It's totally still a thing!
[https://www.madisoncontra.org/](https://www.madisoncontra.org/)
[https://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/mecds/home.html](https://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/mecds/home.html)
We met at work. I thought he was handsome & one day he introduced himself to me. We talked for nearly 1/2 hour. We've been together for nearly 46 years!
We didn’t meet there, but the Bou is where we pretty much where we grew together. Brought the wedding party there via bus on the big day. Bless that wonderful place.
She is a huge romantic and later asked me out. Writes me little notes around the house. Sends pressed flowers and wax sealed letters to friends and family. But also has a healthy view on women's sexuality. She is a sex therapist now and is incredible at what she does.
That's a bit disingenuous. I took a look, and I saw one post and several comments within that post. They even say that it's a hypothetical that may never happen and that they learned about the worst that can happen in divorce because their wife works in the field.
Sounds like they just want to know how to prepared if things ever did deteriorate.
Buddy if you think im above being mildly disingenuous for comic effect you don’t know me at all. Still tho it is weird to like actively plan and seek advice for
Oh hey wifey.
Nah not really. But very similar. It was Hinge, not Tinder, but I was only here for a summer internship so we both knew it was a summer fling.
Then it wasn't.
We still joke that we're not that serious, but we've been married 3.5 years now, and bought a house last year.
Same, but advertised hookups as “looking for pokemon go friends”. I warned him I wasn’t looking for a serious relationship and might be seeing other people. So yeah, our 5 year wedding anniversary is in 2 weeks…
The romance! 😂 but in all seriousness, good for you for finding someone. I hear it’s tough these days - Divorcing, not excited to dip my toe into that pool just yet.
I met my partner working part time at Alt Brew. He was a full time employee and often stayed after work to have a beverage. We had a lot of great conversations before I even realized I was romantically interested in him. I love that he became a friend to me before I got the courage to ask him out- 2.5 years in and we are talking about marriage in our future
He was a friend of a friend who showed up to help me move to a new apartment on the hottest day of the year. His good deed for a stranger paid off… we celebrate 12 years together tomorrow!
When I survey my Madison area married friends poplar themes are: the up north, Hoofers, Volleyball, UW college parties, UW athletics events, MUFA/rec sports and then the other 90% is tinder/bumble. Oh and one “both worked at Ian’s”
James Madison Park. Friend called me down to hang out with some other people they were chilling with. When I got their my friend was gone, but future wife was there. She wouldn’t talk to me much then, but a week later I ran into her on state street. Had drinks at The Plaza and then got Parthenon’s. Got her number and that was it. Married 8 years!
Do people even meet that way and exchange numbers anymore? 2010 was a different time
The old Jade Monkey. It was my 40th bday (he was 44), and he was sitting at the corner of the bar by himself. We talked, laughed, and even kissed a little at the bar. We are 5 years in and engaged. We both had gotten off all the online apps like months before we met.
I met my wife when she was dating a friend in high school... ten years later we were both single so asked her to hang out and ended up invited over for a hookup that turned into me moving in. Twenty some years later she has not kicked me out yet.
But for my 40something friends who are dating still/again they are on the apps. Even when they meet people in person.. it is usually someone they saw on an app.
Met my husband at his apartment during a party in college (11 years ago). Good ol’ Oak Tree apartments on Old University. Definitely just keep getting out there and looking!
Cocktails in the conservatory at Olbrich. I was there on a tinder date with someone else and my now husband had gone for a Meetup event but he didn’t find any of the Meetup people and my date wandered off so I talked to him the whole night (even after I saw my date wander back over, I pretended like I didn’t see him).
Playing soccer at Keva. His team needed a goalkeeper, and I stuck around after my game to play. I ended up joining the team. We started hanging out, and it evolved from there.
At work. We shared an office. I listened as he told me how his first marriage was falling apart. He saw me roll in late every day and put on makeup at my desk. So we got some of that awkward early dating stuff out of the way ON THE CLOCK.
Hoofers sailing club, it's open to the public (buy a union membership if you don't have one), there's a sizable, welcoming community of adults (not just students), and you don't have to know anything about sailing!
I met my husband there and know of at least one other couple that met at the same time and also got married.
