Search: Unique love stories

"Love is strange," according to a popular Buddy Holly song from the '50s. And true love, like truth, is often stranger than fiction. The following stories, some old and some new, show the weird, wacky and sometimes wonderful sides of love. By Larry West

1 of 16 (Clockwise from top left) Chidi Ogbuta, and her husband, Innocent, with their wedding cake, Brian and Anna McGuinn show the ring that Brian recovered from the dump & Lisa Satayut & Drew Ellis exchange vows in their local T.J.Maxx store (© Uche Ogbonna; Michael Laughlin/Orlando Sentinel/Landov; Bill Pugliano/AP Images for TJ Maxx)

From a typo to true love

Search: The R.P. Salazars

The couple: Not every error is a mistake, especially when it comes to love. Just ask Ruben P. Salazar of Waco, Texas.

Their story: In 2007, Ruben found an email message intended for Rachel P. Salazar, who lived on the other side of the world (where?) and who had an email address almost identical to his. A typo mistakenly sent the message to Ruben, who then forwarded it to Rachel. Soon they spent hours a day chatting online. She visited him, and they got engaged.

2 of 16 "Ruben Salazar & Rachel Salazar (Courtesy of the Salazars) "

Waste not, want not

Search: Ring recovery

The couple: Some romances end up in the toilet, while others last a lifetime. Consider Donna and Terry Claver of Montana.

Their story: As a young bride-to-be in the '70s, Donna lost her engagement ring (what gem was in it?) when it accidentally fell into a toilet drain. Though long gone, the ring was not forgotten.

3 of 16 Donna Claver's engagement ring that was recovered after 36 years (© David Murray for the Great Falls Tribune)

Coincidence or kismet?

Search: Photo revelation

The couple: If you've ever wondered whether you and your soul mate have passed each other without ever knowing, consider the story of Alex and Donna Voutsinas.

Their story: While Donna was gathering family photos for their wedding video, she found a picture of herself at age 5, posing with her brothers and a Disney character at Disney World.

What else did the photo reveal?

4 of 16 Alex Voutsinas (in stroller at left) and Donna Voutsinas (far right) in a photo taken at Disney World when they were children (© Voutsinas family photo/Courtesy of The Toronto Star)

In sickness and in filth

Search: Trash heap heroics

The couple: After accidentally tossing his wife's 1.5-carat diamond ring into the trash, Brian McGuinn showed up at the dump the next day to get it back. Outfitted in protective gear, he pawed through nine tons of garbage.

The outcome: Incredibly, in just a few minutes he found the ring. After taking a hot shower and having the ring professionally cleaned by a jeweler, Brian drove to his wife's office and slipped it onto her finger.

What was the ring's value?

5 of 16 Brian and Anna McGuinn show the ring that Brian recovered from the dump (© Michael Laughlin/Orlando Sentinel/Landov)

Baby, come back

Search: Love breaches TSA

The couple: Sometimes a love affair has consequences -- even for other people. China native and Rutgers University grad student Haisong Jiang wanted to give his beloved just one more kiss before she flew home. So he ducked under a rope at airport security when TSA officers weren't looking and walked her to the gate.

The outcome: TSA discovered the security breach and shut down Newark Liberty International Airport for six hours, delaying or canceling 200 flights and forcing thousands of passengers to be rescreened. Later arrested, Jiang was found guilty of defiant trespass.

6 of 16 Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint (© Jeff Swensen/AP)

Falling for you

Search: Head over heels

The story: One young woman got a shock along with a wedding proposal. She and her boyfriend were on a rooftop deck with a group of friends when he hopped up onto a low wall that bordered the roof and started to propose. At one point, he asked a friend to toss him the ring. He fumbled the catch and, while trying to grab the box, fell off the roof.

The outcome: You'll have to watch for yourself (video). She still said yes.

7 of 16 Video still of a man staging a fall off a building after proposing marriage (Courtesy of Jokeroo)

Hard to hold

Search: Bridge crew saves fumble

The couple: The long-distance romance between Trey Turner, a Florida man, and Kelsey Kramer, his Brooklyn girlfriend, could have gotten a lot longer after he tried proposing as they were walking across the Brooklyn Bridge -- and he dropped the engagement ring.

The outcome: Fortunately, the slippery ring landed on metal scaffolding and not in the East River. A bridge worker spotted it the next day, and city officials contacted the anxious couple to let them know.

I do, robot

Search: Robo-vows

The couple: The Japanese are well known for being on the cutting edge of technology. Not to be outdone, bride Satoko Inoue and groom Tomohiro Shibata exchanged vows with a 4-foot-tall robot named I-Fairy acting as officiant.

The story: Inoue is an employee at Kokoro Co., which built the robot. Her groom is a professor of robotics at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology in Japan. Both the robot and the bride wore flowers.

How much did the officiant cost?

Something old, something nude

Search: Nude nuptials

The couple: Every couple wants a memorable wedding, but not many would be willing to go as far as Phil and Ellie Hendicott to get one.

The story: The Brisbane, Australia, couple entered a competition sponsored by a radio station and won the grand prize: a nude wedding in front of 250 fully clothed guests, with hundreds of thousands of Aussies listening on the radio.