Jonathan & Clare

Meet Jonathan & Clare. They met on Lumen a year ago and we got the chance to hear all about their story.

Who sent the first message?

Jonathan: I sent a message to Clare, I said her picture was nice.

Clare: I thought he was sweet. His picture was nice and his profile was lovely, so he got my interest.

How long did you wait until you met in person?

Jonathan: We met about 3 weeks after our first conversation on Lumen. 

When you first met in person, how was your first date?

Clare: Jonathan was charming, he took me to a restaurant where we just talked. We had fun.

What was your first impression?

Jonathan: My first impression of Clare was that she’s really pretty. Her eyes are striking, and she’s an honest person which I really appreciate. Honesty, integrity, loyalty, and being kind hearted.

Clare: We have both been truthful from the very beginning about our situation.

Whats your favourite thing about Jonathan?

Clare: He makes me smile, every day. He loves to wind me up...practical jokes...they're funny and I haven’t got tired of them. He’s such a loving, caring man who wears his heart on his sleeve, and he looks after me. It's taken me a long time to find love, 53 years I’ve been looking. I’ve had a few disasters along the way, and finally…we treasure it and don’t take it for granted.

How long did you spend on dating apps and were you specifically looking for a serious relationship?

Clare: I’ve been on and off them for a few years. I'd given up, I thought it was a waste of time. It's normal now to meet people online this way but I’m a generation where you meet someone in a pub. So I stumbled across Lumen on Facebook and gave it ago. I signed myself up which was very easy to do and I'd see profiles within 4/5 mile radius. I saw Jonathan, thought he looked nice, and I got a message the next day.  

Jonathan: I divorced in 2016, and I wasn’t really interested in dating anyone else. I was walking across a bridge in London and someone gave me a leaflet. So I put the leaflet in my pocket, went home and downloaded the app. I thought if I’m going to do it then I need to make sure my profile is honest, tells a lot about me and what I like. I found the app really easy to use. 

Why Lumen?

Clare: I liked the advert that I saw on Facebook, it looked easy to use. I thought a brand new app might be different, which it was. And it was specifically for over 50s. The photo verification was important too. Other dating sites aren’t honest. I liked how you couldn’t sign up until your photo had been verified — that's a nice security, especially for a woman. It feels like Lumen cares.

Jonathan: I think the verification process shows Lumen as a very progressive app. It's very forward looking and important.

What would you say to someone who has their doubts?

Clare: Just give it a go. You’ve got nothing to lose. I was one of those people, I’ve used other sites. Lumen worked for me, it worked for us. It took a long time for me to find Mr. Right, and it was easy. So give it a go.

Jonathan: I think people are more likely to use dating sites now. I was concerned about using dating apps, but I am glad that I did give it a go.