Carl and Sarah’s ‘picture perfect’ romance

No profile photo? How Carl’s icebreaker to his mystery match led to a rural romance with Sarah.

Does your heart sink when you get favourited or winked at only to find that your muddy match has an intriguing bio but, alas, no profile photo? We know it’s an experience that often puts online daters ill at ease on dating websites and apps.

With discretion and privacy on people’s minds, being ‘faceless’ is a growing trend on online dating websites, made all the easier with avatars, icons, cryptic usernames and ‘incognito’ modes.

At Muddy Matches, we are all about honesty, openness, trust and transparency. That’s why we have now introduced a photo as a required element on all new profiles. But what of those folks without a face to a name already on the UK’s leading country life dating system we hear you ask?

Simple solution: just ask and don’t be afraid to question why. In fact, use it as the ice breaker to start up the conversation.

That’s exactly what ex gamekeeper turned tree surgeon Carl did, and nine months later, he’s moved in with his muddy match, Sarah.

Sarah favourited Carl in April 2019 and when that email pinged his senses were heightened.
“I’d had a couple of rough dates and a couple of no shows when a young lady added me to her favourites. At the time, her profile photo was blank so my first message to Sarah was “you sound great, so why don’t you add a picture?””

It was a bold ice breaker, one that could have created a degree of uncertainly as being so ‘out in the open’ but one Carl felt was needed to build confidence and trust on his part.

10 minutes later, and with photos reviewed (as all are) and approved by the lovely Muddy Matches customer care team, Carl was able to put a face to the name and, sure enough, he was more than happy with what he saw.

No longer woman clouded in mystery for Carl to always ponder on or have lingering doubts over. No lack of genuineness on Sarah’s part.

“After several weeks of messaging back and forth, I asked Sarah out on a date.” He tells us. “We both share an interest in the Young Farmers Club but had never met. Anyway, after a bit of reassurance on her part, talking to her friends that knew of me (and their ‘yes, he’s OK’), it was roll on date night.

“She chose the pub” Carl recalls, partly in memory that there was ‘no steak’ on the menu and he had to settle for a posh burger.

After talking the night away, Carl then extended an invite for Sarah to join him at the country fayre on the bank holiday. That was swiftly followed up by a weekend trip to Southwold beach where he asked her out officially.

Since then they’ve indulged in a shared love of country pursuits and rural sports with dates including Sarah’s first clay pigeon shooting lessons and off-roading on the menu.
Sarah’s also been introduced to Carl’s passion for vintage tractors and “seemed to enjoy’ being ‘dragged’ on a tour of gun shops whilst on a holiday together in Spain.

“Country life for Sarah and myself is ever growing. Roll on nine months, and we now own a bungalow together. We have both found new jobs and we have supported each other through some tough times, including both being made redundant.

And as for his thoughts on the whole Muddy Matches country life dating experience?
“Muddy Matches brought me and Sarah together for a reason and we can’t be happier. It is a brilliant site to meet like-minded people. This time last year, my life was turned upside down by a previous girlfriend and Muddy Matches has worked for me so if you are rural oriented than it’s worth a punt.”