Reading this thread makes me sad. I'm very happy that these people have found happiness in their lives. But it just makes me sad that a lot of these things are what I do too, but you gotta literally be lucky. You can do as many hobbies as you want and join as many social groups as possible but at the end of the day, it's out of your control.
Exactly. I feel like advice like “just get out more/do more hobbies” is harmful. Lots of single people have limited time, limited energy, limited money, and already have hobbies they enjoy
Agreed. I tried so many new things but they weren't the places and hobbies that single people of the gender I was interested in congregate. Instead I approached online dating as a serious homework assignment - not using hookup apps but using old people sites like okcupid and match.com, looking for compatibility percentages, reading profiles carefully, trying to message at least one new person each day with intention and making it clear I read their profile, and going on a lot of first dates. it worked (it took two years to meet the one) but it wasn't always "fun" or a meet cute or a random happenstance, it was intentional work. I don't regret it but...it was hard!
I’ve done the same, off and off for 4 years. Various strategies, 100+ first dates (I used to be willing to meet anybody lol, I’ve refined that these days). At this point I’ve seen everybody on the apps and have to wait for new people, but Madison is small. Sooooo much of it is luck, even with putting in a lot of work!
I'm glad you were able to succeed. It's understated how hard it is. I've gone on two total dates from dating apps in 2 years. I would much rather do it in person but it's very very hard. Both methods are very hard to be honest. I'm not sure what to do
Maybe not /more/ hobbies… but meeting as many people as possible who enjoy the things you enjoy would seem likely to increase your odds of meeting a compatible partner.
Exactly. Why do people have to put on a fake show of who they are to attract other people? Why can't we just accept each other as who we are? Why do I need to be a master of every craft, a social expert, and good looking to have someone who wants to spend the rest of their life with me? Why can't I just be myself, take care of myself, and be nice to people? Why do we always have to be so fake and add on so much extra?
At a bar. Stopped in for a drink after work. They had just gotten done with a tinder date that did not go well. We connected almost immediately. The rest is history.
He moved in with me.
I was sharing a house with two friends. One moved out to live with his girlfriend and a friend of a friend last minute referred my now-husband who was looking for a place because his roommate’s cat kept pissing on his stuff. That was almost 20 years ago.
- 1st GF > friends invited her over to their house, we hit it off. First official date was at comedy club on state Madison(5 yrs)
- Random online dates inbetween
- 1st wife > Match.com, first date at west side vintage and some vitense mini golf (7 yrs)
- lot of online dates and hookups (Tinder, Bumble, downtown bars, concerts, etc inbetween the next few GFs
- GF > after hooking up at The Plaza
- GF > pretended I was her boyfriend to scare off some aggressive guys, then became her boyfriend 😉 (Madisons)
- GF > very odd bumble date (can’t remember first date, Mallards?)
- GF > Tinder, first date at The Old Fashioned
- 2nd Wife > introduced by friend at a Live on King Rod & The Tuffcurls concert (they are awesome and come back every few months from Chicago) (6 yrs, present)
I’ve had little things from work or the gym, but overall think those are really challenging places to meet people even with a lot of confidence. If you have a good attitude, stay positive, and stay open minded, most situations should eventually lead to you meeting another good person!
Like I mentioned in another comment, I met my partner on tinder. But I’ve met a lot of friends (and seen a decent number of couples form) from being part of the Forward Madison Flock End! You’ve got built in community and entertainment, and if you don’t find someone to vibe with you’ll at least still have a good time (if you like soccer, I guess)
Fall 1996, she worked with my roommates gf at Coyote Capers, on Williamson St, now the Weary Traveler. While bored at work one night, they decide to call our house for the two single guys. So she prank called the house asking for my roommate who was also single. I said he wasn't home but I could take a message. She said..." my name is Roxy, he'll know who I am by my breast size"
Shortly thereafter we all met at the Great Dane back when the pool hall had just opened up. My lame roommate walked her home but we ended up going on our first solo date to the Echo Tap in Jan of 1997. Happily married to that lovely lady 28 yrs laterñ
We lived in different apartments in the same house on Willy. We met smoking cigs on the front porch. We’ve been friends for 25 years, best friends for a lot of that time and now dating for 5 months.
