Saskatoon lovers share their sweet stories
Saskatoon love birds are dishing on how they met their match for a chance to win our #CBCvalentine contest
From fateful reunions to fun friendships that bloomed, everyone's love journey is different.
This week, Saskatchewan lovers are sharing their sweet stories with CBC Saskatoon for a chance to win our Share the Love Contest.
Here are some of the lovebirds who entered...
"I met the love of my life, Michal, online, and we fell in love on an adventure we took to The Burning Man festival, in Nevada, in his ambulance that we converted into a R.V. and made run on used vegetable oil. We were married the next year and now have a three month old baby girl named Alice. I love them both more than I can put into words." -Brigit W.
"Believe it or not, we met at the bar in the resort village of Cochin. The Johner Brothers were playing there that night." -Annette B.
"Hesitantly. We were talking online for two weeks, but I was reluctant to meet. Both of us had been married before and kids living with us full time. I was in no rush to get super serious. I was also about to leave on a holiday and adamant that we should just meet up when I returned. He said that was fine, we could take our time.
For some reason however, two days before I was set to go, I had this feeling that, no- we need to meet now- before I leave. I can't explain it, but when I walked in the coffee shop- and saw this tall, shy guy looking out the window, something just clicked and it was right. We 've been together since and got married 11 months ago! The only issue now- we have no time alone with 3 teenagers in the house! ❤️" -Carmen N.
"We met on Instagram almost 3 years ago, he was playing college football in San Diego and I was going to Business school here in Saskatoon. Summer of 2013 he came here and spent some time with me, we loved each other, he moved here, he transferred to U of S taking Aboriginal Law. I'm done school with my accounting diploma, on Mat leave from work, were expecting our first child together anyday now." -Brittany T.
"We met in high school and dated for about 3 weeks. I was a flaky girl, and couldn't commit. We went our separate ways, and about 10 years later, I was in Vancouver visiting a friend. We entered a building, and as I scanned the crowd I noticed a handsome man looking at me. I became very nervous. When I looked back he was still looking at me. I chanced it one more time, and he mouthed my name! I immediately recognized him! We started spending time together and became very good friends. I wasn't in a place to pursue anything as I was moving to Thailand. Before I left, we expressed feelings for each other, but there was nothing we could do. About a month after I moved, he volunteered with a non-profit organization and they asked him to go to Thailand to do work on the Thai/Burma border. He came out and we decided to give our relationship a try. We had our first date in Bangkok. After his volunteer contract was up, he returned to Canada and we continued dating long distance until I came back. We got married a short time later. We have now been married 8 years, have two children, have lived abroad, and continue to inspire one another, and adventure together. I couldn't be more thankful to share life with this guy!" -Jessica N.
Our love story begin in June 2011, at the first ever MoSo Conference! We met on the first day of the conference, after the day of sessions, on the patio at Louis'. The sun was starting to set after a gorgeous day, the Sea Hags were playing some great music and we were both in line to get another beer. Dustin was ahead of me, turned around and stated the most Saskatchewanian line if I have ever heard one! 'Great weather out here tonight,' or something to that effect. Ha, I tease him, but it obviously worked it's charm as we have been together ever since and just got married in October! -Desaree W.
"I'm a photographer on the side and one of my wedding clients introduced Jordy and I back in 2012 and my initial thought was "oh he's just too nice." Over a year rolls around and two flopped relationships, the same couple invites me out to join them for drinks and cheezy bread at Bridges – and surprise, surprise, Jordy is there again, and that time, I remember saying to myself, "Carlene – maybe jerks aren't quite your type. Maybe you need to try nice." A few hours later, we are chatting about common interests, like horses, fishing and hunting, but largely hunting with the mule deer hunting season opening a few days later. I was drawn for two mule deer tags in the Saskatoon Wildlife Management Zone – also the same area where Jordy is from and farms with his family. An experienced hunter, he promises, "I can help get you a mule deer no problem." Being new to mule deer hunting (and hunting all together – and making things tougher, I'm also a bow hunter), Jordy offers to take me out and show me a few spots. We exchange numbers and save September 1st, the first day of mule deer hunting, to go out and see what we can find.
The night before going out, I'm a bit nervous, because I really don't know this guy – or the couple who set us up really other than shooting their wedding and a few drinks together – so who knows if Jordy is really a closet axe murderer or not! In my full anxious ways, I text my parents to download a tracking app and give them permission to follow my location while hunting and also give them directions to the area to where we will be hunting. September 1st arrives, and before the crack of dawn, at roughly 3:30 AM, I head out to what would be our first date. Not your typical first date, sitting behind a large round bale, in complete darkness and not being able to talk because we are hoping to cross the path of a deer, but in the end it worked out. While I didn't get a mule deer that season, I managed to get a great best friend, partner in crime and boyfriend. That first date has shaped much of our relationship – a common love for the outdoors, hunting to provide delicious home cooked meals, a passion for adventure and horseback riding and that sometimes quiet time is truly the best time.
