David and Emily: A Heartwarming Dating App Success Story
David and Emily connected on Once and felt an instant bond. Both nature enthusiasts and surfers, they chose the Santa Monica beach for their first date, where they shared a sunset and got to know each other better. Their love story grew stronger with each wave.
David: “I was blown away the minute I saw Emily”
Emily and I met on Once at the time when I was pretty much ready to give up on online dating. I went on a few dates and even got into a relationship with one girl, but we didn’t work out in the end. The Once website was coming up a few times, and I thought I’d give it a go since I’m already registered on so many other dating apps and websites.
And I’m sure glad I did! I think I chatted with a few other girls there before matching with Emily. Since that happened, I pretty much shut down on everyone else because I was absolutely infatuated with Emily. We’re both surfers, so we bonded over it instantly. I have to admit, she’s far better at it than I am, but I’m glad to have such a badass girlfriend.
She’s making fun of me sometimes when we go to Santa Monica beach because that’s the place I suggested for our first date. We had a great time there, watching the sunset and eating and drinking. But she jokes about it because I was stupid enough to mention that I brought a couple of other dates there as well, so she says I should watch out for my other girlfriends.
That’s all in good faith of course, but I can actually really recommend this spot for dates if you live in the area. It’s very romantic and low-key, and you can park easily, and there are always other people there, so it doesn’t feel creepy for women. I’ve learned it’s important to make them feel safe when you ask them out. And if you get tired of the sand in your face, there are also many nice restaurants not too far away.
Emily: “David being a surfer was a cherry on top”
We’re already been together for a year, and I can’t believe how fast time has flown by.
I think online dating is somewhat difficult for everyone, but twice as much for me. I am an avid surfer, and my routine has been an issue with my boyfriends before. You won’t find me going out late at night as I’m in my bed by 10 pm, so I can wake up early and surf or work out before my job starts. I live a sober lifestyle and try to be out in nature as much as I can, so it’s very important for me to have a partner who’s like that too.
Unlike me, David goes to bed later and can have an occasional outing with friends, but mostly we match in terms of how we see our perfect days. I was surprised he asked me out to the Santa Monica beach because I go to surf there all the time.
What I liked about this first date was that he did not just ask me there so we could sit on the sand and talk, but he actually prepared the loveliest basket with food and drinks, and he brought only soft drinks, no wine or any other alcohol. I didn’t tell him about my sober lifestyle at the time, but he’s just decided that I’d feel safer with kombucha and juices. I loved how considerate he was back then, and he is like that to this day.
We’ve clicked right away, and we’ve been dating ever since. It’s funny how one match on a website can turn your life around. I believe in destiny and God's plan and I know we’re meant to be for life.
Our advice to singles dating online
We both dated a lot before meeting each other. One tip we can share with anyone is to not date for the sake of dating. All of our friends were going out, so we felt pressured to keep up sometimes.
The best thing you can do though is to start by understanding what you want from dating. For us, it was a long-term committed relationship. We knew that, and we dated with that goal in mind. Also, when nobody exciting was on our radar, we didn’t pursue situationships or any other relationships that led nowhere. Instead, we focused on other areas of our lives. For Emily, this was getting her health back on track after a surfing-related injury, and for David – getting the promotion he’d been working on for a while.
So we weren’t obsessing over meeting a soulmate, and that’s why it all happened so easily for us. Surely, you need to still put yourself out there, but not be desperate. Love is the most important part of life, but there’s also a lot more to life to be doing.
To sum up, know yourself and what you want, prioritize your own life, and keep putting yourself out there. We found love, and you will too!