Take a risk with your friends people, it’s incredible.
4 years and 11 months ago I met my wife off of OkCupid. Our first date was at Mint Mark. We have been married for two years and have a 3 and a half month old now. Online dating can work.
I met my partner in a board meeting for a housing cooperative.
If you want advice from an average guy who has consistently met and paired up whenever he wanted to, I'll tell you what's always worked for me. *Do interesting things with groups of people!* You'll meet interesting people and some of them will want to befriend or date you. And, bonus, you'll be doing interesting things with interesting people the whole time!
Technically met at pickup volleyball at brittingham park. We both wanted to learn how to salsa dance and he found lessons for us. Now we live together :)
UW Ballroom Dance Club. And since the events are dry, we got to meet each other as ourselves from the get go.
Not to knock bars or parties, they have just never been my scene.
Saw my now-husband’s band, loved them and thought he was hot/talented. Kept going to see the band until I got enough liquid courage to seduce him. Married since ‘22 and together since ‘18.
We met at work. He needed change for the vending machine to get a $.60 coffee, and I guess he had been wanting to talk to me for awhile. I was kinda cold cuz I thought he was too confident and handsome for me. But he persisted. Going on 13 years now.. very happy.
His wit and whimsy got my attention in an ad in the Isthmus personals back in the days before dating apps.
Our first date was at The Great Dane.
My opinion of Madison was that it wasn’t the best place for being single, but it was a great place for having a really rich, full life, so I focused on that.
Work-ish. A guy sent out an email saying he was starting a video game group. That group met weekly for years, and the guy who ran it nudged me and one of the guys together. I moved in 6 weeks later and we've been happily married for 3 years.
We met at the dorms freshman year and became part of the same friend group, but we rarely talked to each other. The group would hang out a couple of times a month, but became distant by sophomore year. Months went by where I hadn’t talked to him.
Then one day while I was playing pick-up soccer with the team, he shows up… And continues showing up weekly, but we still didn’t talk much. Turns out he was also part of the team, but just hadn’t been showing up until now.
As summer approached, going into junior year, we continued playing with the team and he was opening up more. One day, he asks me for a back massage as he ran off the field…a few days later he texts me asking me out to dinner. Dinner then ended up being at my place. Next month will mark 1 year together. Turns out he has social anxiety.
I met my husband in a housing co-op in Madison! He had been living there for a few years, and we met when I moved in. We quickly fell for eachother, and we've been together for 7 years now! I have a friend whose parents also met in that same housing co-op. To anyone looking for friends, community, cheap rent, eclectic energy, and possibly a partner, look into housing co-ops! There are lots of them in Madison.
Met my husband in a restaurant where he worked at the bar. It's now something else.
Our son met his fiance in Madison on Bumble. All their friends met each other and a few married.
Best of luck!
Work. Definitely not my m.o. It was my partners though 😉
I do not suggest.
Madison is an odd place (Imo) to try and meet folk. Again, my opinion. It seems like a strictly bar scene place and/or niche hobby. So ostensibly one meets a person at said bar.. Then engages in niche hobbies together? Unicycle down Jenifer St.. Renting time at the community woodworking space..
But if you don't drink.. Or aren't into that scene.. 🤷
Met my partner on OkCupid, we’ve been together for over a year and a half (but apparently might have seen each other at an anime convention before that without realizing)
I drove an ice cream truck. She was a regular customer at Bassett and Mifflin. It was 1996. Next month will be our 24th wedding anniversary. So, drive an ice cream truck if you want to meet someone. But don’t be a creeper.
After initially moving to Madison, sought out a social dance community, met friends there, then met other friends through parties they hosted, then met my wife at gatherings those other friends organized.
We met at work, got married in our living room, then went straight to the Paradise. Giant reception nine months later. We’re at 23 years and three kids - one of whom just got married herself (to someone she met through friends).
At work. Saw him on my first day and thought he was cute. I called him anti social just to get him to talk. Started as friends and now we’re going on 14 years together, married for 11, and 4 kids.
We both were in grad school, and had two back-to-back classes on different floors. I decided not to be a gentleman and so I let her go up the stairs first, and that lead to study sessions together, and that required food, and I'm funny and a pretty good cook.
