16 Engagement Ring Instagrams to Inspire Your Own

Problematic Message: Love is the most exciting when it’s forbidden.

Even if you haven’t seen the romantic comedy, you’ve definitely seen the GIFs: Andrew Lincoln, playing Mark, professing his love for Keira Knightley’s character through handwritten signs, one of which reads the famous line, “To me, you are perfect.” Yes, it’s ultra-romantic — until you look a little closer. “Although we all love an honest display of love, making a play and expressing your love for your best friend’s wife is not a good start for a relationship, on or off screen,” Tcharkhoutian says.

And the most harmful part of these fictional narratives is that they only show a fraction, if any, of the fallout. “This is a toxic dynamic that devalues the dignity of marriage and romanticizes the idea of being in love with someone who is ‘off-limits,’ without portraying the harsh realities of this kind of basis for a relationship,” Tcharkhoutian explains.

Problematic Message: A relationship that began with ulterior motives can become healthy and functional.

There’s no denying that Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey are a dreamy pair, but in this movie, their relationship is a nightmare. Their quick rise to love is certainly entertaining, but the foundation of their relationship makes it impossible to exist outside of fiction.

The two meet as means to prove themselves at their respective jobs, and in true rom-com fashion, their supposedly real feelings take off from there. Tcharkhoutian cautions against this behavior in real life. “This can set up a relationship to be something in which a person is objectified as a vehicle to help you meet your needs, instead of a mutual union and partnership with pure and honest motives of loving each other through thick and thin,” she says.

Lucy and Jack in "While You Were Sleeping"

Problematic Message: Falling in love with the idea of someone can result in a happy ending.

No one can resist a Sandra Bullock romantic comedy, so it’s no surprise this movie is still revered as a classic of the genre. It has all the necessary components: an unrealistic plot (she saves a man’s life, is confused for his fiancée by his family, and then falls in love with his brother while he’s in a coma — like, come on!), a handsome boy-next-door lead and, of course, love. However, much like the relationship in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, the foundation is faulty.

Falling in love with the idea of someone, as Sandra Bullock’s character does, doesn’t equate to falling in love with the actual person, Tcharkhoutian clarifies, and to start a relationship with this basis in real life is ill-advised.

Problematic Message: True love lies in the next adventure, which is far from your hometown and your past relationship.

Who hasn’t dreamt of traveling to a foreign country; staying in a cozy, remote cottage; and falling in love with someone even half as good-looking as Jude Law? Well, there’s a reason it’s a mere fantasy. Tcharkhoutian describes the phenomenon in The Holiday movie as escapism — the idea that you need to escape from your day-to-day life to find true happiness or, in this case, true love.

Although it’s fun to dream, if taken too far, this particular romantic comedy mentality can lead to irrational expectations. “This escapism mentality can create a false belief that international [relationships] are sustainable in the long-term,” Tcharkhoutian remarks. “True healthy relationships survive and thrive in the everyday, mundane routine, not in the exciting international adventure that depends on thrill and distance.”

Which rom-com couples stay together?

However, there are PLENTY of romantic comedy relationships we love! Some of our favorites include Nick and Rachel in Crazy Rich Asians, Matty and Jenna in 13 Going on 30, Harry and Sally in Meg Ryan's When Harry Met Sally, Elle and Emmett in Legally Blonde, and Peter and Lara Jean in To All The Boys I've Loved Before.

This power couple is quite literally on top of the world right now, and I feel like I'm watching a rom-com IRL. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce made their relationship public in September of 2023, and it definitely feels like invisible string theory.

The Hollywood power duo met in 2010 on the set of Green Lantern and they married soon after in 2012. Today, Blake and Ryan share four daughters.

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama

The former POTUS and FLOTUS met back in 1989, when Michelle was assigned as Barack's mentor at their law firm. Reportedly, Barack (then 28) was instantly smitten with Michelle (then 25), and they began dating shortly after. The couple was married in 1992, eventually welcoming daughters Sasha and Malia.

This private couple met on the set of The Place Beyond the Pines in 2011 and today have two daughters together. Eva and Ryan are so private, in fact, that news of their marriage only came to light in 2022 following the reveal of Eva’s newest tattoo, which reads “de Gosling.”

George and Amal were introduced by a mutual friend at a 2013 dinner party in Lake Como. After a few months, the couple went on their first date, and were engaged within a year. The pair wed in 2014 and have since welcomed twins.

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski

The A Quiet Place costars initially met in 2008, tying the knot in an Italian ceremony in 2010. The actors are parents to two daughters, Hazel and Violet. Our favorite fact about them? John’s seen in The Devil Wears Prada 72 times.

