Our Cosmo Couples series is stronger than ever. Our continued goal? To spot real-life couples, learn about who they are, uncover the magic that makes them click, and snap some really cute photos that prove love is real. So far, we’ve tackled Manhattan, London, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Brooklyn.
And for our seventh installment we tapped our own talent network to photograph select couples from the absolutely stacked guest list of our inaugural Cosmopolitan Love Ball—hosted in partnership with Bumble and BOOM at The Standard, High Line—to coincide with Valentine’s Day!
We asked them about how they met, how long they’ve been together, and exactly what makes their relationships work. Our takeaway after chatting with these clearly obsessed with each other pairings? We’ve got further proof that true love does, in fact, exist.
Robby + Gabby
35, writer, actor, comedian, and It Boy + 34, TV personality and It Girl
Years together: 2
Robby: It’s unbelievable what I’ve pulled here. She’s the biggest fish in the sea.
Gabby: After our first date, she pulled over, turned on some music, and was like, “We’re gonna kiss.”
Robby: If you like it, we continue. If you don’t, you go home. Why are we wasting any more time?
Gabby: She knew I would like it, of course.
Lauren + Hayley
34, model and TV host + 36, filmmaker
Years together: 2.5
Lauren: This is Hayley’s first time at BOOM. It’s always fun to be on top of the city for a night of partying.
Hayley: We’re here supporting Willa Bennett’s first issue of Cosmo!
Lauren: I’m so excited to see what she does next.
Hayley: It’s the magazine that taught everyone about sex.
Lauren: It’s everything I could have ever asked for. And now it’s being run by a lesbian! Um, hello?
Tom + Benton
31, publicist and casting director + 27, content creator
Months together: 8
Tom: We met at a warehouse party in Brooklyn when I was in town for work.
Benton: I didn’t want to go, but when I got there, he caught my eye right away.
Tom: Same for me but even earlier: His name and photo had come up on my colleague’s computer.
Benton: When I saw him, I looked at my friend and said, “How much is that one?”
Tom: The energy between us was powerful.
PJ + Julia
32, Broadway actor + 32, Broadway actor
Years together: 10
PJ: We were friends with benefits for a long time. I had to prove myself over and over again.
Julia: It was a good six months of me being like, Well, I guess he’s pretty good in bed....
PJ: Then she set me up with one of her friends.
Julia: But I got really, really jealous.
PJ: She finally was like, “Hi, I think I’m in love with you.” And I was like, “Hi, I’ve been in love with you this whole time.”
Mal + Sammy
39, marketing strategist + 32, dancer and studio owner
Years together: 1.5
Mal: We met at a Bumble event that I was working.
Sammy: I came looking for Mal. I literally showed up just to meet her. No one else.
Mal: She’d seen me on The Ultimatum: Queer Love on Netflix. But what’s funny is I had also seen her before, when she was on tour with Summer Walker.
Sammy: She didn’t realize I was the same person at first.
Mal: It didn’t occur to me that she was the dancer with that gorgeous red hair. I just thought I had a type.
Zeema + Neo
22, director + 24, sound designer
Years together: 3
Zeema: We met on Instagram.
Neo: I moved here for her. This is my love. And my heart feels so acquainted with New York—the fact that she lived here was fate. Kismet.
Zeema: We’re twin flames.
Neo: She has such a go-getter mindset.
Zeema: I’m a fire sign!
Kyle + Veronika
30, actor + 29, actor and comedian
Years together: 1.5
Veronika: He was kind of my first fan is truly how it happened.
Kyle: We were friends for a year and a half before we started dating. It was like, “Do we risk it all?” Which was scary because we had a great friendship going.
Veronika: It was terrifying. But there was so much tension that we had to make a decision. And then, yeah, we got drunk on tequila and kissed.