But to be absolutely honest, the scenery between those two classes was spectacular, and that really convinced me to put myself out there. Dated for 5 years, now married for 10.
We both worked at restaurants on the square. I was a line cook at Graze. She was a pastry chef at harvest. A mutual friend played matchmaker one night at the tipsy cow when we were doing some post Saturday night service partying. Over ten years later, we're still going strong, though we have since moved to Oregon.
It was at what is now the Library Cafe and Bar on Randall. Called the Keg at that time, over 50 years ago. Still going strong.
Eastside bloom has seating! And a coffee shop... and a bar.
Reminds me of my friends parents that met at a square dance. Wish those were still a thing.
It's totally still a thing! [https://www.madisoncontra.org/](https://www.madisoncontra.org/) [https://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/mecds/home.html](https://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/mecds/home.html)
We met at work. I thought he was handsome & one day he introduced himself to me. We talked for nearly 1/2 hour. We've been together for nearly 46 years!
Are you my wife? We also met at work, 46 years ago.
Woah, that’s quite the coincidence.
Met my wife at Fast forward 🤙🏾
Aww. RIP Fast Forward
As is Madison tradition: At a bar.
Basement of a bar for a punk show for us. Together about 20 years now.
Same- Specifically the Caribou.
Ah, the ‘Bou I need to get back there some time. Hopefully soon. Maybe get myself a beu.
We didn’t meet there, but the Bou is where we pretty much where we grew together. Brought the wedding party there via bus on the big day. Bless that wonderful place.
But were you drinking a Cow? 🥹
Honestly, it was probably Two Women; the superior New Glarus.
We met at The Rigby; each of us was out with friends at E Main St/King St area bars
On a sagging front porch on E. Johnson. He was the only one not participating in the drum circle. Oh, and he didn’t have B.O. Sold.
Most Madisonian post yet!
Tale as old as time. On tinder both looking for a hookup. 6 months later we were living together. 5 years later we are married.
Ah, romance. Brings a tear to my eye.
She is a huge romantic and later asked me out. Writes me little notes around the house. Sends pressed flowers and wax sealed letters to friends and family. But also has a healthy view on women's sexuality. She is a sex therapist now and is incredible at what she does.
I admire the way you talk about her. It gives me hope that people like you exist, people who truly love and respect their partner. 🙌🏼
awww 🥰
Id hold off on the tears this guy has multiple posts about how to best prepare for divorce lmao
That's a bit disingenuous. I took a look, and I saw one post and several comments within that post. They even say that it's a hypothetical that may never happen and that they learned about the worst that can happen in divorce because their wife works in the field. Sounds like they just want to know how to prepared if things ever did deteriorate.
squirreling away literal gold like a dragon isn't normal happy relationship behavior
Or they could literally be asking for a friend.
Buddy if you think im above being mildly disingenuous for comic effect you don’t know me at all. Still tho it is weird to like actively plan and seek advice for
Oh hey wifey. Nah not really. But very similar. It was Hinge, not Tinder, but I was only here for a summer internship so we both knew it was a summer fling. Then it wasn't. We still joke that we're not that serious, but we've been married 3.5 years now, and bought a house last year.
you have a 25 day old post about preparing for a future divorce, not sure if you fit the happy part
Same, tinder almost 9 years ago. Approaching our 5th wedding anniversary (even though I moved to Minneapolis two weeks after we met lol. I came back!)
Same, but advertised hookups as “looking for pokemon go friends”. I warned him I wasn’t looking for a serious relationship and might be seeing other people. So yeah, our 5 year wedding anniversary is in 2 weeks…
Congratulations! Who was the better Pokemon Go player?
He was 😭
Time is 12 years old??
Are you my wife?
The romance! 😂 but in all seriousness, good for you for finding someone. I hear it’s tough these days - Divorcing, not excited to dip my toe into that pool just yet.
I met my partner working part time at Alt Brew. He was a full time employee and often stayed after work to have a beverage. We had a lot of great conversations before I even realized I was romantically interested in him. I love that he became a friend to me before I got the courage to ask him out- 2.5 years in and we are talking about marriage in our future
He was a friend of a friend who showed up to help me move to a new apartment on the hottest day of the year. His good deed for a stranger paid off… we celebrate 12 years together tomorrow!