Winning the CBC Valentine's Day package would be great and a well-deserved rest. In just over a year of dating, we've survived two harvest and a seeding season, lived through a busy wedding season of photographing over 11 weddings, one of us started a new job, we decided to host a rodeo in Delisle that ended up winning rodeo of the year in its association, and probably our largest and most on-going task, we bought a 100 year old farm house and land. So we haven't had any time to just sit back and relax, busy with work, farming, life and renos upon renos, the CBC Valentine's Day Package would be a great way to celebrate our adventures together and rest up for our next chapter." -Carlene D
"Tyler and I met in the summer of 2001 while we were both working at a convenience store. I was about to start my graduating year of high school and he had just finished his first year at a technical school. I thought he was the funniest guy and I was always excited when I got to work with him, which was rare as we worked different shifts. I flirted when I seen him but he seemed oblivious and never made a move. One night when I was out with some girlfriends, they dared me to go to into work and kiss him. It took me a long time to get up the courage but I eventually did. I went into the store we both worked at and planted one on him. Unfortunately I was too terrified to see his reaction, so I quickly left. The next day I had to work, he came in and did the same thing to me and officially asked me out. 10 years later we got married and now we have been together going on 15 years. We're best friends and I can't imagine life without him." -Sharon B.
"I was less than excited to somehow end up in four out of five classes with Colin, aka the class clown, for my last semester of high school. He even ended up as my #1 match during the school's Valentines Day fundraiser matchmaker survey (which I still have), out of the hundreds of guys I could have been randomly matched with. But there must be some science to it, because by the end of the year he was my date to graduation. Seven years later, after two cities and provinces, and a year of long distance, we will be walking down the aisle this summer!" -Roxanne B.
"I joke that he followed me to Eastend. I was working there and he "happened" to be passing through. We went out, he brought me ice cream the next day and I was hooked. We've been adventuring together since!" -Daralyn F.
"We met online two oddballs, hardly compatible but completely inseparable. Married in a fairytale snow castle, and bringing our son into the world on Valentines Day. Much love!" -Justine P.
"Brett and I met at the 2012 Osheaga music festival in Montreal. We were both there with friends who the other knew and even though we had many friends in common, we had never met before. We bonded over the good food and music in Montreal. It took traveling to Quebec to meet this special guy from Saskatoon and since then we've continued to enjoy good food and music in each other's company." -Kathleen C.
"Shaughn and I met online - match.com. He was stationed (Canadian Military) in Alert, Nunavut and I had just moved to Calgary to work for a PR firm. We got to know each other really well via Skype, Facebook and email and then finally got to meet when Shaughn was finished his six month tour. We got married and were stationed in Moose Jaw, SK last year were we now reside. (So glad to be back home in Saskatchewan!)" -Carol W.
"After being married for almost 10 years and together for 14 years, my husband and I learned just last year that our love story began 36 years before we were even born. Growing up in different cities in New Brunswick, Graham and I met in 1996 at The University of New Brunswick, where we both played rugby. We were instantly friends and remained so until Graham moved to Calgary in 1999 for work. In 2000 I graduated and headed to the University of Calgary to get my education degree. I asked a mutual friend if he knew where Graham was so I could have a friend in this new part of the country. Unfortunately, he had moved back to New Brunswick to peruse his pilots license. I forgot about him. It wasn't until a late night in 2002 when I was leaving a pub in Calgary with friends that I heard him call my name, sweep me off my feet, and swing me around in circles. As it turned out, he had moved back to Calgary and we lived just a mere 5 minute walking distance from one another. We began to hang out, date, and then fell in love. The story continues with me continuing to teach, Graham receiving his helicopters licence, and me following him to various cities. We were married and have since been blessed with two beautiful little boys, Quintin and Sawyer. Now, for the strange part. It wasn't until we were walking through the Western Development museum in Saskatoon with my parents when my mother made a simple statement when she saw an old fashioned car, "That's the same type of car that Stanley Thompson drove my mom and dad to the hospital in the night I was born". Turns out that Stanley Thompson was in fact Graham's great uncle. We knew that my grandparents had known Graham's grandmother's family when they were young, but never knew that the connection had been that close. Throughout the years and while I was growing up, my grandparents had remained friends with this "Stanley Thompson" man, but I never knew who he was. Turns out, he was an important player in our love story. Who knew, that my husband, my love, and my best friend was someone who had such family connections to mine and that we never knew. I truly believe that we were meant to be together and that our love was destined so many years before we had even come to be." -Heidi M.
"Our love story began in the fall of 1998 with a slay ride and a lost toque. Just two young kids unknowingly thrown together. I was in nursing and Sean was training to be a pilot. Sean found out we both enjoyed James Bond and suggested we watch all of the movies together. I translates that to mean - he's all into this. His actual meaning was - let's get together and watch all the James Bond movies together..... Who knew that a chilly November night and a misunderstanding of intentions would result in a year of friendship, 3 years of dating, 14 years of marriage and 3 amazing adventures we are blessed to call our children. We have grown into young adults, husband and wife and mom and dad together. There is not one other person in this universe I would rather spend my life with." -Ruth W.
"13 years ago Chris and I met online, back in the times when online dating was unheard of and still a little bit scary. We both had daughters and baggage from past relationships and turned to the Internet to work some magic. We spend the first 2 nights talking via MSN messenger for 8 hours each night. Who knows what we talked about for 8 hrs but we did! We met in a public park on the edge of Lake Ontario and never looked back. 12 years after that meeting, we finally said I do, right here in Saskatoon at the Boffins Public House park at the U of S. This picture reminds me of how easily he can make me laugh, and how much we have needed that laughter in our years together. The girls have grown up and our son has made it to ten in the blink of an eye. We like to tell people the story of how we met online in a time when it wasn't so acceptable, and lived to tell the story!" -Carla E.
"We met at university, where Marc met me four times before realizing I was the same person! Three months later, he finally recognized me and the rest is history!" -Leah P