Is MIT the Most Romantic Place on Earth?

Update: These stories were originally published on Valentine's Day 2013. Add yours on Facebook or in the comments below and we'll continue to update this story!

A few weeks back, we asked for your most romantic moment at MIT. Our goal was to dispel the notion that MITers don’t have time for affairs of the heart.

Judging by the memories you shared, the Institute might be the world's most romantic place. And these stories are decidedly MIT, with appearances from Smoots and the Thirsty Ear Pub, and a proposal assist from Warren Buffett (pictured).

Thank you to everyone who shared their story, which are listed alphabetically by name below. Some small edits were made for grammar and brevity. Happy Valentine's Day—enjoy the romantic side of MIT!

"I married my beautiful wife in the MIT chapel followed by dinner and dancing in Morse Hall. We are one of a handful of same-sex couples to have been married on campus and we were so lucky to have beautiful weather, romantic fireworks, and the support of an inclusive campus community. Surrounded by all the love of our friends and family, it was with full and open hearts that we made our vows to cherish and support each other for the rest of our lives. Today we are the proud moms of a beautiful baby girl and we feel so blessed to have kick started our family and to have celebrated our love, romance, and commitment at MIT." – Abigail

"The love of my life is no more in this world. A few years back he visited Boston with his friends. He also visited MIT at that time. He shared his pictures with me. In one of them he was at the MIT dome. Now life brought me to MIT and whenever I walk by the dome, I can see him standing there, smiling at me." – Anonymous

"It was a Thursday night at the Thirsty Ear and my Baker House friends and I were checking out the crowd. The one I was checking out came up to me and he said, 'So, how was Africa?' Great—this guy is either a weirdo or he thinks I am someone else. He mistook me for someone else, but we still left together that night to get some coffee and talk. More dates followed. Twenty-four years later, and we are in our 19th year of marriage and have four kids—but never did get to go to Africa!" – Allison

"Last day of Rush my senior year, the first time I looked into my wonderful husband David's eyes. Don't know how we didn't meet until then, but after that shared thousands of romantic moments at MIT. Am I the only one who thinks Killian Court is SUPER romantic?" – Amy

"What Amy said." – David

"I met my husband during R/O Week. We didn't start dating until senior year. After all-nighters, he would sneak into my room and put freshly-cut lilacs next to my bed. Waking up to those lilacs was amazing!" – Angeli

"First date with my wife. Thornton Wilder's 'The Matchmaker' at Kresge Little Theater. December 15, 1962." – Bruce

"I was literally the first girl down the hall from my husband freshman year. We met at the first wing meeting, when he mentioned his love of Darkwing Duck (one I shared). We were friends first, but after hiding in his room on Freshman Shower Night, I started seeing him differently and we started dating the next day. The most romantic moment was when he took me to the top of the little dome to tell me he loved me the first time. It was raining, but he dressed up and even brought a bottle of sparkling apple cider." – Darlene

With so many nice and talented people around, how can you not fall in love at MIT?

"Three other students and I were waiting outside of our advisor’s office in Building 13. We commiserated about the upcoming semester, especially 3.185 with Prof. Szekely, which was supposed to be awful. One of the students, Derek, suggested exchanging phone numbers so that we could form a study group. Little did I know that I had just met my future husband and he never had any intention of using the other telephone numbers. We’ve been married for 19 years and have three daughters." – Diane

"I met my husband my first week on campus. He almost ran me over to catch a Frisbee while I was napping in the sun on Killian Court. Though we didn't start to date then, thirteen years later he proposed to me on the same spot." – Elise

"Ken and I met in 5.41 recitation, but probably wouldn't have gotten to know each other without a mutual friend. MIT is the beginning of our story—LSC movies, Mary Chung's and Toscanini's, and walking to Harvard Square on summer evenings." – Gail

"Got engaged my senior year in Killian to my best friend (whom I met during dorm rush three years prior). Love you <3" – J

"I was going to see one of my professors about an assignment. His assistant said, 'He can see you, but that young woman is ahead of you.' Unfortunately, the young woman wasn’t in a talkative mood, but she did leave her notebook on the bench when she went in to see the professor. Her name and dorm number were clearly written on the cover, so I took this as a sign. Forty-three years later, she still claims it wasn't and our kids still delight in hearing this story." – Jerry