Baldwin st grill, eating a fish fry and drinking an old fashioned. Get more Wisconsin than that I dare you!
We locked eyes during the meat raffle and it was love at first sight
Met my BF there too. But it was 8:30 am on a Sunday.
When I survey my Madison area married friends poplar themes are: the up north, Hoofers, Volleyball, UW college parties, UW athletics events, MUFA/rec sports and then the other 90% is tinder/bumble. Oh and one “both worked at Ian’s”
MUFA couple checking in
Damn I didn’t realize it’s that big. I gotta start going
Summer league is currently underway, but fall league is better for meeting new people!
Either the Ian’s thing is more common than I realize or we have friends in common!
User name checks out
I'm gay, we all just sorta know each other 🤷
This but also we work at the same place. So it was kind of inevitable lol.
I love finding people who know each other IRL talking on Reddit.
Lol no I mean my fiancée and I work at the same place
Not me, but my friends met at high noon (as regular patrons/attendees) back in 2017/18 and got married in 2020!
Gordon Commons
My parents met there in 1969.
Nice
James Madison Park. Friend called me down to hang out with some other people they were chilling with. When I got their my friend was gone, but future wife was there. She wouldn’t talk to me much then, but a week later I ran into her on state street. Had drinks at The Plaza and then got Parthenon’s. Got her number and that was it. Married 8 years! Do people even meet that way and exchange numbers anymore? 2010 was a different time
That's Madison way to meet. Also I did in 2020
Bloom - when they had seating and before the pandemic. We now have a 7 month old
Those were baked GOODs…
Tinder during the pandemic. Four years this September, feels like twelve 😂🥰 Edit: our first date was at Baldwin!
Fish Fry
The most Wisconsin response here.
The old Jade Monkey. It was my 40th bday (he was 44), and he was sitting at the corner of the bar by himself. We talked, laughed, and even kissed a little at the bar. We are 5 years in and engaged. We both had gotten off all the online apps like months before we met.
I met my wife when she was dating a friend in high school... ten years later we were both single so asked her to hang out and ended up invited over for a hookup that turned into me moving in. Twenty some years later she has not kicked me out yet. But for my 40something friends who are dating still/again they are on the apps. Even when they meet people in person.. it is usually someone they saw on an app.
Met my husband at his apartment during a party in college (11 years ago). Good ol’ Oak Tree apartments on Old University. Definitely just keep getting out there and looking!
First person I met on Tinder became my wife. We'll be hitting the 10 year mark together very soon, with two beautiful little girls.
My buddy went on his tinder date and met the person who led to them deleting the app. They’re wildly complimentary and just fit well.
This is me too! Met on Tinder just short of 10 years ago, got married a couple years ago!
Following. I’m tryna turn my SINK into a DINK 😂😭😂
💥
It was back in college I was actually working at the gym and met her at a bar with friends.
Toga party, welcome week 1989
The old fashioned way: Tinder.
Lol, Tinder is now old fashioned?
Brittingham dog park
Cocktails in the conservatory at Olbrich. I was there on a tinder date with someone else and my now husband had gone for a Meetup event but he didn’t find any of the Meetup people and my date wandered off so I talked to him the whole night (even after I saw my date wander back over, I pretended like I didn’t see him).
Sellery Hall
Sellery Hall here as well!! The yellow painted cinder blocks were so romantic!!
Bowling ally! We were both 30, this was a few years ago. :)
Onion personals. For shent.
Honey bunches of goat, is this you?!
Work!
My living room (party at my house)
Playing soccer at Keva. His team needed a goalkeeper, and I stuck around after my game to play. I ended up joining the team. We started hanging out, and it evolved from there.
At work. We shared an office. I listened as he told me how his first marriage was falling apart. He saw me roll in late every day and put on makeup at my desk. So we got some of that awkward early dating stuff out of the way ON THE CLOCK.
Sardine <3
Only thing I got there is food poisoning 😂 good on ya
Hoofers sailing club, it's open to the public (buy a union membership if you don't have one), there's a sizable, welcoming community of adults (not just students), and you don't have to know anything about sailing! I met my husband there and know of at least one other couple that met at the same time and also got married.
