A Special Connection Between Two People

Dear DUO Members,

Happy Friday! We hope everyone is doing well and heading into a wonderful weekend.

We have some very special news to share:

Two members who met through DUO America are officially engaged! 💍❤️

They recently traveled to Paris together, where one proposed — and the answer was yes.

We are keeping their identities private, but this story is especially meaningful to me because I was the matchmaker for both members and had the opportunity to work closely with each of them throughout their individual journeys with DUO.

One of them had already been a DUO member for about three years before the other even joined. During that time, she went through many introductions and dates that did not lead to the relationship she hoped for. There were moments when she became discouraged, skeptical of the process, and ready to stop meeting anyone altogether.

His journey was very different. He had recently moved to Southern California, had an initial consultation with DUO, and thought about joining for nearly a year before finally deciding to give the process a chance.

Even after he joined, they did not meet right away.

Both had previously been excited about people who seemed like great matches on paper, only to realize after meeting that the actual connection was not there.

Then I began thinking about introducing the two of them.

And even I was not completely certain they would be the right match.

What I saw was potential.

They both loved traveling, were ambitious in their careers and personal lives, and shared similar goals when it came to marriage, family, and the future they hoped to build.

At the same time, there were reasons they were not necessarily “supposed” to match according to their original preferences.

He had given me a different preferred age range because becoming a father and raising children with his future wife were very important to him. She fell outside that range.

But I also knew how deeply she wanted marriage and a family, and I knew there was much more to both of them than what could ever be captured on a profile.

So I encouraged them to give the introduction a chance.

We originally planned an in-person first meeting, but because they both still had some reservations, they decided to start with a one-hour Zoom call instead.

That one-hour Zoom lasted nearly four hours.

And that was where everything began.

They exchanged numbers, met in person, discovered how much they enjoyed one another, and gradually built a relationship around shared interests, similar goals, and a love of traveling the world together.

But compatibility alone did not bring them here.

They both put in the effort.

They made time for one another, communicated, worked through differences, and continued choosing to show up for the relationship.

A little over a year later, they traveled to Paris together.

This time, the trip ended with a proposal. 💍❤️

Their story is a wonderful reminder that the person who looks perfect on paper is not always the person you will connect with most in real life.

A profile can help us identify possibilities, but it cannot predict chemistry, comfort, timing, or what two people may ultimately build together.

Sometimes, as a matchmaker, all I can see at first is potential — and sometimes that is enough reason to have one conversation.

I helped them cross paths.

They built the relationship.

For any member who has felt discouraged after a date, uncertain about a profile, or tired of the process, I hope their story gives you a little encouragement.

Sometimes the person you almost did not meet is the person who surprises you.

And sometimes a one-hour Zoom turns into four hours — and eventually, an engagement in Paris. ❤️

Congratulations to our newly engaged DUO couple. We wish them many more adventures together, a beautiful marriage, and the wonderful family they both hope to build someday.

Happy Friday, everyone, and have a wonderful weekend!

Warmly,

Jenny Kim

Matchmaker & Manager

DUO America