If there's any couple that makes me believe in falling in love with your best friend, it's Tom Holland and Zendaya. The two actors met while making Spider-Man: Homecoming, and the rest is history.

David Beckham and Victoria Beckham

The Beckhams met in 1997 and were married by 1999. Today they have four children together: Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper.

While the timeline of their romantic relationship is unknown, the singers have been friends for well over a decade. They officially confirmed their relationship in 2020, and as of 2023 are reportedly married. The pair share one son and are expecting a second child by August.

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian

The tennis legend and Reddit co-founder met by chance when they both sat down next to each other during breakfast at the Cavalieri Hotel in Rome back in 2015. They hit it off and were married in 2017, welcoming their daughter Olympia shortly after.

Emma Stone met her husband Dave McCary when she hosted Saturday Night Live in 2016. They were married by 2020 and now have a baby girl together named Louise Jean McCary!

Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley

The pop singer and two-time Bachelor contestant have been together for five years, and confirmed their relationship in 2022.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

The Australian actor and New Zealand singer met at the G’Day USA gala in 2005 and got married in 2006. Today, the duo are parents to two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, in addition to Nicole’s two children with former beau Tom Cruise.

Viola Davis and Julius Tennon

The How To Get Away With Murder actress has been married to her husband Julius since 2003.

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade

According to Dwayne, the two met at a 2007 Super Bowl party which they were both asked to co-host. Although it wasn’t love at first sight, the couple eventually married in 2014. They share one daughter, in addition to three children from Dwayne’s previous relationship.

Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham

Oprah began dating Stedman in 1986, the same year her namesake show launched. After meeting at a charity event, the pair were engaged in 1992, but decided against marriage.

This celebrity couple reportedly began dating in 2018, and (after totally slaying the Met Gala red carpet), they learned they were expecting their first child in 2023!

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz

The singer and producer have known each other since they were teenagers, but didn't enter a relationship with each other until 2008, with Swiss proposing in 2009. The couple married in 2010 and they have two sons named Egypt and Genesis together.

Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber

The supermodel married the businessman and former model in 1998. They have two children together, Kaia and Presley — both of whom are successful models too.

Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves

After six years of dating, the couple married in 2012 in Texas. Today, the model and actor have three children together.

While this celebrity couple met in 2017, they didn't become an item until 2021. And we're *very* excited to see them tie the knot soon. Good things come to those who wait!

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend

The fan favorite couple met in 2007 on the set of his music video and married in 2013. They share four children, welcoming their youngest via surrogate earlier this month.

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka

Neil and David started dating in 2004 and married in 2014. The couple became fathers to twins, Harper and Gideon, in 2010.

TheO.C. and Gossip Girl alumni are believed to have met in 2010 while starring in romantic comedy The Oranges. They married in 2014 and have a daughter and a son.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck *totally* make me believe in fate. After breaking off their engagement in 2023, the celebrity couple finally got married in 2022. I'm not crying, you are!

Kevin Jonas and Danielle Jonas

The eldest Jonas brother Kevin married Danielle in 2009 after two years of dating. The couple has two daughters, Alena and Valentina, and are very close to the rest of Kevin’s family., Danielle’s regularly seen backstage and in videos with her “Jonas sisters,” Priyanka Chopra (married to Nick Jonas) and Sophie Turner (married to Joe Jonas).

Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann

The comedic director and actress have been together since 1996, and have been married since marrying in 1997. The couple regularly work together on films and have two children, Maude and Iris. Maude is following in her parent's footsteps, having had a breakout role in the hit MAX teen drama Euphoria.

After getting married in 2022, Kourtney Kardashian just gave birth to her and Travis Barker's son, Rocky Thirteen Barker, in December 2023. Congrats to the happy family!

Julia Roberts and Daniel Mode

Julia and Daniel married in 2002 after meeting during the filming of The Mexican, where Julia starred alongside Brad Pitt. They have three children together, now 18 (twins) and 16.

It appears Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson have been together since 2017 (which means he probably has the real inside scoop on that iconic Architectural Digest house tour), and they might be tying the knot very soon!

Denzel Washington and Pauletta Washington

The actors have been married for a whopping 37 years after tying the knot in 1983. They renewed their vows in 1995, and are parents to four children, John David, Malcolm, Olivia and Katia.

Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell

The couple have been together for 40(!!!) years, ever since 1983. While they never married, they share one son, Wyatt Russell. Goldie also has two children, Kate Hudson (yes, THE Kate Hudson) and Oliver Hudson, whom she shares with her second husband, Bill Hudson.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick

SJP and Matthew had a surprise wedding in 1997 after meeting on the New York theater scene in 1991. The pair have three children together, James Wilkie and twin daughters Marion Loretta and Tabitha Hodge.

