When Foodies Find Each Other

Melanie and Stacey are now a couple, so they thought they’d share their experience dating online. Stacey was “optimistic” that we could help him find love, so he signed up on our site. Asked if she thought it was worth doing, Melanie tells us, “I felt confident [posting a profile]. I live in a small rural town… There is not much of a dating pool. Your site was the second dating site I tried. It was much better than the first one!”

Thanks for the backstory, Melanie! Stacey says his motivation for coming on board with the clever handle “UrsMineOurs” was that he was “looking for something different. You were not my first online dating site.” Browsing profiles, Stacey couldn’t help noticing Melanie’s… “She seemed real, and down to earth,” he recalls. “I loved her eyes and her smile.”

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Stacey was one month into his membership when that happened, and Melanie was less than 60 days in. She remembers the day her fella contacted her. “He sent me a Flirt, then a message. I looked at his profile, then responded.” She adds that her reasons for responding were that “he had lots of pictures and a great smile.”

Stacey says “the first day we spoke” is when he saw major potential with Melanie. She is “extremely” similar to what he considered his type. Melanie remembers the moment she knew there was something different about this one. “I realized it during our first week of talking,” she says.

It didn’t take long for these two to take the next step. “We had to meet ASAP,” laughs Melanie. “We fell in love really fast!” She also notes that Stacey was “very similar to the man on my vision board.” Looking back on it, Stacey admits he was head over heels. “I fell in love right away!” he exclaims.

But as is often the case with Internet romances, airfare had to be obtained for the singles to see each other in person. “I flew to Austin, Texas, from Atlanta,” Stacey informs us. Melanie says their get-together had a distinct theme: food. “We met for a weekend of trying new foods and spending time alone,” she remembers. Stacey confirms that in addition to lots of sampling, they also “spent time getting to know each other,” of course.

It wasn’t just the food that satisfied – their connection was a delight as well. “I thought she was as beautiful in person as I imagined her to be,” declares Stacey. Melanie says, “I was very happy that he was all I thought him to be. No catfishing!”

The only curveball for this couple was the shock of a sudden connection, or as Melanie puts it, “how quickly I felt at ease with him.” Stacey agrees. “It felt like we had been together for years,” he observes. With a great date under their belts, was full-steam ahead from there.

We asked Melanie and Stacey if there was anything about each other that their dating profiles just didn’t prepare them for. “That he is an amazing writer,” replies Melanie. “How easy she is to talk to,” is Stacey’s answer, though he adds “how relationship-based she is” to the equation as well.

“Navigating the distance between us” has been their primary obstacle to date, says Melanie, reminding us, “I’m in Texas. He’s in Georgia.” Stacey echoes that notion, pointing out that “figuring out how to have quality time in a long-distance relationship” isn’t always easy. However, they do have a workable solution… “We have a date night on Wednesdays,” he explains. “We get snacks and watch a movie while on the phone!”

“I’m extra happy now,” Melanie says of her new relationship, “and planning a future with Stacey.”

He says his time with Melanie “has given me what I always dreamed about.”

Here are Melanie’s words of wisdom for singles seeking a relationship of this caliber. “Keep your heart open, and learn what you like/don’t like with each date experience,” Melanie advises everyone. It makes sense, as that way you can fine-tune your romantic priorities. Stacey wants singles to find clarity with their relationship goals, and communicate this to your potential partners. “Be sincere about your wants and needs,” he tells us.

With luck, you’ll be sampling new cuisines with someone special in no time.

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