Freida had been online dating for awhile, hoping to deepen her pool of options. “I tried other sites, years ago,” she says, but they hadn’t resulted in anything worthwhile. But she also thought the right romance would happen for her, someday. “I was confident,” she says. Patience was the key, it turns out, because it took a little while before she found someone she had real chemistry with.

Dave was also looking for a serious relationship. “I had tried other sites in the past,” he reveals. ‘What was different about this one? “I was hopeful, but thought it was a long shot.” Still, it was a shot worth taking. “I knew it only had to work once,” Dave says with a grin.

So “DCMusic” went online. In the span of six months Dave had discovered that his profile caught the interest of “Destiny116.”

“I thought his profile was very candid and forthright,” Freida explains. “And he was cute!” So she Favorited” him. That, in turn, got Dave to check her out… He was immediately interested, thinking that Freida came across as “very smart and witty” in her profile. “It was very well written and had a beautiful photo,” he beams. “And those eyes!”

Still, it took awhile before they decided they were ready for a face-to-face. “After talking on the phone for three months, we were ready to meet,” explains Freida. Adds Dave, “We spent a lot of time talking and getting to know each other before agreeing to meet.”

They met at the Penn Cinema in Lititz, PA. “We saw a movie, then went to dinner at the Belvedere Inn,” says Dave. “I was so very happy to finally meet her. I felt that the connection we had was even stronger in person.”

“I just melted,” Freida sighs. “I was relieved we had chemistry in person, too. And I was surprised at how much I didn’t want the date to be over.” Dave nods in complete agreement. “We were so comfortable with each other! We knew we were going out again.”

Freida felt just as confident. She was “one hundred and fifty percent” sure that Date 2 would happen. But Dave doesn’t want her to one-up him here. “One hundred and fifty-ONE percent!” he exclaims.

Was there anything one appreciates about the other that didn’t come across in their profiles? Freida has an answer. “His energetic and gregarious nature,” she says. Dave doesn’t even have to think about it. “Her willingness to improvise and follow along with my quirky ideas.” And was she his type? “Very similar, only better,” he says. “Smart, funny, pretty and musical.”

Dave was Freida’s type, too. She describes him as “creative, brilliant, kind and funny.”

Their only obstacle turned out to be a familiar nemesis of singles who meet online: distance. “We live two-and-a-half hours apart,” explains David. But for these two, it’s definitely worth it. “I never thought that soulmates existed, until I met Freida,” he muses. “Now I know that they do.”

Freida and Dave have some advice to pass along to other hopeful online daters. Says Freida, “Keep believing in love. Be modest. Be your real self.”

When it comes to profile-writing, Dave adds, “Don’t write the usual ‘I like walks on the beach, etc.’ Be original, creative and specific.”

The post One Hundred and Fifty (One) Percent appeared first on Love is all colors.

Sheila and Tudor now live as husband and wife, but for a long time they wondered if they’d ever meet that special someone. Tudor had been a member of our site for more than three years when he found Sheila. “I was sick of being alone,” he says, and she seconds that thought.

Their loneliness evaporated when a simple instant message connected them. Sheila admired Tudor’s blue eyes and he was drawn in by her beautiful skin. But behind the profile (username: “PetPenny”) was a deeper beauty, Tudor sensed. “I could tell she was a great woman,” he says.

Tudor (aka “Robbie2”) wasn’t traditionally Sheila’s “type,” but this and their age difference didn’t bother her. “I can’t explain it,” she says. After lengthier conversations confirmed that yes, their interest went more than skin deep, this pair in the making decided to do something daring… “We met in Alabama at her home,” said Tudor.

That went well! “Love at first sight,” says Tudor. Sheila nods. “We knew it was love [when we met face to face]. We had lots in common.”

Tudor continued to court Sheila, feeling certain that this partnership would bring him happiness. “I knew she was what I needed in my life,” he says. He was surprised and touched by, as he puts it, “her concern for me.” Sheila puts forth “his kindness” as something she values greatly.

Today their main disagreement is over politics. This not-uncommon obstacle wasn’t enough to prevent a proposal, however! “He asked me to marry him on my patio,” says Sheila, radiant with joy. She says that finding love has changed her life “tremendously.”

