Just ahead of Valentine’s Day last yr, Victor Lee, a 28-year-old clothing manufacturer from Manhattan, noticed something missing from social media: true love.
Sure, his timelines were flooded with sappy posts featuring gushy PDA by lovestruck Gen Z’ers and starry-eyed newlyweds.
But Lee, who’s been together with his girlfriend for five years, was in search of more substantive content — videos that celebrated romances which have stood the test of time.
So, he tapped childhood pal Aaron Feinberg, 28, a WeWork hospitality specialist, who looped in his buddy Jeremy Bernstein, 29, an on-the-street renewable energy salesman from Brooklyn.
The buddies created the TikTok and Instagram accounts @MeetCutesNYC, which has amassed a combined 1.2 million followers.
The trio interviews NYC couples on the road, asking people how they met their longtime spouse.
“None of us have a background in social media,” said Lee, who edits their accounts’ videos — some which have scored upwards of 14 million views on TikTok.
“But every time I meet a latest couple, I really like asking, ‘How’d you guys meet?’” he told The Post. “They’re at all times fun and fascinating stories which can be stuffed with surprises.”
Feinberg, who serves as cameraman and used his iPhone to tape the early anecdotes, says he and the team felt they’d struck social media gold on day one.
“The primary couple we spoke to were incredibly welcoming and open. We immediately knew we had something,” he said,.
The fellows, each of whom still works at a full-time job, shoot content throughout Manhattan of their off hours.
Nonetheless, they’ve bookmarked the corner of Greene Street and Broome Street in Soho as the most effective high-foot-traffic locale for chatting with sweethearts out for a leisurely stroll.
And Bernstein, the off-camera interviewer, tells The Post his impromptu probes aren’t solely about entertaining those on social media.
The themes of the sidewalk talks get to enjoy some nostalgia.
“Couples get a probability to think concerning the starting of their relationship, something a few of them haven’t thought of in 40 years, and it’s really special for them,” he said. “People find love and connection in any respect ages and in so many various ways.”
Listed here are just a few of MeetCutesNYC’s cutest stories.
Embracing destiny
Karla Lightfoot-Briggs, a 50-something hypnotherapist from Murray Hill, first locked eyes with Jeffery Briggs across a crowded room while waiting in line to embrace South Indian spiritual leader Amma, best generally known as “The Hugging Saint,” in July 2008.
“I noticed her,” Briggs, who works in pharmaceutical marketing, told The Post. “Eventually we were seated next to one another and we talked for the remaining of the night until 8:00 within the morning.”
The pair were engaged by December 2008 and tied the knot in October 2010. Sharing their story was thought-provoking.
“The experience invited us to essentially take a look at what brought us together,” Lightfoot-Briggs said. “It helped us acknowledge who we’re [to one another].”
He choo-choo-chose her
David, a former train operations supervisor at Grand Central Station, first saw blond bombshell Bonnie 30 years ago, spotting her through the one-way window in his office as she walked down a station platform. He told MeetCutesNYC, “The subsequent day, I put the train on the identical track so I could see her again. Then I did it a 3rd time. Finally, I used to be putting every train on that track to be sure I [saw her].”
He eventually asked Bonnie, who was initially unaware of his train track trickery, on a date and so they’ve been married for 20 years.
All of the signs were there
Jamil, a deaf sign language instructor in Manhattan, set his sights on Angela, a Brooklyn preschool teacher who isn’t hearing impaired, after she enrolled in his signing class for work. Once Angela had accomplished the course, they began dating and so they’ve been going strong for 4 years. “Our languages are different. Our worlds are different. But we still connected,” Jamil signed in a social media post as Angela interpreted.
Sock it to me, babe
Ty Watts is convinced that her husband, Brandon, mistook her for the sister of ‘90s R&B singer Coko after they first met at a marriage 20 years ago. On the time, she was 18 and he was 19. But Brandon says it was Ty’s natural beauty, slightly than her resemblance to a star, that drew him in. “I used to be immediately drawn to her,” he said. “I knew she was the one immediately.” And Ty fell for Brandon just as fast — regardless that he wore two pair of socks to spice up his height on their first date. “He gives me tall man energy,” she joked. The lovebirds share two sons and sit up for someday being grandparents.
Hairs you, kids
Shawna didn’t like Meekie Young when the 2 first met as cosmetology school classmates in August 2011. The Brooklynite thought the native Louisianan was “too cocky,” when it got here to her barbering skills. But after getting a glimpse of Meekie’s kind heart at school, Shawna found herself head over heels in love. “I joke that I’m the most effective thing that Shawna got out of hair school,” Meekie, 39, told The Post. “But really, she was the most effective thing I got.” The couple, who live in Jersey City, Recent Jersey, exchanged vows in October 2018, and now share a toddler son and daughter. “On daily basis I take a look at my wife and I’m like, ‘Wow, I actually married this girl,’ Shawna, 33, a stay-at-home-mom, told The Post. “Now we have a wonderful story and we’re joyful to share it.”
Nice moves
It was Anthony’s fancy footwork that first left Timmy wonderstruck 17 years. The 2, who hadn’t previously met, were each partying at certainly one of town’s alternative gay clubs when Timmy became entranced by his soon-to-be hubby’s mesmerizing moves. “I saw him dancing and I went as much as him,” said Timmy. “And here we’re.” The duo said “I do” eight years ago. Anthony says a willingness to “waft” is what’s kept them together.
A really perfect arrangement
Muthanna and Fajer didn’t follow the timeworn “first comes love, then comes marriage” trope. The Kuwaiti couple, who recently visited their children in Recent York, had an arranged marriage, as is common of their culture. They are saying it’s made their partnership strong. “We never hide anything [from one another],” Muthanna said. “Each time we see in one another that there may be some problem,” he continued before Fajer chimed in, “We solve it directly.”
Drop it prefer it’s hot honeys
Just hours before DJ’ing a celebration hosted by Snoop Dogg, Shiron attended a housewarming party, where he met his would-be wife, Anya. Unfortunately for Shiron, Anya didn’t speak any English on the time, and wasn’t impressed by his gig with the “Drop It Like It’s Hot” hitmaker.
But 15 years later, the pair are a everlasting item. “He never stops growing. He’s at all times evolving,” says Anya of her hubby when asked her favorite thing about him. And Shiron commended his bride on her cooking and parenting skills, adding, “She listens. She’s gorgeous and he or she’s sensitive.”