Alex and Claire: A Romantic Dating Site Success Story
Alex and Claire hit it off immediately on Once thanks to their mutual passion for French cuisine. Their first date took place at a charming Lyon restaurant, where they enjoyed great food and lively conversation. It was the perfect start to their love story.
Claire: “Our mutual love for food and Lyon brought us together”
It’s funny that we’re both from Lyon but we matched and started talking when we were in different places. I lived in Germany on an extended business trip, and Alex was in Spain working remotely.
When we first matched, he didn’t text me for a whole day, so I thought that he was just not that interested. It turned out that he had some issues with his apartment there, and he reached out as soon as he sorted everything. I find online dating a little awkward, but because he had those problems with where he lived, we started talking about it right away, and it all felt very natural.
We only met a month later when we both got back to France and by that time I couldn’t wait. I was so excited and nervous to finally meet him in real life that I didn’t eat anything for a day or more. Just couldn’t even think about food.
Luckily, when we met, we went for dinner in a cute small restaurant that I’d never been to before. The atmosphere was lovely, but we were so focused on each other, I don’t think we’d notice if they fed us food for horses that day.
Alex:
I will never forget the day we matched with Claire. Not only was it the start of our relationship, but also the day when my Spanish flat flooded and I had to deal with local authorities and repairmen because my landlord was out of the country. A total nightmare!
Thankfully, I also saw Claire that day on the Once website, so it balanced the negativity a little bit.
In general, I don’t believe in online dating. Or maybe I should say I didn’t believe in it. All my friends were using dating apps for holiday relationships or one-night stands, so I never thought I could meet a lifelong partner there. When I signed up for Once, I knew it was focused on mindful dating, but still, I had my reservations.
Luckily, I was proven wrong with Claire. Also, I texted a couple of other women there too, and they were lovely, but we didn’t click.
By the time we finally saw each other in real life, we'd already known everything about our lives, goals, and plans. We were out of the country at the time, but we’re now back in Lyon and plan to start a family here in France. There’s no place like home.
Our online dating advice for single people
Don’t wait for the perfect moment to look for love. When we matched, we couldn’t even meet in real life if we wanted, and we were working really hard on our professional goals. Still, didn’t postpone registration on Once, and look where it got us!
There will always be something happening in your life that will keep you away from dating online or in the real world. Yet, if you are interested in a long-term relationship, or any relationship, you have to find time for it in your schedule, no matter how busy it gets.