So that’s their story. We asked Sheila and Tudor for words of advice to our single readers. “Take your time, and be patient,” say the couple.

It took them years of looking to find the right match, but today these newlyweds are sure glad they stuck it out.

The post He Proposed on the Patio appeared first on Love is all colors.

The path that Ron and Monique took to the altar was winding, but there sure was some beautiful scenery along the way! Let’s start at the beginning. Monique shares her motivations for joining our site: “The fact that it was interracial dating, and the hope of meeting someone I was compatible with.” Ron had his own reasons for joining. “I felt I had a lot to offer, and I preferred an interracial relationship. I had no desire to grow old alone!”

Monique went into this experience knowing that Internet dating was her best bet. “My social interactions were limited, so I felt that going online offered me greater opportunity to meet the right type of man,” she says. Initially, Ron remembers being cautiously optimistic — at best. “I was not very confident of meeting THE one,” he admits. “However, I knew that I had to put myself out there, or remain single.”

It took Ron just seven days to sign up, post his profile (username: TryNsee), and meet Monique! Meanwhile, she’d been on our site for roughly four years already. She wasn’t rushing into anything, that’s for sure.

Ron didn’t have to review that many profiles to find Monique’s. This one sparked his interest immediately. “I was intrigued by what she said and what she didn’t say,” he explains. “I felt that there was a lot more to her than she was saying, and she didn’t want to intimidate a man.” Her picture sure didn’t diminish his interest, either. “She was also very lovely!”

All this was more than enough to spur Ron on. He tells us, “I messaged Monique, aka ‘Angel2010.’ She responded the very next day. We talked everyday thereafter and met on the fourth day!”

Monique welcomed Ron’s attention. “His genuine personality really shined through his profile,” she recalls. “I liked his comment, ‘I really like being the man in a relationship,’ because I like being a feminine woman.” And did his photos pass muster? “I also liked his pictures,” Monique adds with a smile.

Before meeting, they did their due diligence to get to know one another. That kind of dialogue can only tell you so much, however. “I enjoyed our conversations and felt that there was a connection,” says Monique. “But I wanted to meet to see if that same connection was there in person.”

Ron was eager to take the next step. “Our conversations were very comfortable and easy,” he informs us. “I was curious to see if that flowed into real life! She seemed a bit TOO perfect and meeting would answer a lot of questions.”

A little anxious that his hopes would be dashed, Ron invited Monique out on a date. “I had gifts and a single red rose for her,” he says.

She picks up the story there. “He drove from Orange County to Culver City to pick me up. Then we drove to the Marina Del Rey harbor for our date, dinner at the Cheesecake Factory right on the water. We ended the night at Venice Beach, where we walked the sand together, by moonlight, and talked some more.”

Ron still reminisces about watching the sailboats and seagulls from the restaurant’s outdoor seating area. He also remembers feeling elated when he laid eyes on Monique for the first time. “She was even more lovely than her online pictures, to my great relief,” Ron laughs. “She was very tastefully put together, and beautiful.”

Monique wasn’t disappointed by Ron’s appearance, either. “He was tall and nicely dressed. He had a nice car. He was an attractive guy!”

We asked the pair what surprised them most about that night. “The most surprising thing about our first date was that he asked me out for a second date over dinner. I said yes! We had our second date the very next day, and had an even better time.”

What prompted Ron to make this bold move was the chemistry that anyone could see. “I was amazed at the ease and complete comfort I felt around her,” he says. “I was never nervous and always felt I could simply be myself. And I was delighted that she said yes to the second date. This was a bit surprising since she had not agreed to a second date in years!”

Many great dates followed. Monique and Ron had many happy surprises in store for them, it turns out. “I learned that he is the type of man who really likes to pamper his woman,” says an appreciative Monique. Ron also learned something about his lady. “I discovered that we are both very affectionate people and love to cuddle,” he says.

A critical turning point in their relationship came when the new couple took a trip together. “We flew to Maryland to meet my family,” recounts Monique. “We were in our hotel room, having a serious talk. We had to decide if we were going to go forward with the relationship, or if this was the end of the road.”

