30 Men Recall The Moment They Decided To Marry Their Wife
1. When everyone assumed we were already married.
“We’d been together for years, and were on vacation. People asked us if we were newlyweds and we said no and they said ah, so you’ve been married for a long time then?
It did not occur to anyone that we were not married.
We figured at that point we might as well throw a party and make it official.”
2. When we held each other and fell asleep in a freezing-cold park.
“On our 4th date we got a cheap pizza and went to a park in October up north. We fell asleep and woke up freezing at 2 in the morning. Instead of getting up and leaving we just held each other and went back asleep for another 2 hours.
I knew from that moment I was gonna marry this girl!”
3. When I realized I cared more about her than myself.
“I think it was the time I was yelling at her for doing something dangerous (Taking a ride form a random bar patron stranger in NYC when I lived a block away and would have walked her home or got her a cab) and she asked me why I was so upset and I stomped my foot and kinda yelled ‘Because I love you, damn it!’ That’s when I knew I cared more about someone else than myself. Now we are married and I couldn’t imagine spending my life without her messy, accident prone self in my life.”
4. When she told my boob-obsessed dad that she’s a B-cup.
“When I first told my father that I was dating someone new, he jokingly asked, ‘What’s her name? What does she do? What’s her bra size?’
I told her about it, hoping to prepare her for his sense of humor, and she thought it was hilarious. The first time they met she introduced herself by saying, ‘Hi, I’m Stephanie! I’m in college and I’m a B-cup.’
My father was horrified, my mother was laughing hysterically, and I was in love.”
5. When I wasn’t bothered having to clean up her puke and poop.
“I’ve been married just over a week, so I’ve been telling this story a lot lately.
We were three days into a month-long backpacking trip in southeast Asia. We’re staying in a seedy hotel in Bangkok and she gets a bad case of food poisoning – it’s coming out of both ends for 24 hours.
I, of course, am now designated as her nurse. I’m refilling her water bottle, getting her soup from the restaurant outside, keeping her company and, most importantly, emptying the trash bin she keeps puking into.
After one trip to empty her vomit bucket, I come back into the room and she’s asleep. I looked at her and thought to myself ‘I’m not even bothered by this. I’d do anything for her. This is the woman I’m going to marry.’
She’s a disgusting barf fairy, but she’s my disgusting barf fairy. Zero regrets.
For all those asking, we had a Jewish wedding, so no vows. I did get to break the shit out of a glass, though!”
6. When she didn’t yell back at me.
“I got mad and yelled at her for some stupid shit because I had been in a toxic relationship prior to meeting her and I thought that what couples did (scream & argue). I expected her to yell back at me, but she just stared at me for a moment and asked if I was done. I said I was and she proceeded to explain to me that people who love one another do not treat each other that way. We can disagree with one another, but there’s no reason to be mean. ‘If we’re going to be together, please don’t be mean to me again.’ That was 26 years ago (we’ve been married 25 years).”
7. When I couldn’t imagine my life without her in it…after our second date.
“Engaged.
Our first date lasted 12 hours because we just couldn’t stop talking.
Our second date was supposed to be just dinner and it lasted almost 2 days.
She drove away after the second date and I couldn’t imagine my life without her in it. I was ecstatic to find out she felt the same.”
8. When her eyes lit up after I asked her to be my girlfriend.
“We had gone on two or three dates before I asked her to ‘be my girlfriend’ and I knew the instant she said yes that we would be married one day. Her eyes just lit up like nothing else when I told her I wanted to make things official. It has felt like I can read her mind since the day I met her. I know when she’s happy, sad, upset, tired, annoyed, etc. I knew a few days before she asked me to move in with her that she was going to ask. We have been in sync pretty constantly, and I’m incredibly lucky to be married to someone with whom I’m so in tune. We dated for three years, but I knew from day one that we were going to be married.
I don’t really believe in ‘soulmates’ or anything too mystical. However, if there was anyone who could change my mind about that, it’s my wife.”
