Britany, 34 and never married, had been on and off CatholicMatch for two years. In August 2014, she sent a message to Scott, 37, also never married, who lived in her same town of San Antonio, Texas. She received no response. She took a break from her subscription soon after.
In June 2015, Scott finally paid for a subscription so he could read his messages. He found Britany’s message waiting for him, and responded. Thankfully, she had signed back on and saw Scott’s message.
Britany asked Scott what he was doing while they were chatting online. Scott replied that he was watching the movie The Sandlot. Britany is a baseball fan and this got her attention. “He had me at Sandlot!” she says.
Their first date, just six days after connecting, was at Mass.
Six days later, they met in person. Britany suggested they meet at Saturday Mass, hoping to show Scott the importance of her faith. “I was extremely impressed when she suggested our first meeting take place at Mass,” Scott remembers. “I wouldn't have it any other way!”
Scott had signed on to CatholicMatch looking for a woman who shared his core beliefs. “Being Catholic was an absolute requirement for me,” he says. He admits he keeps himself busy, and he’s an introvert, which could sometimes make meeting people randomly a bit difficult. “CatholicMatch made meeting like-minded people much easier,” he says.
Britany had signed on for the same reason. “Going to church every week is a must for me, and I didn't want to lower that standard in my future relationship,” she shares. She was tired of trying to find time to attend adult social events to find someone. CatholicMatch seemed easier.
Britany’s biggest concern was making sure the people she communicated with online were genuine. “I felt a little nervous and excited at the same time when I first started communicating online,” she says.
At that first Mass with Scott, the caution faded. The theme of the homily was, “Be not afraid.”
“That homily was God's way of telling me this was a more than special occasion,” Britany says.
After Mass, Scott treated her to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Britany will never forget the way Scott looked at her at dinner. “He was already in love!” she laughs.
After dinner, they shared their first kiss at a miniature golf course. Britany remembers, “We shared some important conversations with each other about our lives that night, and it really helped to jumpstart our relationship in a positive way. "
Four days after that first date, they were officially a couple. Britany admits she thought this was moving a bit fast, but Scott was persistent. “Although chatting for a while before meeting is normal, I could tell instantly that there was something very special about Britany,” Scott says.
They had so many things in common, but most of all, their faith.
As they got to know each other, Britany was impressed by Scott’s patience and humor, and by how much they had in common. They had attended the same university, lived in the same city, both loved sports, and both shared a love of family and God. “What made me comfortable with committing to Scott was that he was very family-oriented, and at the center of that was Christ,” she says.
They also shared a commitment to being open and honest. “We have open communication and have shared important conversations with each other about our past and expectations of the future,” Britany reveals. “That was part of what I did on our first date: ‘put it all out there.’ I wanted this new guy in my life to know what my current life was like and not be surprised in any way,” Britany says.
They confess they have had to compromise at times and talk through their expectations, but they do it in a Christ-like way of respecting and listening to each other. “We have learned each other’s love languages, and continue to learn more about each other,” Britany says.
“If one of us has an issue with something, we bring it up,” Scott concurs. “Patience is key. I often lay any issues I have at the foot of the Cross and swallow my own pride. I also know that sacrifice is key to an everlasting relationship.” He says that getting used to each other's habits and traditions has been interesting, but both know to place their trust in God.
They both felt ready and that this was it. So Scott took Britany to the same bridge they had one of their first kisses...
After two years of establishing trust, as well as talking about future plans, they both felt marriage was in their future. They began shopping for wedding rings during the 2016 Christmas holiday, but Britany didn’t know when Scott would actually propose.
On their 20-month dating anniversary, Scott took Britany to a nice Italian restaurant. Afterward, they strolled along the San Antonio Riverwalk to enjoy the scenery. “I didn't say it out loud, but my heels were beginning to hurt my feet after a while!” Britany remembers.
They reached a bridge and Scott slowed down. He began to tell her how much he loved her and how much their relationship meant to him. Then he dropped to one knee, spoke her full name, and proposed. Her response? “Absolutely!”
“It was nerve racking!” Scott remembers. "But that's normal from the guy's side. I wanted to do something that was very special for us, something with meaning.” They had a tradition of kissing on bridges. “We shared one of our very first kisses on the bridge over the Riverwalk,” Scott reveals. “I proposed on that same bridge!”
Britany couldn’t get over how great it felt to have a beautiful engagement ring on her finger. After the proposal, they snapped a few photos, grabbed a beer at the local Hofbrau, and enjoyed the rest of the evening with a glow on their faces. “And the glow is still there!" Britany says.
The couple is now preparing not just for their wedding, but their marriage.
They decided on a seven-month engagement, which Britany, who works in the wedding industry, says has been plenty of time to prepare for their upcoming ceremony. She admits it has been fun to plan the details, but most important is keeping in mind the actual Sacrament of Matrimony. “Our closing song will be giving praise and thanks to God, as it should be,” she shares.
“Prior to engagement, we had heart-to-heart talks about what each one of us wants out of marriage, including children,” Scott shares. They have attended a marriage preparation class, and are studying Natural Family Planning. Both are committed to building a solid Catholic marriage for life.
They also both recommend online dating.
“People meet many different ways nowadays and online is one of them,” Scott says. “CatholicMatch offers the advantage of having members who share the same beliefs.”
Britany advises, “Pray about it, be persistent, and be picky. Pray to God with specific requests. Don’t give up when you don't get responses, and don't lower your standards.”
Britany had previously been in long-distance relationships, but a year before she met Scott, decided to only commit to someone closer. “I wanted to be able to drop everything and go see him for dinner instead of having to plan it and work around life and career schedules,” she admits.
She’s glad she did. Britany and Scott will celebrate their first anniversary as a married couple on September 23rd, 2018.
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