If my soul mate is out there, they are going to have to find me in my living room.
Hinge ❤️💕♥️😍🥰💕😘💕
Bumble
OkCupid circa 2017! 💖
Same, but 2018
OkCupid, class of 2015.
hAvE yOu tRiEd mOrE hObBieS?
Reading this thread makes me sad. I'm very happy that these people have found happiness in their lives. But it just makes me sad that a lot of these things are what I do too, but you gotta literally be lucky. You can do as many hobbies as you want and join as many social groups as possible but at the end of the day, it's out of your control.
Exactly. I feel like advice like “just get out more/do more hobbies” is harmful. Lots of single people have limited time, limited energy, limited money, and already have hobbies they enjoy
Agreed. I tried so many new things but they weren't the places and hobbies that single people of the gender I was interested in congregate. Instead I approached online dating as a serious homework assignment - not using hookup apps but using old people sites like okcupid and match.com, looking for compatibility percentages, reading profiles carefully, trying to message at least one new person each day with intention and making it clear I read their profile, and going on a lot of first dates. it worked (it took two years to meet the one) but it wasn't always "fun" or a meet cute or a random happenstance, it was intentional work. I don't regret it but...it was hard!
I’ve done the same, off and off for 4 years. Various strategies, 100+ first dates (I used to be willing to meet anybody lol, I’ve refined that these days). At this point I’ve seen everybody on the apps and have to wait for new people, but Madison is small. Sooooo much of it is luck, even with putting in a lot of work!
I'm glad you were able to succeed. It's understated how hard it is. I've gone on two total dates from dating apps in 2 years. I would much rather do it in person but it's very very hard. Both methods are very hard to be honest. I'm not sure what to do
Maybe not /more/ hobbies… but meeting as many people as possible who enjoy the things you enjoy would seem likely to increase your odds of meeting a compatible partner.
Exactly. Why do people have to put on a fake show of who they are to attract other people? Why can't we just accept each other as who we are? Why do I need to be a master of every craft, a social expert, and good looking to have someone who wants to spend the rest of their life with me? Why can't I just be myself, take care of myself, and be nice to people? Why do we always have to be so fake and add on so much extra?
At a bar. Stopped in for a drink after work. They had just gotten done with a tinder date that did not go well. We connected almost immediately. The rest is history.
Met at his house party, 12 years later we’re married with a little guy.
Tinder. Going on 5 years, engaged, and have a daughter.
He moved in with me. I was sharing a house with two friends. One moved out to live with his girlfriend and a friend of a friend last minute referred my now-husband who was looking for a place because his roommate’s cat kept pissing on his stuff. That was almost 20 years ago.
- 1st GF > friends invited her over to their house, we hit it off. First official date was at comedy club on state Madison(5 yrs) - Random online dates inbetween - 1st wife > Match.com, first date at west side vintage and some vitense mini golf (7 yrs) - lot of online dates and hookups (Tinder, Bumble, downtown bars, concerts, etc inbetween the next few GFs - GF > after hooking up at The Plaza - GF > pretended I was her boyfriend to scare off some aggressive guys, then became her boyfriend 😉 (Madisons) - GF > very odd bumble date (can’t remember first date, Mallards?) - GF > Tinder, first date at The Old Fashioned - 2nd Wife > introduced by friend at a Live on King Rod & The Tuffcurls concert (they are awesome and come back every few months from Chicago) (6 yrs, present) I’ve had little things from work or the gym, but overall think those are really challenging places to meet people even with a lot of confidence. If you have a good attitude, stay positive, and stay open minded, most situations should eventually lead to you meeting another good person!
Work.
Wedding.
What if you want to meet them before that? Get to know them a little first?
mutual friends d&d group. 13 years of gaming, 10 of dating, both still going strong.
Memorial Union
Like I mentioned in another comment, I met my partner on tinder. But I’ve met a lot of friends (and seen a decent number of couples form) from being part of the Forward Madison Flock End! You’ve got built in community and entertainment, and if you don’t find someone to vibe with you’ll at least still have a good time (if you like soccer, I guess)
If I don't find my boyfriend in here talking about Bumble we're gonna have an issue...