9. When my son called her ‘Mama.’
“When my son called her ‘Mama.’ My ex left us high and dry when my son was 4 months old.”
10. When she spent two hours helping me find my keys in a dumpster.
“The day she took off work to help me go through a dumpster. I had accidentally thrown my keys in the trash while cleaning out my car.
We found them 2 hours later.”
11. When she delivered me ice cream after my wisdom teeth were pulled out.
“I was 18 and just gotten out of a dental appointment where 2 of my wisdom teeth were pulled out. I was drooling, stains of blood all over my shirt and it was the summertime. My gf at the time was 16, took what little money she had from her allowance, bought me a box of ice cream and biked 25 minutes just to deliver that box of ice cream and see how I was doing. With blood stains all over, she still gave me that look of love and planted a kiss on me. That was almost 20 years ago and I still can’t imagine having a happier life without her in it.”
12. When she made me lasagna as I was sobbing over my mother’s stroke.
“Things were going really well, and I was saying to myself ‘If this keeps up, I think next summer I’ll pop the question.’
Then, my mother had a stroke. We were all sitting in the waiting area outside the ICU, because only 2 people were allowed in at a time. It was my now-wife’s birthday, and a Wednesday, and she didn’t hesitate to take the day off to sit with me and my family.
I went to visit my father at home, and she came with me. Her Italian instincts kicked it, and she brought a load of groceries and a lasagna with her.
My father was a mess at the hospital, and it fell on me and my siblings to speak with the doctors and make plans.
I would get home, and pour myself some bourbon. She made me dinner, and just sat with me while I silently sobbed.
It wasn’t about how great we were when things were good, it was about how perfect she was when things were bad.
I bought the ring 2 months later.”
13. When I didn’t get tired of her company on a five-day road trip.
“Went on a five-day road trip with her and didn’t get tired of her company. I get exhausted by spending more than two days in a row with almost anyone.”
14. When she wiped my ass for me after I broke my arm.
“I had broken my right arm (actually cracked my elbow) and I’m right handed. We had been together for about 6 months and she wiped my ass for me. Enough said.”
15. When kissing her felt like falling off a cliff.
“Just goofing around on the floor, I leaned over and kissed her. Bam! It was like falling off a cliff. I was dizzy, light headed, heard a whooshing sound, felt my heart pounding like crazy. Barely coherent, I looked over at her- she was having the same sensation. Something inside just connected. Effectively, we were married right at that very moment. Everything else was just administration and ritual. I moved into her apartment that night & we’ve rarely been apart since. Twenty-five years later, we still refer to it as ‘that kiss.’”
16. When I realized I could be completely myself around her.
“It was our first date. It was the last day of classes before Thanksgiving break, she was supposed to drive home after class. It was just a coffee date that stretched out for several hours. It was just comfortable. Conversation flowed. I wasn’t worried about saying anything dumb or silly. We were completely ourselves. It culminated in a shy kiss in her car before she left to drive home.
Her Mom knew why she was late, just by her mood. I went back to my apartment and talked to my roommate. I told him there was something special about this girl. We’ll be celebrating our 10-year anniversary this summer.”
17. When she literally saved my life.
“Short version: She literally saved my life.
Less-short version: I’m from Michigan. Back in December 2014, I was in Delaware for a business trip. I ended up getting food poisoning, which brought on DKA (for those non-diabetes, basically your blood gets poisoned and your body tries to fight it off, which proves to be futile). I was vomiting constantly, and kept drifting in and out of consciousness. My wife (then-girlfriend) called me about 20 or 30 times before I finally answered. The only thing I could force myself to say was ‘hi baby. I’m really sick.’ Then I blacked out again. What seemed like 5 minutes passed (which was actually about 12 – 13 hours) when I heard a banging on my hotel room door. I heard my girlfriend’s voice yelling ‘It’s me. Let me in.’ I screamed as loud as I could ‘get in here! get in here!’ then I blacked out. I woke up in the hospital a day later.
