Couple living 9,000 miles apart get engaged after meeting twice and is embracing long-distance marriage

Editor's note: This article was originally published on February 8, 2023. It has since been updated.

While long-distance relationships are usually marked by fleeting romance or temporary infatuation, this one might last. Luke Bond, 22 and Sarah Dorough, 21, are fitness trainers who met on Instagram in December 2021 and connected over their similar lifestyles, reported NY Post. Even though they live 8,697 miles apart, the couple would FaceTime every day before meeting in person in July 2022. "He was asking me some questions about fitness, as he is also doing personal training," said Dorough when asked about how they first met. "The next time he reached out, I felt like I kind of knew him, which made me a little more comfortable, but also he was asking about my faith and Christianity."

"He was more genuine and asked about Bible verses and stuff like that." Bond had allegedly traveled from Wellington, New Zealand, to meet Dorough at her home in Suffolk, Virginia. "When I first met Luke in person, it almost felt like a dream," she gushed over Bond. "An experience I haven't ever felt before—that first hug was something we had waited so long for, so you can only imagine how exciting that moment was when we ran up to each other and hugged each other. To this day, that moment still blows my mind," she added. During a trek in New Zealand, Dorough spent Christmas with Bond and his family. It was then he kneeled on one knee and proposed to Dorough on a family camping trip.

"It was super exciting; this was something we had to work out—whether we do want to spend our lives together—and we did figure that out because we don't want to keep traveling back and forth," Dorough said. The happily engaged couple is thinking of living together one day, but they have not decided on a place yet. They believe in the "trust" they have in each other and Bond will soon fly to the US to see Dorough and her family in April. Long-distance relationships are difficult, especially when it comes to loyalty and trust, so Dorough shared her opinions about them. "The biggest thing is trusting each other, especially when you're far away from each other. There are always going to be little thoughts that can pop into each other's head." Pretty insightful?

However, Dorough admits that it has not been a fairytale all along. "We really struggle, but we also have a few things that we do to make the long-distance better, like having proper communication, prioritizing our calls, and having trust in each other — we really trust each other." She adds: "Communication is important, making sure that you really understand and talk through what you're going through because you are not there with the person a lot of times, so you're going day to day about what is going on and walking each other through those steps."

According to Get Lasting, research shows that interdependent relationships are the healthiest form of relationships for marriage. It means that you and your S.O. do things together while having separate identities as individuals. Marriage therapist Liz Colizza said that having shared experiences with your long-distance partner helps in connecting. "Finding things you can do together as a couple pays off big time in helping you feel more connected. That's a huge win when it feels like the distance is pulling you in two different directions." With this story in mind, we wish you all the very best on your journey with a long-distance partner. Happy dating!