I got engaged to a stranger I met online after a five day long date – it’s quick but when you know you know
A COUPLE got engaged just five weeks after meeting on Tinder – after flying to Malta for an “intense five-day date”.
Kayleigh Castle, 35, met Mark, 50, in April 2024 when he messaged her on Tinder – complimenting her smile.
They messaged back and forth for a few days before they FaceTimed and hit it off immediately.
Kayleigh then decided she didn’t want to date and concentrate on her career but after Mark asked to meet up she decided to give him a chance.
The pair went to a Turkish restaurant that Kayleigh had always wanted to try and she said Mark made her feel calm and relaxed.
Two weeks later the couple jetted off to Malta for a five day “intense date” where they stayed in separate bedrooms and discussed marriage.
And just five weeks after they first met, Mark popped the questions on Castle Hill, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, on May 18, 2024.
The pair are now planning to elope 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 was quick my reassurance was that the relationship felt so natural.
“I didn’t feel like I was doing something crazy, it felt like we should be married.”
Mark, a driver, from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire added: “It was love at first sight for me.
“As soon as I saw her, I knew she was the one I wanted to marry.”
In April, 2024, Kayleigh was swiping through Tinder when she noticed a message from Mark.
The pair got chatting and decided to FaceTime.
Kayleigh said: “He was smiling in his photos and we had a really nice chat on FaceTime.
“He was telling me about his life and he was really nervous.
“I looked back at his photos on Tinder and thought I would give him a chance.”
Kayleigh then realised she didn’t want to date anymore and wanted to concentrate on her career as a dating and life coach.
But Mark messaged her asking if she would meet up and she caved.
Kayleigh said: “I said I couldn’t as I left my make up bag at my friends, I didn’t have a car at the time so I couldn’t pick it up either.
“Instead he picked me up from the supermarket and took me home.
“When I got in the car I felt so relaxed, he was making me laugh and smile so I decided to give him a chance.”
The pair then went on a date a week later.
Kayleigh said: “He made me feel really calm and relaxed.
“I was talking about some issues I was having and he was trying to help me solve them.
“He was asking me what was stressing me out and saying he will help me out.”
During the date, Kayleigh said she wanted to go on holiday and Mark suggested they go to Malta.
How to ace a proposal
Thinking of proposing? Follow this checklist by Fabulous’ Deputy Editor Josie Griffiths to ensure a yes…
- Time it right – 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 plus years to pop the question. Only you truly know when the time’s right, and this isn’t a decision you want to rush. Falling in love might feel amazing but of course most relationships DON’T end in marriage – and this is for good reason…
- Pay attention – hopefully you haven’t reached the point yet of your frustrated partner leaving their laptop open with ‘hints’ for rings they like. Ideally you’ll want the ring to be a secret, but also something they’d happily wear – and for the rest of their life, so just a TEENY bit of pressure here. You need to be paying attention to any comments your partner makes about other people’s rings, what they do and don’t like, and what’s most important to them – size, clarity, specific details. If you’re really unsure, or if 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 dad’s permission for his daughter’s hand in marriage, but it’s not so straightforward nowadays. Maybe your partner’s closer to their step-dad, or wants her mum to walk her down the aisle, in which case you’d be better off chatting to them. Maybe they’d find it weird if you went to their parents first, in which case you could ditch the whole thing. Or perhaps they’re closer to their friends and the best idea would be letting your partner’s best mate pick the ring. These things do matter and could come back to bite you if handled in the wrong way.
- Plan the setting – does your partner dread being centre of attention, or are they someone who’d be gutted if you proposed at home, berating you forever for a lack of ‘effort’? Plan the place for your perfect proposal – how busy it’ll be, whether you’ll be able to get a good pic there, and other logistics around it. A proposal at the top of a mountain might sound good in theory but your girlfriend might not actually appreciate it when there’s sweat dripping down her forehead and she’s not wearing the cute dress she’d imagined for the pictures. Personally, I can’t think of anything worse than a public proposal where everyone’s waiting to hear your answer – in a group of friends, the middle of a restaurant or with an announcement at an event. So bear all of this in mind and remember, it’s meant to be about what THEY want, not you.
The couple went abroad for five nights just a fortnight after meeting each other and stayed in separate bedrooms – speaking about their intensions.
Kayleigh said: “It was like intense dating – it felt like I had know him for a long period of time.
“There was no awkward silence and we had a laugh.
“Whilst we were there I told him that my intentions with dating was I wanted to get married and we started talking about weddings.”
Kayleigh showed Mark a picture of a vintage engagement ring she wanted and Mark revealed how his late grandma had one very similar.
She said: “Before he even proposed he showed me the wedding ring and it was identical to the one that I had shown him in the shop.
“I tried the ring on and it fitted perfectly and he told me to get my nails done and buy a nice dress.”
On May 18, 2024, Mark popped the question.
Kayleigh “wasn’t shocked” by the engagement despite it being just five weeks after they first messaged.
The pair are now planning to elope in Cuba in January 2025.
Kayleigh said: “His actions matched his words and it felt like we should be married.
“He is kind and generous and I could see in his eyes how much he loved me.
“The way he looks at me there is no doubt in my mind how he feels about me.
“I just wanted to give women hope with the fact that I have met someone on Tinder.
“I have dated men from all over the world and the man I am going to marry was on my doorstep.”