I found out that when I didn’t answer the door, she ran downstairs, got a key, came up, and called an ambulance. The ambulance said that they would be there in 30 minutes. She said ‘that’s not soon enough.’ She put me into a rolling computer chair and pushed me to the elevator and out to her car, threw my near lifeless body in the backseat, and drove me to the hospital.
When all was said and done, my body had a blood sugar level of 1,400 (my normal range is 110 – 140) and my white blood cell count was around 3,000 (I’m not 100% about this number, but I know it was high). My wife sat with me for 6 days in the hospital. Sleeping in the chair next to me. Left to eat but came right back. She didn’t leave my side.
I should also mention that this was only 4 months after we started dating; however, we had been friends for a few years before this.
I found out later that if she would have waited for the ambulance, I would not have made it. She literally saved my life. She sacrificed her time, risked getting fired and failing classes to drive 13 hours from Michigan to Delaware to take care of me. Once it all hit me as to what she had done, I was completely speechless and realized that if this girl is willing to do something like this for me, I must be pretty fucking special to her.
I made it a priority once I recovered to ask her mother and father for their blessing, which they both gave me. I married her in May 2016. One of the scariest things to ever happen to me ended up showing me my girlfriend’s devotion and love for me. We just hit our one year anniversary, and although we’re a young couple, we are still kicking ass and going strong.”
18. When she ate six Big Macs in a row in Moscow.
“My dad told me he knew he wanted to marry my mom when the McDonald’s opened in Moscow after the USSR crumbled and she ate six Big Macs in a row.”
—j_mp
19. When she showed up as a surprise, then I hugged her and lifted and spun her around a bit.
“We had a long-distance relationship. We lived 3 to 4 hours away from each other the entire time we dated. We had met at a concert and traded emails and MSN info (classic). We emailed and chatted every day, sometimes for hours. We poured our hearts out about our fears and dreams. I’d go visit her every other weekend, and she’d come once and a while my way.
About 3 or 4 months into doing this, I’m at home chilling at home playing some game in my room. My dad calls up the stairs that I got a package in the mail. So I, confused, come walking down the stairs. And there she was. She came up to visit as a surprise. Without thinking, I instinctively ran to her and hugged her and lifted her and spun her a bit. And I felt in my heart a wholeness. Like holding her filled in something I was missing. I knew then that I never would let her go (metaphorically speaking). Been married over 9 years, and I still get that feeling when I hug and kiss her.”
20. When she started swinging one of my swords at me.
“When I was a young lad I had bought a pair of swords. Now for some reason I still had them, but when my now-wife agreed to come over my place I decided to hide them in a storage closet because why would any grown man have these. So, a while down the line she was looking for something in said closet when I heard ‘what the hell? You have swords? WHY ARE YOU HIDING THESE?!’ I was prepared to be mocked mercilessly, when instead she handed me one and then started swinging. It was about that time that I realized I was going to marry her.”
21. When she handed me a perfectly unwrapped burger that I could eat one-handed as I was driving.
“I was driving us home from a golf tournament for couples. We stopped to get some lunch and as I was driving she handed me a perfectly unwrapped burger that I could eat one-handed while she sat cross legged next to me. Not sure why but I just felt so loved, nurtured and happy in that moment. Now that’s sort of our thing. We love to travel and no matter where we stop to eat she will always make sure I am able to eat in a convenient way. Something about watching the road while your now wife sets a napkin on your leg, puts the fries face up in the cup holder and gets the burger ready to go. Been together 10 years married for two.”
22. When we were having a conversation and she kept making me laugh.
“When we were having a conversation and she kept making me laugh. Her sense of humor is incredible. It also helped when I was taking her out on an early date and she said, ‘You’re spending too much money on me.’ She knew money was very tight for me (we were in college).
Our 34th anniversary is this Saturday.”