Elton John and David Furnish

The world renowned musician and Furnish met in 1993 and were one of the first same-sex couples to enter a civil partnership (the closest thing to a same-sex marriage at the time) in the UK in 2005. “Officially” marrying in 2014, they share two sons together.

Dua Lipa and Callum Turner

This celebrity couple were first spotted at the beginning of 2024, and I genuinely might have screamed when I found out. Dua Lipa's recent albums are a masterclass in pop music, while Callum Turner automatically makes every TV show and movie he's in better. I can't wait to see what's in store for these two!

Literary References In The Tortured Poets Department

Down Bad — "Did You Take All My Old Clothes, Just To Leave Me Here, Naked And Alone"

While "Down Bad" feels like a reference to aliens, it's also reminding us of the story of Adam and Eve, who were left naked in the Garden of Eden after eating the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The "experiments" Taylor Swift references in the first verse (plus the "Fortnight" music video) are also giving Mary Shelley/Frankenstein!

So Long, London — "You Left Me At The House By The Heath"

Hampstead Heath is a beautiful area of London that reportedly inspired C.S. Lewis to write The Chronicles of Narnia in the late 30s and early 40s. As Narnia's self-proclaimed biggest fan, I'm totally claiming this indirect literary reference, especially since the Pevensies have to stay at the Professor's house when they're evacuated from London.

I Hate It Here — "I Hate It Here So I Will Go To Secret Gardens In My Mind People Need A Key To Get To"

This Taylor Swift song is all about wishing she was somewhere else during an early period of her life, and referencing The Secret Garden makes total sense. In the book, lead character Mary has to access the Secret Garden to discover the hope, joy, and healing she's lost.

thanK you aIMee — "I Pushed Each Boulder Up The Hill"

This seems to be another Greek mythology reference, this time to Sisyphus. He was forced by the gods to roll a boulder up a hill — and then do it again when it rolled back down. Considering this song seems to reference Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, and the drama that led to Reputation, it feels like a reference to the feud that rears its head over and over again.

Cassandra — "So They Killed Cassandra First Cause She Feared The Worst And Tried To Tell The Town"

In Greek mythology, Cassandra (whose name means "she who entangles men," FYI) was a beautiful woman, and princess of Troy. The god Apollo falls in love with her, and gives her the power of prophecy — that is, until she rejects him and he turns the gift into a curse where no one believes her anymore.

The Bolter — "She Fell Through The Ice, Then Came Out Alive"

This is another indirect literary reference I'm claiming that totally reminds me of Amy March from Little Women. Amy falls through the ice when the March sisters are all children living in Massachusetts. Fans have historically hated her character, which is tied to the "A curious child, ever reviled // By everyone except her own father" lyric.

Movie References In Taylor Swift's New Album

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys — "I Felt More When We Played Pretend Than With All The Kens"

The internet has claimed Taylor Swift as the real-world version of Barbie, and after last year's blockbuster hit (and Taylor referencing Ken in "Hits Different") we get another nod to our favorite doll. Plus, this song reminds me of Syd from Toy Story destroying his toys, and "he was my best friend down at the sandlot" got me thinking about The Sandlot. So many movie references, so little time!

Guilty As Sin? — "How Can I Be Guilty As Sin?"

Taylor Swift wrote "Carolina" for the book-to-movie adaptation of Where The Crawdads Sing. In "Carolina," she sings that Kya's community has "said that I was guilty as sin and sleep in a liar’s bed.”

More Pop Culture References

• The Tortured Poets Department — Taylor Swift mentions poet & writer Dylan Thomas, singer-songwriter & poet Patti Smith, and American singer Charlie Puth, boygenius singer Lucy Dacus, producer Jack Antonoff.
• But Daddy I Love Him — This is a line in both The Little Mermaid and The Notebook.
• Florida!!! — Florence Welch is featured on this song, which mentions a hurricane. Florence + The Machine has a song titled "Hurricane Love."
• Guilty As Sin? — Taylor also references "The Downtown Lights" by The Blue Nile, as well as the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus in The Bible.
• Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me — Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf revolves around a bitter and aging couple who weaponize the youth of their guests against one another.
• loml — "The coward claimed he was a lion" is a reference to The Wizard of Oz, while "Mr. Steal Your Girl" is a Trey Songz track.
• I Can Do It With A Broken Heart — This whole song is about Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.
• The Alchemy + The Prophecy — In Taylor Swift's TIME interview, she references Harry Potter, which has huge themes around alchemy and prophecies.
• Clara Bow — This song references Clara Bow, Stevie Nicks, and Taylor herself!
• So High School — Taylor Swift Mentions video game Grand Theft Auto, Artistotle, and American Pie. She also mentions games like Kiss Marry Kill, Truth or Dare, and Spin the Bottle