year they were married. How cute is that?
Love this, Megan. Good for her!
Beth, I love your meet-cute story! My own: my husband and I were music majors at a local college. He used to angle for seats next to me in class, copy my notes and chase me around the practice room, insisting that we would make beautiful music together. In Sept, we’ll celebrate 27 years of a lovely marriage melody : )
Cynthia: This story brought a smile to my face! He chased you around the practice room?
🙂
My husband and I have different recollections of the first time we met…or at least, different first memories of each other (we agree we met on the same night, but he remembers one meeting and I remember another). What I remember is meeting at a church function (AWANA) in high school when we were doing this game. One person is in the middle throwing a basketball back and forth to 10 other people standing in a line. Anyway, the 10 people are arranged tallest to shortest. Mike was new, and he was the tallest guy, so he stood next to me, the tallest girl. I told him how to play the game…there is one point at which the middle person had to run around a pin right next to me, and so I had to move quickly. So it was his job to swing me out of the way. My other friend who HAD been the tallest guy did it…so Mike should too (naturally). Ha. He was so shy and didn’t do it right. And of course, I got upset with him and thought, “Oh, brother.” I didn’t stop to think that (1) he must think I was rather forward to ask him to grab me upon our first meeting (hey, it was a game!), and (2) he probably thought I was the bossiest girl on earth (um…totally false…yeah).
Sorry that was so long, but I couldn’t really shorten it and give the same effect. 😛
High school sweethearts, eh, Lindsay?
Funny you’d ask, Beth! Tomorrow is my 11th wedding anniversary and I’ve been thinking about my blog post and how my hubby Dave and I met. We were in high school, but I was being homeschooled and had only seen my hubby-to-be on stage when he was in a musical (I fell in love with his voice, before I fell in love with him!). We had a whole group of mutual friends and we ended up at the same gathering. I asked my friend to introduce us when Dave came by (because I knew he would – he’d already been eyeing me up) and right before he came my friend starting talking to me about my job at the Dairy Queen. She asked me if we had lactose free products for those who couldn’t have dairy. When Dave shows up my friend said: “Oh, Dave! Have you met Gabe? She’s our friendly lactose dealer!” Not exactly the first words I’d dreamed my future husband would hear about me – but it did the trick. 😉
Oh. My. Word.
What a way to be introduced!
And Happy Anniversary too!
I love the first meet in When Harry Met Sally–so funny. I met my husband at frat party on St. Patrick’s Day. He didn’t believe I was 21 (I just turned it) and he made me pull out my driver’s license. 🙂
Checking your I.D?
That’s a meet-cute!
Hey, how cool is this! What a great story!
Rachel
So glad you stopped by, Rachel!
Beth, I so much loved the story of how you met your Knight!! It is, as you are, way cool.
My daughter, Jen, was out with a couple of friends when she said to one of them, “You need to meet my brother. You are the female Andy.” (At the time Brooke was living in Ohio. Andy was living in Montana. I’ve lost track of when that was. Three years??? After months of phone conversations and online stuff, they met. (And it was the answer to this mama’s prayers.) Today they live in Salt Lake City with their 4 month old beautiful girl, happy as any two people could be. Brooke is a PICU nurse, down to two days a week and Andy keeps Rio. He’s another Knight!! And the co-owner of Saga Outerwear. Shameless plug.) 😉
I’ve had a some fun/real “meet-cute” experiences and many more of them made up in my head, especially as a teenager – daydreaming through classes and sermons. :<)
Thanks for sharing your son and daughter-in-love’s story, Patti!
Now, what is Saga Outerwear?
*sigh* Now I know why I write Suspense. No romantic moment for yesterday and now no meet-cute for today.
Love this post!
It’s OK, Pat. I’m not a suspense writer. I have that from a very good source.
My mom thought her single, 30-year-old daughter needed a husband. So, my (future)brother-in-law told her he knew someone who might be the eligible bachelor, and showed her a picture of him from a college yearbook. Next, out-of-the-blue, Mom shamelessly called this young man (who was attending a local school nearby), and invited him to my parents’ house for Easter lunch. At the end of the phone conversation, she quickly added that her single daughter, who was teaching school in North Carolina, would also be at the lunch. Click. What is worse, is that my mom used name tags for the luncheon seating and put the young man and I next to each other (very closely, I might add!) at the table. Following that, my entire family watched us interact while cleaning up the kitchen and murmured under their breathe, “Is it working? Do you think they like each other?” It ended well and my mom’s quest in finding her daughter a husband was successful. We celebrate 13 years together this June! So when people ask me how we met, I pause, roll my eyes and with a sheepish smile, say “Through a blind date set up by my mother!”
P.S. My mom was 40 when she had my youngest sister and I was in my late 30s when both our boys were born. We know how you feel about being a late-in-life mom!:)