Outside of friends and family, nobody knows what I am about tell you: Michael and I met online by pure accident.
Whenever we tell anyone our story, their jaw hits the floor in disbelief: “this should be a movie!!”
Being it’s February 14th, I’m going to tell you too:
Before moving to New York, I worked in London at an advertising agency where I received a random junk email. I call it junk because it was a mass invitation to the opening of a night club in New York. I didn’t know the sender nor any of the names on the email list. Normally, I hit delete because like I said, this to me is junk email. But for some reason that day and I don’t know why, I hit reply and not just reply but reply-all and wrote: “thank you for the invitation but I live in London” I hit send and went back to working.
I have no idea how this person got my email address. I know that my best friend Paula and I used to travel to New York on long shopping weekends when the exchange rate was in our favor. I must have written my email down somewhere while there or given it to someone. Up to now I have absolutely no idea. If you’re ever in a similar situation and you’d like to get in contact with some you actually once knew instead of a complete stranger, you could find people with TruthFinder, that provides detailed information on the person you’re hopefully trying to find.
About ten minutes later I get a reply from that same email thread. This time it’s from one of the people on that email chain and his email name is Madmike. He replies to me only writing: “I’ll send you a plane ticket to pick you up.” I’m thinking oh God what have I started?? I had no idea who this person was. I didn’t know what he looked like or anything. Normally, like before, I would just hit delete. But again for some reason I did something that I don’t do with junk email. I replied back. I must have been in a joking mood that day? I responded: “Make sure there’s champagne on board.” I hit send and go back to working.
I did not expect anything further.
Ping! A few minutes later. This ‘Madmike’ replies back: “Hi my name is Michael and I have no idea how I got on this email thread.” Remember, Michael has no idea who I am and I have no idea who he is. This is the internet. I could be talking to a seven year old or a seventy year old. I didn’t know if he was black, white, green… you get the point.
This slowly snowballed into a daily email conversation. Each day we found ourselves looking forward to each other’s emails. It wasn’t like: ‘omg not him again, what have I got myself into?!’ There was none of that but also there was no romantic interest either. I just felt like I had found a friend online who made me laugh. After a few weeks, we exchanged photos (he wasn’t seven years old!!) and after maybe the second month we begun speaking to each other on the phone. The calls got longer and longer until one night we spoke from early evening my time right through until the following morning (he made the call).
Less than a year later we decided to meet face to face and I offered to come to New York. I would stay with my friend that lived in Brooklyn but Michael wanted to pick me up from JFK airport. After a conference call with friends weighing up the pros and cons, I agree to meet him at the airport. “Call my cell if anything goes wrong” my friend insisted.
I was sh*tting myself when the arrivals doors swung open and I saw that sea of faces. I did not see Michael. Crap, he flipping stood me up! I wheeled my suitcase into the ladies room to compose myself then walked back out again and there he was, still staring at the arrivals. Somehow we didn’t see other but heck I got to check him out first (heh). I walked up behind him and whispered: “Who are you looking for?” He spun around and we hugged like old friends. There were no awkward silences. We just continued talking like we did on the phone. Except this time we got to physically meet!
A year later (maybe less) I moved to New York. A big gamble for me, but like my old work colleague at the ad agency said: “Karen think about it, what have you got to lose? If it doesn’t work out just come back. All you will have lost is your job.” She was right.
ps. My struggle to stay in the United States after that is a whole other post (if you want to read that).
pps. Needless to say I am still in New York and years later we got hitched in 2011.
Fancy that? All from a random ‘junk email.’
Nika says:
This is beautiful!<3
Karen Blanchard says:
🙂 Still makes me shake my head.
alasam says:
What a serendipitous meeting – definitely one to tell the grandkids or grandsomethings some day.
Karen Blanchard says:
grand somethings LOL
Zoe says:
What an amazing story! Was obviously fate! Would love to hear more about how you settled into America.
Karen Blanchard says:
Thank you I do wonder if anyone would like to know about that part although it’s not half as interesting.
ModaVracha says:
Wow, what an inspiring story! Sometimes a little step outside our comfort zone is all that’s required for a life-changing experience! Glad things worked out for you.
