It’s that time of year. Whether you are snuggling up to somebody special, practicing self-love for Singles Awareness Day or doing up Galentine’s with friends, you gotta love this year’s Q Love Issue couples showing that love is love is love.

Meet six pairs of LGBTQ Atlantans who found a complement in each other, shot lovingly by contributing photographer Jon Dean.

Click on their Instahandles to find more.

Kate @eveh0lt

Kristen @krissen_

Years Together

We have been together for a year and a half, but we have been in love for much longer than that.

How They Met

We met over the phone after we had already agreed to live together. We had been roommates for a year when Kate needed to move back north.  As we said our goodbyes, we realized all the gay sexual tension between us was actually a deep love that we didn’t want to let go.  And who knows how many times we’ve met before in our infinite lives.

Ideal Date Night

Our favorite dates have been the nights we go to an unreasonably fancy place to get a cocktail, go see a movie, and then find a dead bar and play pool or something, and then go home and make love all night. 

Advice for the Queer Lovelorn

Be kind to yourself, and maybe kiss all your friends until it stops feeling weird.

Corian Ellisor @cel1984

Hussain Askree 

Years Together: 9, married for 3

How They Met

We meet at Maryoke (Karaoke at Mary’s) 

Ideal Date Night

Our ideal date usually consists of trying out new restaurants here in Atlanta. We both love good food, and Atlanta is a place where it is easy to find.

Advice for Queers Looking for Love

The best advice we can give for queers looking for love is to meet people with an open heart and mind and except people on their own terms. We as a society have been conditioned to think that romance has to look a certain way and that is simply not true. When you get rid of the preconceived notions you are available for so many more possibilities. 

Mark Morin @markmorinii

Tyler Scruggs @scruggernaut

Years Together: 3 and some change

How They Met

We met one night in a bar, and after a couple nights, we just…never stopped wanting to see each other.

Ideal Date Night

Managing to get to every Facebook event on the calendar, but equally also quiet cuddles on the couch.

Advice for Queers Looking for Love

Face pics.

Delton Moore @deltonscott

Clint Zeagler @clintzeagler

Years Together

We've been together 6 years in May. We were married in May, 2015.

How They Met

The gag is we met at Church, but we mean Sister Louisa's Church of the Living Room & Ping Pong Emporium.

Ideal Date Night

Patronizing some artist's event or show, preferably something lifting queer voices. Also dinner at a favorite spot like Wisteria for something intimate, or Highland Tap with friends.

Advice for Queers Looking for Love

Love yourself and nurture yourself so that you have something to say and know your worth, and give yourself freely to those who deserve you. This will also help to build friendships, folks you trust to call you on your bullshit and pick up the pieces when you fall short.

Aasha @aashaadore

Sheena @shebankz

Years Together: 6 

How They Met

We met in Miami. Sheena interviewed me for a magazine article. We met up in person at an event, and it’s been us ever since.

Ideal Date Night

Anything having to do with good food and good music. We often frequent Ponce Cty Market for ramen. If we’re in the mood for drinks, we go to Friends on Ponce. Any festival in town, we’re also all over that.

Advice for Queer Lovers

Respect and communication. Always find ways to connect with your partner. With our different backgrounds, Sheena being an engineer and Aasha being a DJ, we find our balance through logic, art and creativity.  Give lots of kisses, and get a cat! 

Kristina Brown @kristinabrownie

Liliana Bakhtiari @lilianabakhtiari

Years Together: 6 

How They Met

In the days before Tinder and OKCupid, we met the old-fashioned way — at a bar! Mary’s to be specific.

Ideal Date Night

We tend to fill up our calendars with arts events, political activism, local performances, benefits and fundraisers, so on the rare night that we have a night alone, we tend to do dinner and a movie in bed.

Advice for Lovelorn Queers

Don’t just sit around on social media waiting for love to find you. Get out and do the things that you love to do, and you’ll meet the people that you share common interests with. We have an amazing community in this city. If we get out of our comfort zone and explore it, we’ll open ourselves to new opportunities.

All photos by Jon Dean

A version of this feature originally appeared in Q magazine. Read the latest issue below.

Pick up a new issue of Q each week at queer and LGBTQ-friendly venues around town.