Our readers' Charlotte love stories

• We received dozens of heartfelt notes from readers about the origins of their love. Here are some of those stories.

Editor's note: Some of these responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.

We met in April 2018 at The Music Factory when I asked to get on his shoulders for a concert and we had our first date the next day at the old Sycamore. Flash forward almost 6 years, we were just married in a friend's backyard in Dilworth. — Ashley W.

My girlfriend Kailey and I met in 2018 while we were both studying architecture at UNC Charlotte. Even through the rigorous workload of college, along with many other hurdles along the way like being without an apartment for a year and surviving Covid in Italy, we're still going strong! — Tyler T.

Had coffee at Nova's with my sister's friend the day after I moved to Charlotte. 7 years later we're married with 2 kids! — Kimberly V.

We both swiped right 10 years ago ... and we couldn't be happier. — Nikki R.

Twenty years ago, we left the cold up in New England and moved to Charlotte to start over and design a life we love. — Christina L.

7AM, live on the air, during the Breakfast Brothers Morning Show (Power 98) I called my boyfriend and I proposed to him on Valentine's Day 2001. He said yes, and we were married that October. — S. Jenkins

In 1974 at UNCC, two young people met on the flag football field and fell instantly in love. We just celebrated our 46th anniversary and enjoy living in Charlotte. — Micki S.

We met on Hinge, hit it off over oysters at the Crunkelton and live music at Coyote Joe's. A few months later we said "I love you" for the first time outside the Garbage Truck food truck in South End — Kelsey B.

Charlotte was our wedding, first house, first jobs, 4 pets, and forever city. Until it wasn't... and now we live in different Carolinas. — Jon C.

High school sweethearts for all 4 years. We both married and had children with others. Divorced. Reunited, married for 13 years until forever! — Kendall

Months of stolen glances from two introverts at the gym were interrupted by a boy who took a bold leap of faith to talk to a girl. Years later, we still go to the same gym. — Joe F.

We moved here from San Francisco as newlyweds in 2011. We had two free parking spots, a washer and dryer inside our condo and paid $1190 a month to rent in Myers Park as opposed to our $2500 San Francisco apartment-  we literally felt rich in love! — Amy C.

A love story in numbers: One message to a Match.com profile on a whim + Two weeks of emailing back and forth + One month of dating (with a terribly humid hike at Crowders in the August heat) + One proposal under a willow tree at Freedom Park = 19 years married next month. — Kara M.