The First Time I Told My Wife 'I Love You' Was In Paris

The first time I told my wife that I loved her was about three months into our relationship while visiting Paris, France.

This was the first time we were able to travel together and it helped to solidify my intention to marry her.

We initially began talking to each other because of her interest in traveling to places she'd never been to, which piqued my interest because I had been to many of these places already. I loved how open-minded she was about the world & new experiences when given the opportunity.

We began as friends who were planning a trip abroad but the we got to know each other, that friendship turned into romance. We still debate over who was falling in love first and for the sake of this writing...she did first: She knows it LOL

We planned a trip to bounce around Europe for March of 2020, which of course was canceled due to COVID, but with her excitement to see the world, she said to me "I wish we could go somewhere sooner". This prompted me to ask, "Where do you want to go?"

"Paris!" she replied.

When I told her let's do it, she was shocked at how casual I was about going. Days later, we booked our flights and Airbnb for the week of her birthday in December. In the weeks leading up to our trip, I already knew I was in love with her but I didn't want to tell her yet.

It took everything within me not to end our phone calls with "I love you" but she could feel the love I had for her and vice versa. I knew I wanted to make this moment special because she was someone I knew was special, so I held my tongue until we made it to Paris.

They say you get to really see who your partner is when you travel with them and I agree with this. This was the first relationship I had where we traveled together and it showed me another side of her that confirmed my emotions for her and desire to eventually marry her.

She had been in a relationship before where everything felt impossible and they lived separate lives but we had the complete opposite: I genuinely like being around my wife and us being together made everything appear possible.

She dreamt of seeing the Mona Lisa in person but never thought that day would ever happen, yet we made it happen together. She allowed me to lead and showed how much she trusted me with her safety, which is something I don't take for granted.

Lots of people marry the person they just happen to be together with but I married my friend. We can talk for hours about anything and never get bored. She tells me all the time how she still has a crush on me and how much she likes me: I never want this to end for us.

The Paris trip was pivotal because I saw her grow in front of me and accept that anything is possible if we work together to accomplish it. Less than a year later, in September 2020, I proposed to her, and then in September 2021 we got married in God's house.

I would not be as successful as I've become without her. She's done everything to support my career, even helping me edit my book and sell copies at conventions. She's always been by my side, ready to help in any way possible because she knows that if I succeed, we succeed.

The woman who thought seeing the world was impossible has now been to seven countries with me and met amazing people along the way. We've honeymooned in Turkey, toured the Rome Colosseum, and enjoyed the scenery of Corfu. With every new experience, we grow closer together.

There's no other woman that I'd want to spend every waking moment with than my beautiful wife, Michele.

With us together, the world is ours.

Happy Valentine's Day!