About Us
Our names are Dave Hogsten & Kaelynn Ball and we are the creators behind
Long Distance Dates. Our goal is to keep you inspired and connected in your
long-distance relationship with creative dates & expert advice for LDR couples.
Our love story may have obstacles, but every great adventure does...
We’ve been in a long-distance relationship for over 2 years and have picked up all the best tips & tricks; as well as quite a few fantastic adventures.
Our story started in December 2018 when we first met by chance on Reddit over a mutual love of card illusions. Kaelynn lived in British Columbia Canada, and Dave lived in Maryland USA. Even though we are separated by over 4000 miles, we still fell hopelessly in love. Both of us knew from the very beginning that our lives had changed forever.
Through 2019 both of our lives were flipped completely upside down and set on a new course. We knew long-distance wasn’t going to be easy, but we’ve made every moment count since the very beginning. Although we told ourselves we would wait until we met in person to say the big “L” word, we couldn’t make it more than a week.
Our first meeting
We met in July of 2019 after 6 months of a whirlwind romance.
Kaelynn first flew out to Dave with a heart full of hope and a belly full of butterflies. We were definitely both nervous and excited to see the love of our life for the first time.
There was a few hours of adjustment period as we went from 2D to 3D interactions, but as soon as our heads caught up with our hearts we knew there was no turning back. Every moment through our first visit together was pure magic.
Dating despite a distance
Getting to know your partner through a screen has obstacles, but they can be overcome. Creative virtual dates are essential to keeping your relationship close.
While we were dating, we made sure to organize online date nights that fostered communication and gave us an opportunity to get to know each other better. One of our go-to date nights was to have a video call at Starbucks and talk and share life stories together.
Getting engaged
In February of 2020 Dave flew across the country to surprise Kaelynn with a sweet, thoughtful, and romantic proposal.
He planned for months to orchestrate something surprising and sweet despite being across the country.
Despite a last-minute cancelled flight, rescheduling of plans, and unexpected obstacles at the border it was still perfect and magical.
Border Closures & Peace Arch Park
We got engaged a few weeks before the pandemic shut down the borders between Canada and the United States. For us, this meant cancelled trips and an indefinite pause on wedding preparations.
After 4 months apart we decided to meet in Peace Arch Park along the Canadian & American border. During our weekend reunion we were interviewed by two news stations and were able to share our story with thousands around the world. Since then, we’ve helped hundreds of couples to reunite or get married during the pandemic.
Check out a little more about our story here:
Our Partners
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We help long-distance couples grow stronger every day.
We’d love to help you have the best connection possible with your partner while apart.
Connect with us today to share your unique love story and make two new friends who know exactly what you’re going through!