The issue came down to a question of trust; could Monique truly open up to Ron, and this relationship? “I knew early in the relationship that I was more deeply invested than she was,” Ron reveals. “I had to be patient with her and show her my character and love for her in order to gain her trust. During our trip to Maryland I was faced with the real possibility of losing her, which I could not tolerate even thinking about. I agonized over this and we ended up talking very late that night.”

Monique hints that previous relationships might have been weighing on her. “I had to decide if I was going to stay tied to the past, or move forward into the future,” she explains. “I was a very walled-off person and generally did not allow people to get too close to me. In addition, I had to allow myself to be vulnerable and, as a result, be very honest with him. As a result of his strong and loving character, he kicked down the walls and swept me off my feet. I decided I didn’t want to be with anyone else.”

Ron felt a tremendous relief at this outcome. “We decided to fly home together the next day and we have been together every day since.”

With that obstacle behind them, Monique and Ron never looked back. “I proposed to her in Laguna Beach, California,” Ron says proudly. “It was in a luxury suite overlooking the ocean. Very romantic.”

Monique answered in the affirmative and in due time, they got married. “It’s such a blessing to have found the man of your dreams and know that this is the man you’ll spend the rest of your life with,” she says.

Ron knows how lucky he is to have completed his search. “Monique’s love has brought joy, hope and laughter back into my life,” he declares. “She is my best friend and the reason I believe that my future is very bright.”

So was Ron really Monique’s “type,” and vice versa? “He is very much my type,” gushes Monique. “Tall, professional, mature. He has that George Clooney, sexy mature man thing going on.” Once he gets done blushing Ron says, “Monique is the very embodiment of everything I find attractive in a woman. God made her just for me.”

Monique has this to say to everyone who is dating online in hopes of finding the One. “Don’t settle for less than you deserve. It may take a little longer to find; it didn’t happen for me overnight. But I believed in love, I believed in myself and I trusted God to bring the right person into my life at the right time. It sounds cliché, but when the right person comes along, you really will know it.”

Ron offers this to our readers. “Always be completely honest in your profile. Any untruth will eventually come out and may just attract the wrong person anyway. To find a soulmate, you must first be genuinely yourself, or your mate will never see you. When you find your soulmate, everything will be easy, comfortable and right. You’ll have a peace that comes from God.”

The post Her First Second Date in Years appeared first on Love is all colors.

“The distance thing worried me,” Zamaswazi told us about her online courtship with Uzodinma. All couples face obstacles, and in this case geography conspired against them.

That wasn’t the only potential pitfall here. “She is quite stubborn and moody,” laughs Uzodinma. Still, the good certainly outweighed the bad. “She’s all that I wanted,” he says, turning serious. “He is everything I’m looking for in a man,” adds the woman he loves.

What drew them to date on the Internet in general and more specifically, our site for singles? “It worked for a friend of mine,” points out Zamaswazi. Uzodinma was curious about the possibilities. “I just thought I should try it out,” he says.

While both singles say they were “Not very confident” at the start, in a matter of months they had turned their memberships into a relationship. It began with a message from “Uzo.” He says her beautiful smile hooked his interest right away. Once they began communicating, she was impressed by his gift for gab. “He likes to holds good conversation. We spoke daily, and I was comfortable with him.”

Uzo was eager to move on from this early stage of the process. “Talking on the phone wasn’t enough,” he tells us. “I wanted to meet her!”

As they lived nowhere near one another, the duo arranged to have their first date in Venice, Italy. As far as romantic atmosphere goes, can you really do better? But that didn’t mean they’d click. Fortunately, any doubts evaporated quickly. “He looked just like he did in his pictures,” said Zamaswazi. “But he was taller than I thought!”

“She had the most beautiful smile,” Uzo enthuses. “She looked younger than her pictures.”

Their interlude in Venice left them “very sure” this was only the first chapter of a longer story. Both singles came away smitten. “He is a very intelligent man,” Zamaswazi notes. “She’s a driven young lady,” her partner puts in.

This relationship has changed the way they think about love, and life. “I appreciate things and value time with the people I love more now,” says the lady. “I’m becoming more mature,” muses Uzo.

The couple have a few tips for singles on the search for someone special. “Be patient and have faith,” Zamaswazi reminds us. “Just know that you can’t hurry love.”

“Believe in love and have faith,” Uzo declares.

The post Distance Didn’t Do Them In appeared first on Love is all colors.