Modavracha | Fashion and Lifestyle Blog
Karen Blanchard says:
I know right? I have never done anything like that before, answering a junk email and I have done that since. It was a one off.
Melissa says:
Tell us more… That is such a unique story.
Karen Blanchard says:
Really? : )
Lolitta Mylove says:
Awww! This was a meeting designed by the universe LONG before that email.
Karen Blanchard says:
That’s what I think. EXACTLY.
WJY says:
So lovely! I’m happy things worked out that you two are now married/still together!
I don’t really comment since I lurker about and see the great tips and photos you have but just wanted to say you’re an inspiration in styling and just trying things in life 😀
Karen Blanchard says:
Ah well thanks for deciding to make a comment and thank you for the compliments.
Mariel says:
Hi Karen, my friends told me the same….! “If it doesn’t work, you return! I met my husband on the internet too….He is argentinian like me, but he was living in Spain already, so, after a similiar story like yours (emails, photos, phones, trips – in that order, ja), I decided to move in to Madrid, and here we are… still together over the years….Hppy Valentine’s day to you too! ;-)….
Karen Blanchard says:
Makes sense right? Just come back! only one way to find out : -) wow you did have a similar meeting. Happy Valentines back!
Dusty Gay says:
Love you Karen! This is the best story ever. You guys are #goals xxxxxx D
Karen Blanchard says:
Hey you! how are you ???? Lunch? awww thank you.
Michael Marrs says:
And that my friends is how it all went down. I met the best woman in the world! My life has changed forever and I am blessed. Angels do exist!
Karen Blanchard says:
Well look who’s making a rare appearance!
Louisa says:
Oh goodness, your story should truly be a movie! So happy that it all worked out for you 🙂 And yes I would love to read about your struggles to stay in the States too. I’m currently going through that phase too.
Louisa
Lindsey via Vegas says:
Karen,
That is an awesome tale…one for the books! This would be a better story than “Sleepless in Seattle”…I would totally go see that. I knew my husband for awhile..He asked me out on a date.I didnt realize it was a date…then we figured out that we had worked together too…Some things are just meant to be, written in the stars. Great for you!
Lindsey via Vegas
Karen Blanchard says:
I said that to Michael once! sounds like you and your husband were meant to be?
tsp says:
omg what an incredible story! so happy for you both!
Karen Blanchard says:
I know I STILL think it’s the most bizarre beyond baffling way that we met. So random. Thank you tsp!
Olivia says:
That is the most awesome thing I’ve ever heard. My luck I would come all this way and the guy would see me and run off screaming!
Lera says:
I really want to know how the first day went 😉 curiosity killed the cat. But…damn!
Lorena Lorena says:
WOW! Yes, a book followed by a movie ! What a marvelous story and just think that it’s just the beginning, there is so much more to come 🙂
Dea says:
So you had a date with destiny that day you replied the e-mail. Awesome – you should write a book.
Vee says:
A lovely story. It was meant to be. I’m now paying attention to those “for some reason(s)”
common princess says:
Wow, your story is amazing….gives me hope for my own love life lol! I can’t wait for the film to come out 😉
http://www.thecommonprincess.com
Carla Poks says:
bella historia! lovevely story!…. i almost cry! … hugs from Peru!
Mahshid says:
Wowowow! Such an unusual story. I’d definitely go and watch your movie 🙂 Xoxo
Mahshid says:
Wowowow! Such an unusual story. I’d definitely go and watch your movie 🙂 Xoxo
Cacau Cruz says:
I met my husband online too. It took us about six months to actually meet eachother but he is the guy of my dreams. We are married for three years now and together for five! Love stories are the best!
ajia croft says:
wow so amazing! i live in london but am visisting florida in august very far from new york but who knows things may happen for me too lol…. ave been hearing alot of crazy love stories recently especially on youtube but though crazy its also very beautiful.
ajia croft says:
wow so amazing! i live in london but am visisting florida in august very far from new york but who knows things may happen for me too lol…. ave been hearing alot of crazy love stories recently especially on youtube but though crazy its also very beautiful.