“How on earth are you still single?” – I asked, caught somewhere between genuine curiosity and sounding a bit like the nosy neighborhood aunty.

“What do you mean?” he replied, a little amused.

“Well,” I said, “you’re intelligent, kind, thoughtful, successful, good looking … honestly, you have all the qualities anyone would look for in a partner. I’m just surprised someone hasn’t seen that and held on tight.”

Confession time: this is a conversation I’ve had more than a few times (ok, perhaps I am a tad bit nosy). And not just with one friend – but with several incredible gay men in my life. Each of them vibrant, accomplished, open-hearted – and holding out for something true, with a quiet kind of faith that inspires me.

And yet, when I ask them about dating, I get variations of the same greatest-hits playlist of despair:

·        “Apps are exhausting, and dating just feels like such a chore”

·        “Conversations fizzle after ‘Hey’ and one blurry gym selfie”

·        “People seem to only want hookups, and then they disappear without a trace”

·        “Racism, ageism, baggage, trauma – pick your poison. It’s all there, coded into bios and baked into interactions”

·        “There are so many unrealistic expectations about looks and body types”

·        “Conversations often feel one-sided, like I'm just one of many options”

·        “It's tough to find someone who checks all the boxes!”

·        “I feel too old to change who I am for someone else now; I’m set in my ways”

Some carry wounds – of rejection, of exclusion, of never quite being seen. For many, it’s not that they’ve stopped wanting love. It’s that they’ve started questioning if love is still looking for them. The collective sentiment? Exhaustion. A little loneliness. And a smidge of “I give up.”

So, I started wondering - does it really have to be this hard?

I’ve been fortunate to spend the last ten years with someone who still feels like home. We’ve been married for eight of those, and while it hasn’t always been easy – there have been tough chapters, hard conversations, and plenty of growth – it’s also been the most meaningful part of my life. We still choose each other, every single day – not because we’re perfect, but because we’re perfect for each other.

And that’s where the seed of an idea sprouted: what if there were a matchmaking service for gay men that wasn’t about checking boxes or swiping right, but about finding someone who actually gets you?

Someone who doesn’t just match your lifestyle, but compliments your quirks, your story, your rhythm. What if we looked past algorithms and dating trends, and saw people for who they are – not as profiles or preferences, but as whole, layered, beautiful human beings?

That’s how Ever After Now was born.

Not as a promise of perfection, but as a commitment to possibility. A bespoke matchmaking service for gay men grounded in empathy, care, and intention. A place where the goal isn’t to find someone who checks every box – but someone who feels like the right fit. Where love is built on shared values, emotional depth, and mutual respect.

Because the love that lasts isn’t always the most dramatic or flashy. It’s often the quiet, steady kind that shows up every day – and stays.

For today. For tomorrow. For ever after.