"My favorite romantic moment connected to MIT was walking with a friend across the Harvard Bridge and realizing that we’d been speaking in IBM 360 Assembly Language for all 364.4 Smoots. Only at MIT!" – Jessica

"My boyfriend and I broke into the Green Building in the middle of the night to look out the top floor and get a good look at Comet Hale-Bopp. It turned out to be a bit too cloudy that night, but it sure was romantic to sit up there looking at the sky." – Lucy

"Met my husband in the Course 10 class, 'Separation Processes.' I remember logging in to Athena and z-messaging before the Internet arrived." – Margaret

"Walking down the main corridor and seeing my girlfriend walking toward me, actively engaged in conversation with another guy and noticing that I’m walking toward her. Seeing her face light up into a smile as we collide and kiss—a good kiss. We continue walking our opposite directions, and me thinking of the expression on the other guy’s face and smiling for the rest of the day." – Marvin

"We met up at MIT for our third date during the last year of my master’s and six years after he had already finished his. He came with a picnic basket to Building 7 and took me to the Charles River for a walk. We stood by a tree across Killian Court, looking back at MIT and really absorbing the moment. Two years later, he took me to that tree, remembering our date. As we reminisced about our younger days at MIT, he asked me to marry him." – Maryam

"I met my husband at MIT. With so many nice and talented people around, how can you not fall in love at MIT?" – Monica

"I was just off the plane following my high school graduation trying to acclimate to a new school, new city, and new life as a student. One of my classmates and I decided to take a walk into Boston to find an authentic Italian deli. During our stroll, we explored the city together, chatted about the lives we had left behind, the amazement at having been accepted to MIT, and our bewilderment about the future. As our legs were getting weary, we happened to pass the Esplanade as the Boston Pops were beginning their rehearsal for the July 4th events. We stayed and enjoyed the time together.

Later that night, she and I stopped in the middle of the Harvard Bridge and just enjoyed holding hands and being close to one another while gazing downriver towards downtown. It is that moment I regard as the picture-perfect example of young romance.

We eloped during our senior year on Valentine’s Day at the Cambridge City Hall. Together for nearly 20 years, married for 16 of those, we now have two daughters and recently relocated back to the Boston area. Perhaps nothing can be as romantic as finding someone to share your life with but I expect that we’ll keep trying to top that first day together." – Michael

"We got married in 26-100 after sharing freshmen classes there 17 years earlier." – Rebecca

"I used to live a block away from my now wife's apartment for six years before attending MIT. Yet we never met. She started grad school at MIT in 2004 and I started in 2005 and we even had classes in the same building. And yet we never met. When I was visiting in Singapore after graduating from MIT in 2007, I attended an MIT alumni event. It was an incredibly boring meeting...then all jaws dropped when a tall, beautiful woman walked into the meeting.

She had just relocated to Singapore for a job and thought she could meet new people at this event. I talked to her to get a date but was immediately shut down because she was seeing someone else. Two and a half years later, we met again in Singapore, started dating, fell in love, moved back to U.S. in 2010, and got married at Killian Court at MIT on 1/1/11." – Sam

"I met my future husband when he offered to help me do a proof of a*0=0 for my theoretical calculus homework. I dropped the class, but kept the guy! During a physics demonstration, the professor was showing a color spectrum on the projector, and the colors ranged from red to orange to yellow. It looked just like a sunset to me, so I turned to him and said 'Isn’t it romantic?' It's those little moments that remain the best memories. We got married the week after graduation and have two kids." – Shirley

"During an MIT Investment Club trip to see Warren Buffett, every candidate wrote Mr. Buffett a personal letter. I wrote: 'To me, love and marriage are the most valuable investment that I could make and who better to help me ask for my girlfriend’s hand in marriage than you, Mr. Warren Buffett, the world greatest value investor?'

Mr. Buffett agreed to help me ask for my girlfriend's hand in marriage. Attached (top image) is the picture when Mr. Buffett helped me propose to my girlfriend, who was 6,500 miles away in Thailand waiting for me to return. On December 12, 2012, my wife and I got married and we sent Mr. Buffett a Thank You note." – Will

Check out the the original post, "What Was Your Most Romantic Moment at MIT?," for additional romantic stories from Jon and Saro—whose tales of devotion, love, and adventure can be read in full in the comment section.