Now that she’s engaged to someone she met on our site, Barricka wants to share her story. Her reasons for signing up should resonate with other members… “I was looking to meet different cultures,” she says. “It was my second experience [with online dating], and the most successful!”

“I wanted to see if it worked,” Robert says of Internet personals. Our site was his first experience with all this. He thought that true success was rare, however. Barricka would have agreed; she thought she had “slim chances” of meeting someone special.

One night Barricka posted a profile with the username “BeeHappy242.” By then Robert had already been with us for a couple of months, under the handle “Newby6982.” He noticed Barricka’s profile, and it impressed him. “She was a beauty, of course! But also, the description of her personality seemed to be the woman I desired in my life,” he says.

Barricka tells us how their initial connection took place. “Robert sent me a Flirt, to which I responded, ‘Yes, I’m interested.’ He immediately sent a message introducing himself. After that I jokingly declined going any further because I felt we were too much alike, and bound to butt heads at any moment, but Robert brushed off my rejection and pursued me. His sense of humor is what reeled me back in to give it another shot.”

Their interactions were a lot of fun for Barricka. “Robert has a sense of humor,” she explains. “He made my cheeks hurt from smiling so much!”

With Robert’s charm working wonders on her, Barricka was ready to see how things went in the real world. “We didn’t want to waste any time,” she tells us. “We knew we connected online, so we needed to see if we clicked in person. And we did!”

In this case, though, the couple couldn’t just meet up at a local restaurant… Their first date was “in the Bahamas (my country),” says Barricka. “He traveled to see me!”

It’s true — Robert went a long way to meet her. “I traveled from Atlanta to the Bahamas for our birthday, which is four days apart. Barricka took me to all the tourist attractions. I knew from that trip that I loved her! I left after spending four days with her, but returned four days later.”

We asked Barricka what her first thought was when she met Robert face to face. “I thought he was short but would have to do!” she laughs, quickly adding, “I’m joking.” At the time, Robert remembers thinking “She was even more beautiful than her photos, and her personality matched her beauty.”

Obviously, though, it’s not easy making a relationship work when the man lives in Atlanta and the woman in the Bahamas. The couple cites this long-distance conundrum as the biggest obstacle they’ve faced so far. Robert says he was “afraid someone else would be able to win her over because I wasn’t there physically.”

Fortunately, these two weathered that storm. Now that they’re together, Barricka cherishes many things about Robert, including, “His honesty. And Robert is the perfect gentleman.”

He admires “her strength as a single mother. She is very family-oriented, which is what I seek.”

Remember what Barricka said about the two of them being too similar? Today she’s very glad she didn’t let that stop her. “I thought outside the box, dating someone with more of my personality than I’m used to,” she declares. “I have never been happier.”

In this relationship Robert has found exactly what he wanted. “Barricka is what I’ve prayed for, and what I’ve been waiting years for,” he declares, brimming with emotion.

We asked the couple where they were and what they were doing when they realized this relationship was going to be special. “I was with him on a shuttle ride in Nassau, Bahamas,” says Barricka, and Robert nods in agreement.

Even more memorable, of course, is how they got engaged. “After picking Robert up from the airport on a trip here, we were traveling back to the house when he ‘popped’ the question with a ring pop (yes, the candy!),” Barricka relates. “Being the clown that he is and thinking of it as another joke, I laughed and blushed uncontrollably! It wasn’t until he said ‘I’m still waiting on your answer’ that I knew he was serious! Of course I said yes! We went ring shopping the next day, and he replaced my ring pop with a real one.”

Barricka can hardly believe her good fortune at finding him. “It’s amazing how we share the exact same goals,” she says. “Now that we have found each other, the ‘happily’ to my ‘ever after’ can begin.”

Robert concurs. “I’ve waited at least 12 years for her,” he estimates. “I can’t wait for the day she carries my last name.”

We asked the happy couple to share their suggestions for singles. “Don’t allow distance to discourage you,” says Barricka, speaking from personal experience. “There’s someone out there praying for someone exactly like you, and they would cross oceans for you!”

“Never doubt finding love online,” Robert reassures us. “It’s very possible!”

That’s right — sometimes “slim chances” can turn into a sure thing.

The post Were They Too Similar? appeared first on Love is all colors.