Fall 1996, she worked with my roommates gf at Coyote Capers, on Williamson St, now the Weary Traveler. While bored at work one night, they decide to call our house for the two single guys. So she prank called the house asking for my roommate who was also single. I said he wasn't home but I could take a message. She said..." my name is Roxy, he'll know who I am by my breast size" Shortly thereafter we all met at the Great Dane back when the pool hall had just opened up. My lame roommate walked her home but we ended up going on our first solo date to the Echo Tap in Jan of 1997. Happily married to that lovely lady 28 yrs laterñ
We lived in different apartments in the same house on Willy. We met smoking cigs on the front porch. We’ve been friends for 25 years, best friends for a lot of that time and now dating for 5 months. Take a risk with your friends people, it’s incredible.
4 years and 11 months ago I met my wife off of OkCupid. Our first date was at Mint Mark. We have been married for two years and have a 3 and a half month old now. Online dating can work.
I met my partner in a board meeting for a housing cooperative. If you want advice from an average guy who has consistently met and paired up whenever he wanted to, I'll tell you what's always worked for me. *Do interesting things with groups of people!* You'll meet interesting people and some of them will want to befriend or date you. And, bonus, you'll be doing interesting things with interesting people the whole time!
A mutual friend introduced us. Then I asked her to get beers at The Mason. Our mutual friend: The Internet.
I worked in Hilldale and met my boyfriend. Together over a year now. We worked in the same mall lol
Technically met at pickup volleyball at brittingham park. We both wanted to learn how to salsa dance and he found lessons for us. Now we live together :)
UW Ballroom Dance Club. And since the events are dry, we got to meet each other as ourselves from the get go. Not to knock bars or parties, they have just never been my scene.
We met at Outreach, the Madison LGBT center in 2005
Saw my now-husband’s band, loved them and thought he was hot/talented. Kept going to see the band until I got enough liquid courage to seduce him. Married since ‘22 and together since ‘18.
We met at work. He needed change for the vending machine to get a $.60 coffee, and I guess he had been wanting to talk to me for awhile. I was kinda cold cuz I thought he was too confident and handsome for me. But he persisted. Going on 13 years now.. very happy.
His wit and whimsy got my attention in an ad in the Isthmus personals back in the days before dating apps. Our first date was at The Great Dane. My opinion of Madison was that it wasn’t the best place for being single, but it was a great place for having a really rich, full life, so I focused on that.
Ok Cupid 2014. 30th time was the charm!
R&R Station (fka The Stone Hearth): Met 10/01/92 Married 07/31/93 Still together✌️ Though, bummed that this establishment no longer exists 😢
Stone Hearth, you’re dating yourself. Best show at that location?
I met my wife on bumble in August of 2016
Bartender at a small family restaurant. Just started chatting and now married.
Tinder back when it was the only app around
Work-ish. A guy sent out an email saying he was starting a video game group. That group met weekly for years, and the guy who ran it nudged me and one of the guys together. I moved in 6 weeks later and we've been happily married for 3 years.
Met at a show at High Noon Saloon 3 years ago
We met at the dorms freshman year and became part of the same friend group, but we rarely talked to each other. The group would hang out a couple of times a month, but became distant by sophomore year. Months went by where I hadn’t talked to him. Then one day while I was playing pick-up soccer with the team, he shows up… And continues showing up weekly, but we still didn’t talk much. Turns out he was also part of the team, but just hadn’t been showing up until now. As summer approached, going into junior year, we continued playing with the team and he was opening up more. One day, he asks me for a back massage as he ran off the field…a few days later he texts me asking me out to dinner. Dinner then ended up being at my place. Next month will mark 1 year together. Turns out he has social anxiety.
At Edgewood College! Going on 17 years married now. ☺️
Dart League
OK Cupid was how we met. We were very lucky!
Tinder in 2018. Married in 2023
Ha long bay, first date.
Piercing class
Madison West, quite a few couples from there still kicking around town.
Cardinal bar
I was doped up post wisdom teeth surgery and downloaded dating apps I swore off. Been together for 4+ happy years.
The bar
Met at work, started dating, moved in together, got married, had kids, and 27 (wonderful) years somehow slipped by…
Library mall, at a protest/prayer vigil. 2002 I think
Grindr
Karaoke night at The Dry Bean!
