Alina and Eduard’s relationship blossomed at Salford through the little moments they shared. They were both international students from Romania who met while studying Business. Through supporting each other, they naturally became closer and soon realised they wanted to build their future together.

After not one but two weddings, Alina and Eduard are now newlyweds and are in the process of buying their first house. Alina shared more about their story.

Tell us about how you met.

If someone had told two Romanian students arriving at the University of Salford that they’d leave with business degrees leading on to successful careers, a marriage and a shared future, we wouldn’t have believed them.

The University of Salford became much more than the place where we studied. It became the place where our story began.
In 2017, we were both navigating life in a new country, discovering who we wanted to become, balancing lectures, assignments and the excitement (and occasional chaos!) of student life. Somewhere in between all of that, we found each other.

Our relationship started during COVID, in January 2020 and was built on countless little romantic moments. From encouraging each other before deadlines, celebrating small wins, to dreaming about what life might look like after graduation, we slowly realised we wanted to build that future together.

Like many international students, we faced our share of uncertainty. We were creating a life away from home and learning how to grow together while growing individually. However, those challenges became the strongest foundation we could have asked for.

Years later, we still joke that we graduated with degrees, but the best thing we graduated with was each other.

Tell us about your life together after university.

Since graduating, our story has unfolded in ways we could never have imagined as students.

We’ve both built careers that we’re incredibly proud of. I work as a Senior Business Operations & Delivery Manager in the IT industry, and Eduard as a Partnerships Manager in the transport sector. We have always been each other’s biggest supporters and learned that success is even more rewarding when we share it.

This year has been our biggest chapter yet. We celebrated our marriage with two weddings. Our civil ceremony in the UK, the country we’ve proudly called home for many years, followed by a celebration with our family and friends in Romania. We’re also in the exciting process of buying our first home together in Greater Manchester and taking another meaningful step by becoming British citizens.

We often realise how much Salford shaped who we are today. It gave us the courage to build a life in a foreign country together. The friendships, experiences and lessons we gained there laid the foundations for the life we’re building today.

What is your advice for those looking for romance on campus?

Don’t put pressure on yourself to find your forever person.

University is one of the few times in life when you’re surrounded by people who are all discovering themselves at the same time. Focus on becoming the person you’re proud to be. Say yes to opportunities, join societies, meet people outside your course and don’t be afraid to start conversations, as you never know where one might lead.

Our relationship has taught us that lasting love isn’t about finding someone who’s exactly like you. It’s about finding someone whose dreams become intertwined with yours, someone who celebrates your wins as if they were their own, and someone willing to grow alongside you through every new season of life.

Most importantly, remember that the best relationships aren’t built in extraordinary moments. They’re built in ordinary ones like late-night study sessions, supermarket trips, celebrating passing an exam, and comforting each other after a difficult day.

If we could give one piece of advice, it would be not to worry so much about finding the perfect love story. Focus on finding the right person to write the next chapter with.

Ours just happened to begin at the University of Salford.

Thank you to Alina for sharing your love story with us!

‘How We Met’ celebrates the lifelong connections you made at Salford — whether that’s friendships, romance, or mentors who made a real difference.

Are you a student? Learn how to make connections and friends at uni on our Made in Salford blog. 

Are you alumni? Share your story via our online form.