10 Charlotte first kiss stories from our readers

The intrigue: Some of these stories took place just months ago; others nearly 50 years ago. Still, they all capture a timeless human experience unfolding across our fast-growing city.

Zoom in: We mapped the Charlotte spots where these kisses happened; many still standing, some long gone.

By the numbers: Out of dozens of submissions, below are 10 of our favorites, listed in no particular order.

Editor's note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

📍A classmate's backyard in Ballantyne, 2007: "It was a cast party for my high school's fall show ("Bye Bye Birdie"). All the guys were dared to line up and kiss each other. I didn't kiss the guy I wanted to — but I still kissed a guy (big win). Eighteen years later, I think about 60% of us have come out as gay. Shout out to the senior girl who likely knew this and thought, 'I'm gonna make them all kiss.'" — Nick D.

📍 Dandelion Market, 2018: "After months of trying to flirt and hint that I liked my friend and wanted to be more than friends, and him not picking up on it, I finally made the first move. After taking a lemon pound cake shot, I slammed mine down, grabbed his face and kissed him. He finally got the hint — now we're married and have a kid." — Steph O.

📍Briarwood Park, 2021: "I was 21, had never been kissed and was dating my first boyfriend at the time. We drove to Briarwood Park and sat on the bleachers in front of the baseball field. All of a sudden, he asked, 'Can I kiss you?' My reply was, 'Can I put on Chapstick first?'" — Brooke H.

📍 Fourth Ward, 2015: "My now-husband and I were friends for years. When we finally found ourselves single at the same time, we started spending more time together. We lived in the same Fourth Ward complex, and one night we split a cab home from the Epicentre rooftop. He walked me to my door, even though I was on the ground floor. I asked if he wanted to come in. He said if he did, he'd 'kiss the s**t out of me.' I replied, 'Do you promise?' And that was that. We've been together 10 years, married for eight, with two beautiful babies." — Kathryn R.

📍 The Green in Uptown, 2011: "We kissed for a long time, and badly, but it was special to us. We married later that year. Now, we have four kids and just celebrated our 14th anniversary. My favorite part about that spot is walking past it on the way to Panthers games. I always embarrass our kids and say, 'That's where your mom and I made out for the first time.'" — Thomas D.

📍 Neighborhood Theatre, 2018: "We ended up having our first kiss to 'Don't you forget about me.' It was quite romantic, and the whole night felt like a movie montage of falling in love. We're about to celebrate our third wedding anniversary and just welcomed our first child together." — Denise C.

📍The Dunhill Hotel, 2020: "More than 20 years ago, I fell in love with a co-worker and never told her, then watched her marry someone else. I tried to stay friends as she built a family, but it hurt too much. Eight years later, during Covid, she found me again. I tried to ignore her messages, but I caved. We talked for hours, catching up on heartbreaks, including her recent divorce. That night, we realized we'd both loved each other all along. A month later, I drove 12 hours to Charlotte to see her for the first time in nearly a decade. When she opened the door at the Dunhill, every fear disappeared. We kissed in the doorway. Four months later, I was living in NoDa, exploring Charlotte with the love of my life. I haven't stood beside her at the altar yet. But in that doorway, I got the first yes. One day, I will get that forever yes." — Todd B.

📍 Mama Ricotta's parking lot, 2025: "It was our second date (we are both divorced and in our 50s). It began to sprinkle and then rained a little harder. It felt straight out of a movie." — Sarah T.

📍 Charlotte's airport, 2000: "A recent widow with two little girls, I came to Charlotte to visit my high school best friend from California. Hadn't seen each other in seven years since he had moved here. It was amazing and unforgettable. We just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary." — Paula P.

📍 A house off South Boulevard, 1976: "My date was a beautiful girl named Mary. We went to a party at this house (which is long gone now), and there were motorcycle parts strewn about the kitchen. We had our first kiss in that kitchen. I have always said that as soon as that kiss happened, Mary 'had my heart amongst motorcycle parts.' She told me that it was the best kiss she had ever had! We ended up getting married and have been blissfully in love for 47 years." — Tommy F.