Steven: I was talking to a friend on my cell phone when I pulled up to the restaurant for our first date on July 23, 2001.  Just six weeks earlier, I had selected Julie’s profile from JDate.  However, when I pulled up to the restaurant, I couldn’t help noticing an attractive woman sitting outside of the restaurant and told my friend, “I wish Julie were this girl in the purple.”

Julie: I had gotten really nervous and I decided to wait for Steven outside…so I was that girl in the purple! And the rest is history!

Together: We had instant chemistry and felt deeply connected through our similar life experiences; we each had daughters 10 months apart in age and had both recently dealt with turbulent divorces.  We were married 13 months after our first date.  Since blending our families, we have since grown to seven with the birth of our daughter, Hallie, and sons David and Evan.  Since married, we have also taken our partnership one step further.  We run dental practices together throughout our state; we are partners all the way around.  People ask me (Julie), “How can you work with Steven…doesn’t that drive you crazy?”  I tell them absolutely not.  I love being with my husband and making life and business decisions together.  I totally credit JDate for my happily ever after (my step father, before his passing, referred to me as “Julie-rella”) and I encourage other singles to consider it an option.  I tell everyone, “Don’t knock online dating.  I was scared to do it but I’m glad I did, otherwise I would have missed out on my happily ever after with Steven and our five beautiful children!”

Julie and Steven
Paradise Valley, Arizona