Dear JDate,

cont-mt-lauren-markWe met in July 2005, I thought a good way to tell our story was to send you an extract from the speech I made at the reception on our wedding day…

I would just like to spend a bit of time telling you all about how we arrived here on this wonderful day.

I started off life to Lauren as a blue square. As you probably know, we met on the internet on JDate. I had created a profile that I was pretty happy with, but after a while wasn’t so happy with my picture so I removed it and all that was left in its place was a blue square. Lauren obviously saw the hidden depth in the blue square and made the first approach. We chatted online, exchanged a few messages and then spoke on the phone. We really hit it off…we talked, and talked, and talked…and a few days later we met.

We had a great 1st date wandering around Hyde Park followed by hours sitting in Pizza in the Park annoying the waitress because we were too busy talking to order any food.

After this date I was captivated. I sent an email to Lauren the next day to say what a fantastic time I’d had and waited for her reply… it arrived and simply said:

“Hey Mark,
Just wanted to say thanks for yesterday and for taking me home and everything, hope you got home not too soon after.”

That’s it, no kiss, no “hope to see you again”… I was pretty gutted.

However, Lauren was just playing it cool and after getting a 2nd and 3rd date I really, honestly knew that Lauren and I would be together forever – we were made for each other.

This is the point in my speech where I was planning to tell you HOW made for each other we are…the only problem is that I would be reeling off a list for hours, and I don’t think the caterers were planning on making you all breakfast!

Made for each other….this is very difficult concept to put into words. We share so many things — a passion for music, creativity, we make each other laugh, we challenge each other, we run around and act like 4-year-olds, we see the world through similar eyes, but constantly bring new experiences, thoughts and feelings to each other. I guess this simply means that we make each other happy and together we are still the same people that we were apart, only much better.

Just after the first-year anniversary of our meeting, Lauren and I were away at our place in Spain and I had decided that this was the place and the time that I would propose. So, whilst we were in the sea, I got down on one knee, and in my very best Spanish I asked Lauren if she would be my wife. In reality, my Spanish wasn’t so good and I had actually asked Lauren if she would “be my tired.” Thankfully I got it right in the end and Lauren said “yes!”…phew!

Tips for other JDaters:
Be honest about the type of person you want to meet. Don’t place too much importance on someone’s picture, read profiles properly and send a decent length email — not a standard copied and pasted one. Personally, I wanted to speak to people on the phone rather than have extended email contact. Speaking allows the personality to show, otherwise you tend to project aspirations onto someone who you just write to. Be yourself!

Lauren & Mark
London, United Kingdom

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