I got engaged to a stranger I met online after a five day date
A COUPLE got engaged just five weeks after meeting on Tinder, flying to Malta for an ‘intense five-day dating session’.
Kayleigh Castle, 35, met Mark, 50, in April 2024 when he messaged her on Tinder, complimenting her on her smile.
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They messaged each other for a few days, then started FaceTiming and hit it off right away.
Kayleigh decided she didn’t want to date and wanted to focus on her career, but when Mark asked her to hang out, she decided to give him a chance.
The couple went to a Turkish restaurant that Kayleigh had always wanted to go to and she said Mark made her feel calm and relaxed.
Two weeks later, the couple flew to Malta for a five-day “intensive date,” during which they stayed in separate bedrooms and talked about marriage.
And just five weeks after they first met, Mark proposed on May 18, 2024 at Castle Hill, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.
The couple now plans to get married in Cuba in January 2025.
Kayleigh, a dating and life coach from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, said: “I wasn’t shocked when he proposed – it felt so normal.
“Even though the engagement happened quickly, I still felt like the relationship felt so natural.
“I didn’t feel like I was doing anything crazy, I felt like we were supposed to be married.”
Mark, a driver from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, added: “For me it was love at first sight.
“When I saw her, I knew immediately that she was the woman I wanted to marry.”
In April 2024, Kayleigh saw a message from Mark on Tinder.
The couple got to talking and decided to FaceTime.
Kayleigh said: “He was smiling in the photos and we had a really nice chat on FaceTime.
“He was telling me about his life and he was very nervous.
“I looked back at his photos on Tinder and thought I would give him a chance.”
Kayleigh realized she didn’t want to date anymore and wanted to focus on her career as a dating and life coach.
But Mark texted her asking if she wanted to meet up and she agreed.
Kayleigh said: “I said I couldn’t do that because I’d left my make-up bag at my friends’ house. I didn’t have a car at the time so I couldn’t pick it up.
“Instead, he picked me up from the supermarket and took me home.
“When I got in the car I felt so relaxed. He made me laugh and smile, so I decided to give him a chance.”
A week later they had a date.
Kayleigh said: “He made me feel very calm and relaxed.
“I talked about the problems I was having and he tried to help me solve them.
“He asked me what was making me so stressed and said he would help me.”
During the date, Kayleigh said she wanted to go on holiday and Mark suggested they go to Malta.
How to make a proposal successful
Thinking of proposing? Follow this checklist from Fabulous’ Deputy Editor Josie Griffiths to ensure a yes.
- Choose the right moment – the average Brit waits between 18 months and two years to get engaged. But you might feel ready after six months, or decide to wait five years or more to pop the question. Only you really know when the time is right, and this is not a decision you want to rush. Falling in love might feel amazing, but of course most relationships do NOT end in marriage – and for good reason…
- Please note – hopefully you haven’t reached the point where your frustrated partner has their laptop open with ‘hints’ for rings they like. Ideally, you want the ring to be a secret, but also something they’d be happy to wear – and for the rest of their life, so a little pressure here. You should pay attention to any comments your partner makes about other people’s rings, what they like and don’t like, and what’s most important to them – size, clarity, specific details. If you’re really not sure, or your partner hates surprises, it’s best to propose with a dummy and then buy the real thing together.
- Family matters – tradition dictates that you ask the father for permission to give your daughter’s hand, but these days it’s not so easy. Maybe your partner is closer to his stepfather, or wants his mother to walk her down the aisle, in which case you should talk to him. Maybe they’ll think it’s weird if you go to their parents first, in which case you can drop the whole thing. Or maybe they’re closer to their friends and it’s best to let your partner’s best friend choose the ring. These things are important and can come back to haunt you later if you get them wrong.
- Plan the setting – does your partner dread being the center of attention, or is he or she someone who would hate it if you proposed at home and scolded you endlessly for not making an “effort”? Plan the location for your perfect proposal – how busy it will be, whether you can get a good photo there, and other logistics involved. Proposing on top of a mountain may sound good in theory, but your girlfriend might not appreciate it if she’s got sweat dripping off her forehead and isn’t wearing the cute dress she had planned for the photos. Personally, I can’t think of anything worse than a public proposal where everyone is waiting for your answer – in a group of friends, in the middle of a restaurant, or with an announcement at an event. So keep all of this in mind and remember that it should be about THEY, not you.
The couple went abroad for five nights two weeks after they met, staying in separate bedrooms and talking about their intentions.
Kayleigh said: “It was like an intense date – it felt like I had known him for a long time.
“There was no awkward silence and we laughed.
“When we got there, I told him I wanted to date and get married and we started talking about weddings.”
Kayleigh showed Mark a photo of a vintage engagement ring she wanted and Mark mentioned that his late grandmother had one that looked just like it.
She said, “Before he even proposed, he showed me the wedding ring and it was identical to the ring I showed him in the store.
“I tried on the ring and it fit perfectly. He told me to get my nails done and buy a nice dress.”
On May 18, 2024, Mark popped the question.
Kayleigh was “not shocked” by the engagement, despite it being just five weeks since they first texted each other.
The couple now plans to get married in Cuba in January 2025.
Kayleigh said: “His actions matched his words and it felt like we were meant to get married.
“He is kind and generous and I could see in his eyes how much he loved me.
“When I look at him, I know immediately how he feels about me.
“I just wanted to give women hope with the fact that I met someone through Tinder.
“I’ve dated men from all over the world and the man I’m going to marry showed up at my door.”
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