What best lays the foundation for the ideal fairytale romance? Starting out like Cinderella: she gazed at her hot-looking Prince, fell head over heels instantly and love grew from there. Or, like Belle: she saw past the Beast's exterior to first embrace the lovable qualities that personified his character.

In other words, as a Princess, how do you define yourself?

I think its best based on friendship....that way you REALLY know each other inside and out and there are no little demons hiding anywhere...

Friendship, definitely. Tony and I were friends before we decided to get together. :D

We were friends first, but I believe people fall in love at first sight as well.

Well, I voted for the Cinderella moment but I don't really see myself as one of the Disney Princesses. I'm more of a Elizabeth Bennet, from Pride & Predjudice. She and Mr. Darcy were attracted at first sight but they ahd a rough road before their very passionate happily ever after.

I prefer the Cinderella way, for myself. Not "love at first sight" per se, but definitely starting out with strong attraction and chemistry pretty quickly. But I've never really had close male friends, so I guess it's hard for me to imagine becoming that close of friends with a man before any kind of romance started up. Of course friendship has to grow eventually, but I prefer to have that "spark" right away.

My Grandmother once told me that you can tell how the rest of your life will be with a man in the first ten minutes... I don't know about THAT, but I do know that when you start talking and suddenly you can't stop, like there's so much to say and you can't get it all out -- you look up and hours have passed when it only feels like five mintues, that's when you know it's special. When the way he looks at you makes you feel like the most beautiful girl in the world even in a work shirt covered in cake frosting and your hair is a disaster... When, after he manages to surprise you with a phone call in the middle of the day during the week when you know he usually isn't allowed to use your phone and it is physically impossible to stop smiling the rest of the night, THAT is when you know you have something special...

i chose Belle lol. Dh and i were friends before anything. but for him, it would have been cinderella...he fell in love with me pretty quickly.

Tommy and I were friends for many years before we ever started dating

I said friends first

Well, I voted for the Cinderella moment but I don't really see myself as one of the Disney Princesses. I'm more of a Elizabeth Bennet, from Pride & Predjudice. She and Mr. Darcy were attracted at first sight but they ahd a rough road before their very passionate happily ever after.

I adore Jane Austin and her sister Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I tend to agree with you. Smoldering anticipation, building suspense and heightened longing yet a romance fraught with obstacles. That's a recipe for passion I hadn't thought of for the poll. Thanks!

My Grandmother once told me that you can tell how the rest of your life will be with a man in the first ten minutes... I don't know about THAT, but I do know that when you start talking and suddenly you can't stop, like there's so much to say and you can't get it all out -- you look up and hours have passed when it only feels like five mintues, that's when you know it's special. When the way he looks at you makes you feel like the most beautiful girl in the world even in a work shirt covered in cake frosting and your hair is a disaster... When, after he manages to surprise you with a phone call in the middle of the day during the week when you know he usually isn't allowed to use your phone and it is physically impossible to stop smiling the rest of the night, THAT is when you know you have something special...

What a wise Grandma!

I voted friends. We were friends 1st.

I said friends first

Yeah, personal experience has taught me that being friends first (perhaps with an underlying yet unexpressed 'spark') is what works best for me.

My first marriage started like Cinderella, but it failed. His handsome face was a no substitute for a man with a character that could earn my respect. My happy current relationship started essentially via e-mail, and its got all the markings of one that's going to stand the test of time.

I feel there's no wrong or right start though. No judgment passed on you Cinderella ladies. It's the two individuals and what they're comprised of that makes all the difference. Not the first chapter of the story.

I consider it both, because there were definitly feelings IMMEDIATLY with DB and I but we both were dating other people...silly us we just decided to stay friends...then when we were both single we decided to be more than friends.

The Belle style. I'm into the "person" and not the "appearance". You could fall in love w/ a hot ass guy but he could have the personality of a wet mop, ya know???

I am definately a "Belle" type. My best relationships have been with people who were my friends and in fact my best friend. My hubby is my best friend and we knew each other very well before we actually got involved. We love talking to each other about any and everything and we even feel good not saying a word but just to be together.

The way I see it....that "new love" feeling doesn't last forever, looks change with age, everything else will be different years from now, but friendship lasts forever. So being my husbands best friend is most important for me. :yes

We wouldn't have it any other way :smitten

Definitely going with Belle style...DB and I met online and talked for months before we met. We talked about anything and everything - from favorite colors to how many kids. I had seen a picture of him and vice versa and even though he is HOT :giggle, his personality was so amazing, his looks were the last thing on my mind. When we finally met, I felt like I had known him for years!