23. When she cradled me for hours after I watched a two-year-old die.
“In my first week as licensed as a paramedic I had a two-year-old die on me. When I got off work, I drove to my girlfriend’s place and told her about my day. I was pretty numb at the time, trying to process this kid’s death despite all my efforts. I laid down on her couch, and she just wrapped her arms around me and laid with me for 3-4 hours as I tried to process. She didn’t push or ask lots of questions, just laid their quietly and held me. I slowly was able to talk my way through it, and then the tears started. She cried with me. I felt the whole world was so dark and ugly, but she was my island of light. Started saving up for a ring that week, and asked her to marry me 6 months later. In September, we celebrate our 5-year wedding anniversary. I’m still a paramedic, and she’s still my island.”
24. When she took care of me after I got the flu.
“Once I got flu, she stood by me day and night until I recovered. I got to see her nurturing side for the first time. I was already in love with her, this sealed the deal.”
25. When she rubbed my feet while I was in the hospital.
“I asked my husband and he said it was about a year into our relationship. He says, ‘Right after we moved to WA (from OR) and I woke up in the middle of the night with an arrhythmia. Even though you had to work the next day and it was 2am, you calmly suggested we go to the ER just to be sure. You talked to the doctors, asked questions, rubbed my feet (you hate feet!) and did everything to keep me calm. You were my advocate and made sure I got taken care of. I knew then that I wanted to be with you forever. I felt very loved and proud that you were mine.’
It turns out he had mild sleep apnea (he didn’t snore so I had no idea!) and when his brain would shoot adrenaline into his system after not breathing for a second, it would totally fuck up the electrical system in his heart, causing an atrial fibrillation. It hasn’t happened since he got a CPaP shortly after this episode. Glad we went to the doctor because he told me it had happened before. A-Fib can cause clots to form in the heart because the blood doesn’t always fully exit the ventricles, and can lead to stroke. Sleep apnea is no joke, people!
That was in September 2014. He proposed in April 2015, and we’ve been married since August 2016. Our first baby is due in 2 weeks. It’s a boy !💙”
26. When she made me a fresh peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich.
“While making Rice Krispie treats, my future wife snuck a spoonful of the melted marshmallow and made me a fresh peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich without me noticing. When I took the first bite, I knew I’d never find anyone better.”
27. When I accidentally spit in her eye and she burst out laughing.
“My wife and I were good friends before we became romantically involved. She was ‘one of the guys,’ and it wasn’t unusual to roughhouse a little (this sounds sexual in retrospect, but it really wasn’t at the time). You know that thing you used to do to your sister when you were like 12, where you’d pin her down and threaten to spit on her by letting the spit hang out of your mouth, then sucking it back up at the last minute? (Dear God, I hope I’m not the only one who did this.) Well, I did that to my friend-now-wife, except I waited too long and I accidentally spit directly in her eye. Instead of being furious like a normal person, she busted out laughing. We’ve been married 12 years.”
28. When I realized she could insult me as well as I could insult her.
“This may be a bit unusual, but the way she could toss an insult around. I tend to tease playfully, and she could always toss banter right back. We ended up insulting each other so much that my friend had to assure his girlfriend that we were only kidding and didn’t hate each other. It was great.”
29. When she laughed at a joke about her grandpa dying.
“She was going to visit her dying grandpa who was in the hospital. She had to fly a ways to go see him and unfortunately, he died about an hour before she got there.
She said, ‘He tried so hard to hang on so we could say one last goodbye, but he just couldn’t quite make it.’
I said, ‘Or maybe he knew you were coming, so he died on purpose so he wouldn’t have to see you.’
She laughed her ass off.
I knew.”
30. When she started humping my golf club and yelling, ‘I’M HORNY.’
“It was a blind date. I was 21 and she was 18. I took her to play miniature golf. At one point as I bent over to pick up my golf ball, she put her club between her legs and pantomimed that it was a dick and started thrusting it against my asshole while yelling ‘I’M HORNY.’ Totally broke the ice. We’ve been married for 16 years now and she’s just as crazy, loud, and hilarious. Our kids don’t even know how to handle her. She’s also gotten more beautiful with age.”
