3 Love Stories That Share Valentine’s Spirit

Valentine’s Day has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute you’re making dinner plans and picking out a card, and the next you’re reflecting on what the day is really about—celebrating the people who matter most. Beyond the flowers, reservations and sweet treats, it’s the love stories themselves that make this time of year so meaningful.

Every February, we here at BERGEN ask our readers to share how their own love stories began, and we’re always amazed by what comes in. From chance encounters and love-at-first-sight moments to relationships that grew slowly over time, the stories are as unique as the couples themselves. Here are three of our favorite love stories from our February issue:

Louis and Victoria Tedesco, Township of Washington

“I was single when a friend and I stopped at Waterloo Sue’s in Hackensack, a restaurant/bar. As we walked in, I noticed two girls near the bar ordering food, and I immediately was attracted to one of them. They were standing next to a chalkboard that had food specials, and she started erasing numbers from one of the items: She made a $29.95 dish into $9.95, and I started to laugh. We went over and started to talk to the girls, and I found out her name was Victoria and she owned a title company in Hackensack.

“The next day, I started calling all the title companies asking for a Victoria until I final found her. I told her I liked her and wanted to ask her out, but she declined, saying that her friend actually liked me. Through my connections, I found out where she lived and showed up at her home. I told her we needed to talk, and we went out for coffee. We laughed a lot, and afterward she realized she had to talk to her girlfriend because she finally wanted to go out with me. Victoria’s friend said OK, adding that she didn’t like me much anyway because I didn’t read enough. [Laughs.] My very beautiful wife Victoria and I have been together for 24 years and married for the past 21.”

Elizabeth and Harris Kobb, Oakland

“I met my husband-to-be on my 18th birthday. I was living in Rockland County, N.Y., at the time, and he was in Glen Rock. My best friends and I went out to celebrate, but we had directions to the wrong restaurant in Paramus. We were in the parking lot when I realized we were not at the right restaurant. The timing, however, was right—Harris was there too! I approached him first to get directions to our original destination, but it just made sense to stay. At the end of the night, we talked and said goodbye, and he asked for my phone number. He called me, and we eventually went on a date. He had such a great sense of humor, a Corvette and he was very cute! We dated for a year before he proposed to me. We now have two grown children and five grandchildren. Harris and I have been returning to the restaurant where we met, El Cid in Paramus, every year on our anniversary. We just celebrated our 49th year together in October. He is the love of my life.”

Randi Peters and Russell Ash, Hackensack

“I met Russell 11 years ago on a dating site. I was newly separated and tired of people trying to connect with me, so I decided to search myself. I scrolled through the site and found Russell, who was already divorced. I had certain criteria that my match had to meet, and he checked all the boxes. He had his own checklist, which I apparently passed as well. We messaged briefly online and then we spoke on the phone and he asked me out. I lived in Teaneck, and he lived in Leonia, so he suggested we meet at the cocktail lounge at the Glenpointe Marriott, which was halfway between us.

“I can’t describe it, but we felt so comfortable with each other right away. It truly was special. We just recreated our first date exactly 11 years later (on Nov. 22, 2026). We even sat in the same booth! We got married Jan. 21, 2021, in our apartment. It was in the middle of COVID, with two other couples wearing face shields/masks on the night before Russell was going for pre-op testing for open-heart surgery the following week—but that’s a story for another time! We are now happily married, making memories together and making each other laugh—a lot!”

To read more about love in Bergen County, click here to read our February issue!