Underneath all the burps, stubble and beer-swilling, guys can be total sweethearts. From using fridge magnets to blurting it out in a pub, these stories will make you melt.
I first said ‘I love you’ to my girlfriend as we were falling asleep, but she didn’t answer. I was worried she hadn’t heard me, so I decided to text her – when she looked at her phone in the morning, it’d be the first thing she saw. She woke me up by saying, ‘I love you too,’ which beats an alarm any day.” Matt, 23
I told my girlfriend I loved her after she became irritated that I wasn’t listening to her – but that was only because I was thinking about how much I loved her.” Stuart, 27
When I knew I was in love, I decided to spell it out with fridge magnets. I asked if she’d seen my message. She said, ‘Yes, it was very funny.’ My flatmates had changed it to something rude, involving the words ‘throbbing’ and ‘erect’.” Mike, 21
We were watching The Ring and I said I loved her just at a really scary moment. I’d never seen someone scream with horror and jump for joy both at once.” Matt, 21
I texted my girlfriend, ‘I love you’ when I was at a gig drunk. She replied, ‘You shouldn’t leave your phone around for your friends to play with, or tell me that by text.’ I told her again the week after, on a weekend trip, face-to-face and sober.” Jonathon, 29
We’d just had our first row – a really stupid fight about me playing video games too often. The next day I realised how much I loved her, and that I never wanted us to argue again. So I sold my console and told her that I loved her.” Scott, 25
The night before she was off to visit her family overseas, I felt a huge rush of love – but said nothing. It was driving me crazy so, as she was boarding the plane, I phoned her and told her how I felt.” Lars, 30
I got to her house really early so I could surprise her with ‘I love you’ when she went out for the Sunday paper. It sounds a bit stalker-esque, but it was romantic – even if she was still wearing her pyjamas and had bed hair.” Jamie, 21
I’ve been with my girlfriend for three months and I’ve just told her I love her. It might seem soon but when you know, you know. Luckily, she was on the same page.” Gavin, 26
I told a close friend I loved her after having one too many drinks, because I thought she felt the same way. She looked horrified and replied, ‘I thought you were gay’ I did finally realise my true sexuality soon afterwards, and have since come out. Who was I kidding?” Guy, 22
This might be a bit of a cliché, but I told my girlfriend I loved her when we were at dinner in Paris. It is the city of romance, after all, so when in Rome… or Paris.” Steve, 24
I said it in the highly romantic setting of a pub crawl, dressed up as a woman. Luckily, she said it back and there are lots of photos of two very happy ‘women’ together.” Paul, 24
My girlfriend and I were in the car listening to U2’s With or Without You. I thought it was the perfect moment to say, ‘I love you’ and I was thrilled when she replied, ‘Love you too.’ But then I started to worry that she’d actually said ‘Love U2’ and hadn’t heard me because the music was turned up really loud” Stephen, 21
My girlfriend and I are in a long-distance relationship but I wanted to say ‘I love you’ in person, so I sent her a photo with it written on the back. Cheesy, I know.” Jack, 24
I’d been thinking it for a while, and we’d been building up to it by saying ‘I love being with you’. Then at the pub one night she told me a silly story that made me laugh – and it just slipped out. She looked surprised and said: ‘What, for that?'” Greg, 30
We were at my place with lots of friends when ‘I love you’ just popped out. It was spontaneous and my heart was pounding, but I knew there and then I’d said the right thing. I tell her every day now.” Michael, 29
I was out with a girl I’d been seeing when I professed my undying love for her. This didn’t seem as good an idea in the sober light of day, as we were just having a bit of fun. It fizzled out soon after.” Alan, 26
I told my girlfriend on her birthday, while we were eating dessert at my grandma’s house. It must have been something about the way she scoffed down the cake…” Matt, 29
I was out with a colleague I’d fallen for. I felt like I needed a bit of Dutch courage – but after five beers, the object of my affection looked like she had two heads I just managed, ‘I love…’ before having to rush away to be sick. Smooth.” Nathan, 24
Despite going out for a year, neither of us wanted to be the first to say ‘I love you’. It was getting silly, so finally I bit the bullet (kind of) by texting her, ‘I love you too’.” Joseph, 27
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