Like many CatholicMatch success story couples, Andrea and Lewis found love in a place they hoped— but didn’t really expect— to find it!
Lewis, a Math teacher, joined CatholicMatch after unsuccessful experiences on several other dating sites. Andrea, a mental health services professional administrator, joined after the repeated encouragement of both her friend and her mum.
Their first video call lasted two hours!
On September 6th, 2022 Andrea read Lewis’ profile and was impressed. “He seemed like such a lovely man from what I read,” she recalls, “and was very much involved with his church.” While she felt some reservations about the three-hour drive between her city and his, she remembered a CatholicMatch article she’d read encouraging “don’t let distance be an obstacle.” She sent him a message and after viewing her profile, Lewis messaged back. He relates that the first thing he noticed about Andrea “was very shallow… she looked lovely!”
The two, who both live in the United Kingdom, quickly scheduled their first video call for just 2 days later. That successful video call, which happened just after the announcement that Queen Elizabeth had died, lasted for two hours!
Several weeks later, they met in person.
An instant connection!
From the start, the couple sensed an “instant” connection. Andrea found “he was exactly as he wrote in his profile—caring, kind, funny, so many wonderful things. I’d never met anyone like that before.” Similarly, Lewis agreed, “Her profile was very honest, authentic. What she wrote about herself proved to be true.”
The two learned that they shared a love of many different music genres and the outdoors, and a belief in the importance of family. Andrea invited Lewis to feed squirrels and ducks in a park near her home, a practice she calls “quite therapeutic.” In turn, Lewis introduced Andrea to a longtime love of his, gardening.
In the United Kingdom, the practice of renting allotments, small pieces of public land loaned out by the government for the purpose of growing gardens or food crops, is very common. For more than 15 years, Lewis has tended 6 allotment plots, which contain all kinds of flowers as well as fruit trees.
Finding ‘the one’...
Quickly, both Andrea and Lewis recognized that the other person was someone they’d be willing to commit to forever.
Lewis noted that by joining CatholicMatch and choosing to seek a Catholic spouse, much of the heavy lifting of learning whether the other person had similar core beliefs and values was already done by the time they met. By mid-October, the couple decided they were ready to move forward. With little fanfare but much love, Andrea shared that Lewis “proposed on a sunny park bench after feeding the ducks,” and she enthusiastically said, “yes!”
The King of England stole their wedding day!
The couple planned an April 22, 2023 wedding at Lewis’ parish. Lewis joked, “We originally scheduled it for May 6th, but the king decided to steal it [for his coronation ceremony]!”
Family matters...
Both Andrea and Lewis were very intentional about incorporating family members into their wedding day. They believe it’s very important, Lewis noted, “that at the wedding Mass both sides participated to represent us both.” Many of Andrea and Lewis’ relatives and friends served as ring bearer, flower girls, page boys, bridesmaids, Chief Bridesmaid (similar to a Maid of Honor), reading, Psalm singing, witnesses, the Prayers of the Faithful, offertory procession, and more. Andrea’s sister even chose her wedding dress! Lewis’ Godson is his Best Man, and other family members are involved.
The couple also was purposeful about lovingly commemorating family members who have passed away, particularly both Lewis’ parents and Andrea’s beloved “Nan,” her mum’s mum who was a mainstay of her growing up years. September 6th, the day the couple “met” online, was the anniversary of Nan’s death. When she walked up the aisle with her parents, Andrea carried a pendant with her late grandmother’s portrait in her bouquet.
Andrea also wore a ring Lewis’ dad gave to his mum. At their reception, the couple had a table of remembrance to honor the memories of those loved ones who have gone before them.
Their words of advice for others considering signing up for CatholicMatch...
The happy couple truly enjoyed planning thoughtful, personalized touches throughout the wedding Mass and reception, but they mostly looked forward to spending forever together and are particularly grateful to have found someone with shared faith.
They offered words of advice to fellow Catholics considering creating a profile but feeling hesitant. Lewis recommended, “if you have tried other dating sites like I did, and there was no one on your wavelength, give CatholicMatch a go.” Andrea added, “My advice would be, to be yourself, be truthful, as honesty is the basis of a good relationship.”
