Couple married 20 years after meeting on Ashley Madison

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It’s no secret that Ashley Madison matches married people who want to have affairs.

But Stephania and Michael were different.

Neither was interested in a traditional affair, looking instead to spark new connections as discreetly as possible while transitioning out of their respective marriages.

“Married dating” wasn’t exactly something people publicized so when Ashley Madison started in 2001, it was the perfect place for Michael and Stephania to start.

“I was separated when I started using Ashley Madison, but still legally married,” Michael told the Toronto Sun. “I wanted discretion to avoid complicating things unnecessarily.”

It helped the situation that they didn’t have any children, but he realized that he and his ex-wife never developed a good friendship.

“Though it didn’t work out, I realized I still had a lot to give to the right person,” he explained.

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Stephania, on the other, got married to her husband when they were really young.

“We quickly grew apart,” she said. “We had nothing in common anymore.”

While they split, Stephania said she wanted to explore dating while keeping things discreet.

“One night, my friend dared me to check out Ashley Madison, and it ended up being what I needed,” she said. “I started talking with Michael because we had a shared love of music. We took things slow and didn’t meet up in person for six weeks.”

Michael added that he wasn’t on the site looking for random hookups.

“I wanted someone I could sit down with over a cup of coffee and talk,” he said.

“I connected with Stephania because we had similar interests and our friendship quickly blossomed,” he added. “We took our time getting to know each other and that created a strong foundation.”

Stephania was a bit more hesitant, describing her return to the dating scene as “scary” because she had two children.

“Over time I saw Michael was not only a great person, but that he could meet all my needs,” she added.

Both noted that they only tried to meet people on Ashley Madison and avoided other dating sites.

They also each chatted with others online but neither of them met up with anyone in person — except one another.

While it’s difficult to measure how many people have found long-term happiness on Ashley Madison, and the psychology of selecting a partner can be complex, meeting on a dating app is less a science and more about instinct.

“Ashley Madison, like all dating sites, provides the platform for people to screen each other, meet, and potentially have the relationship they desire,” sex and relationship therapistTammy Nelson told the Sun.

“There are those who have met on Ashley Madison that have found dating can improve their marriage at home, or create a more fulfilling solo life,” she continued. “And there are couples who have met on the site and are still together decades later. The goal of anyone signing up for Ashley Madison, just like any other dating site, is to find happiness.”

After 20 years, Michael and Stephania, who are now co-workers, consider themselves “best friends.”

“I didn’t know what I was missing in a relationship until I met him,” she gushed, while Michael added, “I never knew what true love was until I met Stephania.”