There’s no right answer when it comes to the question of what the best way to meet somebody is, as people meet their significant other in some ways. Some people may argue that traditional methods such as meeting through friends is the best way, but the truth about how many engaged couples today met is all but traditional.
The Knot surveyed over 14,000 couples from the United States who were recently engaged or married for their 2017 Jewelry and Engagement Study. These couples were asked some questions about the rings they bought, how they’re planning their weddings, and how they met.
As it turns out, more people are meeting online than ever before with 19% of respondents reporting that they met their significant other online, whether it was through a dating site or app, or through social media. This is up from just 14% in 2015, showing that this method for meeting people is getting more popular and may continue to do so.
For many people, this is surprising because it’s believed that a number of people use dating apps and sites for “hookups” rather than seeking long-term relationships, but as it turns out, there are plenty of people that are looking for something more than a one-night stand when they log in to their app or site of choice.
Here are the most common ways that people today are meeting their fiancé or spouse:
1. Online
As previously mentioned, 19% of people surveyed met their significant other online. Of this, 17% met through dating websites or phone apps, and the other 2% met through social media sites.
As more people spend more time online, it should be no surprise that more people are meeting this way since it provides a fast and easy way for people looking for a romantic partner to find someone else with the same interests and beliefs as them. Dating sites and apps, in particular, make it easy to learn about someone before even contacting them.
2. Through Friends
Around 17% of respondents met through friends, whether they attended a party and met a friend of a friend or were intentionally set up by a friend.
This remains one of the most popular ways to meet romantic partners, and it’s not surprising since it’s an easy way to ensure they’ll get along well with the other person since they share mutual friends. It can also help weed out bad matches since good friends aren’t afraid to tell someone whether or not they should consider dating someone else they know.
3. In College
For about 15% of respondents, college was the place they met the love of their life, whether they had some classes together or directly met around campus.
Although many people may find it difficult to maintain a relationship while struggling with the stress that comes with attending college, it seems like others can do it. One thing that draws these people together is that they typically have similar outlooks on life since they are both pursuing degrees, instantly giving them something in common.
4. At Work
Of the people that were surveyed, about 12% reported having met at work, something that may be surprising since many workplaces discourage romances between employees.
Despite the discouragement that people may experience from their HR department, it seems not to be stopping them from finding their other halves. For many people, meeting people at work is the only way they can meet anyone since they spend so much time at work, so it’s no surprise that as many people have to spend more time at work, they’re using that extra time to make romantic connections.
Whether a couple met through a more traditional method or online, the best way to pursue a life of happiness is to stay faithful and keep working on their relationships since that matter more to the success of a relationship than how they first met.
Please Share with Your Friends and Family
About the Author: Originally from Michigan, Melody now enjoys working as a freelance writer from her home in Nicaragua, which she shares with her amazing husband and their crazy cat that was raised on goat’s milk from the time her mother abandoned her at just ten days old. They’re excited to be expecting their first baby, who they thought was a girl, were told was a boy, and then was told was a girl. She also recently finished her first novel and is working on making a cat coloring book.