I met my husband in a housing co-op in Madison! He had been living there for a few years, and we met when I moved in. We quickly fell for eachother, and we've been together for 7 years now! I have a friend whose parents also met in that same housing co-op. To anyone looking for friends, community, cheap rent, eclectic energy, and possibly a partner, look into housing co-ops! There are lots of them in Madison.
I met my wife at Red Rock
Met my husband in a restaurant where he worked at the bar. It's now something else. Our son met his fiance in Madison on Bumble. All their friends met each other and a few married. Best of luck!
Bumble! I actually lived outside Madison when I met my wife. Moved here after we connected. Worked out great for us!
Work. Definitely not my m.o. It was my partners though 😉 I do not suggest. Madison is an odd place (Imo) to try and meet folk. Again, my opinion. It seems like a strictly bar scene place and/or niche hobby. So ostensibly one meets a person at said bar.. Then engages in niche hobbies together? Unicycle down Jenifer St.. Renting time at the community woodworking space.. But if you don't drink.. Or aren't into that scene.. 🤷
Met on Tinder where we figured out we had the same class together
I/O arcade bar. I whooped her ass at pinball and bent over in front of her playing skeeball
Tindr. I had to kiss A LOT of frogs. Look for the ones who start their profiles with "new to Madison.:
These are good stories. 😊 Thanks for sharing all. Anyone want to make one?
Partnered people might be the most Madison saying I’ve heard
Met my partner on OkCupid, we’ve been together for over a year and a half (but apparently might have seen each other at an anime convention before that without realizing)
Bumble!
I met my wife on bumble.
Mutual friends.
East High School… 😬
I hope you were both employed or both students there 😂
Haha, we were both students. I can see how the emoji I used could make you think otherwise.
Haha glad to hear it. Cheers from a fellow Purgolder! 😎
Good old Bumble for us. Engaged and getting married in September!
Bike polo, at Reynolds Park. We were good friends for a couple years before it turned romantic
Esports lab!
I drove an ice cream truck. She was a regular customer at Bassett and Mifflin. It was 1996. Next month will be our 24th wedding anniversary. So, drive an ice cream truck if you want to meet someone. But don’t be a creeper.
OKCupid in July of 2015. We married back in November.
At the 2010 Great Taste of the Midwest. We were married in 2012 ❤️
We met at the back bar of Five Nightclub. Not where most people go looking for a spouse.
At /r/madisonwi meetups 13 years ago :)
After initially moving to Madison, sought out a social dance community, met friends there, then met other friends through parties they hosted, then met my wife at gatherings those other friends organized.
Lol, OkCupid. But that was in 2015, it was a different world on dating sites back then.
The Red Shed. Still going strong despite it being torn down 😂
We met at work, got married in our living room, then went straight to the Paradise. Giant reception nine months later. We’re at 23 years and three kids - one of whom just got married herself (to someone she met through friends).
Well, my uncle gave me my first Vonnegut book when I was about 12. I've been madly in love with his œuvre ever since
...Vonnegut's, right? ...right?
lol, yes
Lmao I have a Vonnegut tattoo, just messing with ya
My high school band took our name from Breakfast of Champions (well, with a nomenpreface - is that a word? - from Napoleon Dynamite)
At work. Saw him on my first day and thought he was cute. I called him anti social just to get him to talk. Started as friends and now we’re going on 14 years together, married for 11, and 4 kids.
Through friends like a normal person
We both were in grad school, and had two back-to-back classes on different floors. I decided not to be a gentleman and so I let her go up the stairs first, and that lead to study sessions together, and that required food, and I'm funny and a pretty good cook. But to be absolutely honest, the scenery between those two classes was spectacular, and that really convinced me to put myself out there. Dated for 5 years, now married for 10.
Your parents' house.
Working in a restaurant during college. Met my wife and many still great friends.
We both worked at restaurants on the square. I was a line cook at Graze. She was a pastry chef at harvest. A mutual friend played matchmaker one night at the tipsy cow when we were doing some post Saturday night service partying. Over ten years later, we're still going strong, though we have since moved to Oregon.
We were both originally from central Wisconsin met in Colorado, traveled and ended up back here