Love from a friendship is a wonderful thing. :yes :smitten

friends first

I've had both and I can say for me that the love at first sight relationships didn't work out well, and I'm really happy in my love grows out of friendship one (technically we were never "friends" because we dated right off, but it was not one of those relationships where I saw it going anywhere and I just let it grow).

Well, i say both too. DB and i had immediate chemistry when we met, we just talked for hours that night and both knew we had to see each other againt o find out more. I wouldnt call it "love" at first sight, but then again im very conservative using that word and i think it takes time to grow actual true LOVE. But i knew immediately i was interested in him, and then over the next few months we got to know each other more and decided to be exclusive...and now i can actually say im in love with him. i think THAT is how something lasting gets started, but who is to say really because different situations for different people!

I voted Belle. DH and I had quite the rough beginning and we both had to dig deep during our friendship to crack our tough exteriors. We became best friends and not very long after that, fell in love and became a couple. So we both were Beauty and the Beast! haha...What about the semi-stalkerish syle of Ariel from The Little Mermaid? Girl and boy see each other for a few moments once, and go through this long and rocky process of finding one another again.

im definately a Belle DF was mean to me when we first meet. he would sit in the back of the classroom and make fun of me !! long story short these silly antics turned into a beautiful friendship.

from a friendship. i have had both kinds of long term relationships...the "love" is usually lust IMO

I said cinderella story! I love that story and it kinda fits with how I met DB

:blush

I think that if I had a choice, I would go with the Belle way- if it grows out of friendship you have a solid foundation on which to base your life together.

I voted as Belle, for friendship first, but to come clean, the first time I saw the DB, I thought it was love at first sight. Like I had been hit by lightning when he looked me in the eyes, but I made sure that I got to know him first before I committed to anything serious to make sure that I wasn't just lusting.

"Happily Ever After"
Is the end of a Fairy Tale beginning...

and Fairy Tales aren't real.

awww... my relationship is like the ultimate belle sytle, according to my roomate

I chose Cinderella :) :wub

Definitely Cinderella! I knew pretty early on that my DF was the one for me. (L)

I adore Jane Austin and her sister Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I tend to agree with you. Smoldering anticipation, building suspense and heightened longing yet a romance fraught with obstacles. That's a recipe for passion I hadn't thought of for the poll. Thanks!

Have you seen "Becoming Jane?" It was heartbreaking and wonderful - all at the same time! Sorry, off topic...

:carryon

i chose belle. it was a strong friendship first and our love grew from there.

I've had both happen and both turned out the same. If I had to pick a preference, though, I'd choose love from friendship. At the end of the day it's the friendship that's gonna keep you together.

Truly believe love grows from a friendship. I completely fell in love with my DH just spending time together as friends. I learned more about him and felt so attracted to him because of his fun personality. We bring out the best in eachother and I'm so happy with him.

Well, I voted for the Cinderella moment but I don't really see myself as one of the Disney Princesses. I'm more of a Elizabeth Bennet, from Pride & Predjudice. She and Mr. Darcy were attracted at first sight but they ahd a rough road before their very passionate happily ever after.

:yes

Except, I voted for Belle

i'm gonna have to say cinderella.. i met my husband in a different state at a bar of all places, saw him six times (a couple days each time) and married him a day short of three months later. we will have been married five years in june.. i adore him, he's my best friend, and we've proved everyone wrong about us. (L)

I'm a Belle kinda girl. Our story is kinda similar. I hated him all throughout my childhood, my nickname for him was asshole then one day it changed and I saw something different. I blame the dress whites and those damn dungaree pants but I saw past the asshole and saw the real him. Now we're married. We still haven't hit the happily ever after but pretty close...I'll save all that for retirement.


ETA: he wasn't really an asshole but didn't treat me too good since I was his little sister's bestfriend.

Definitely Belle. I think a marriage has a much better chance of surviving when people are actually friends and not relying on just romantic love to get them through the years.

<3 friendship

My Grandmother once told me that you can tell how the rest of your life will be with a man in the first ten minutes... I don't know about THAT

I'm not so sure about that either.....LOL. Well, hubby and I knew each other for about 5 minutes and I hated him and he ended up in another room.....*with* another girl!!!!!.....LMAO. So I don't think that statement would apply

Hubby and I were friends first, I think that's the only way our marriage can last... best friends first, lovers second

Definitely Belle. I think a marriage has a much better chance of surviving when people are actually friends and not relying on just romantic love to get them through the years.

wow... wicked, we actually are in agreance here :)