Dear JDate,

My husband and I thought we’d never meet or find a meaningful relationship on JDate. We’d both been on a lot of JDates, but nothing had turned into anything too serious. Then we found each other and knew we’d joined for a reason.

I moved to Atlanta, Georgia right out of college in 2005 and used the excuse that I was a newcomer to join JDate (the fact that my mom pushed me and paid for it at first made it a little easier). I had always seen Jason’s photos and profile on the site, but never talked to him because I thought he would not respond. One night, I saw him at a party and made up an excuse to go talk to him and was given the brush off so I ended up talking to his roommate. Shortly thereafter, Jason IM’d me on JDate. Apparently, that night at the party he wasn’t trying to brush me off, but had been asking a mutual friend what he thought of me and if he should ask me out. We started IMing in September of 2006, talked on the phone a few times and went on a date two weeks later. Our date was great! We had a lot in common and we both seemed to be very attracted to each other. It went OK for a few weeks, but I thought he was beginning to lose interest. I just figured it was another JDate mishap.

Then it was like a light switch went on in Jason’s head. He was calling all the time, wanting to make plans and to be around me on a regular basis. Just when I thought he had one foot out of the door, he made a decision that he wanted to be with me and I couldn’t have been more thrilled. He was very sweet by telling me he was my “boyfriend” in November and then he met my parents in January. Our relationship flourished quickly and we talked about love and marriage by Valentine’s Day. We continued to date and pseudo moved in together later in 2007. I stood strong on not wanting to live together, for real that is, until we were engaged.

In December of 2007, we signed a lease on an apartment together, but I was still hoping to get engaged before we moved in March of 2008. I went home to Charleston, South Carolina to visit my family for Chanukah a few weeks later. A girlfriend of mine was out of town so I told her I would walk her dog for her. When I went into her house to get the dog, there was Jason proposing!

I, of course, said yes and we had a surprise engagement party the next day. We had the most beautiful wedding on November 9, 2008 in Charleston, South Carolina overlooking the Cooper River. Jason and I had the opportunity to meet the COO of JDate a few weeks ago and thanked him for a job well done. If it had not been for his site we may have never had this wonderful story to tell.

Tips for other JDaters:
You may have to go on many many JDates before you find the one. Keep an open mind, have fun and date a lot. What you may find could be magical!

Sincerely,

Jason & Melissa
Atlanta, Georgia