Hayley & Michael were married March 17, 2018. Jdate is so pleased to have played a role in their love story and wish them every happiness. Mazel tov!
Tell us all about meeting online – who made the first move?
Mike: Hayley messaged me first, and I’m so lucky that I answered. I was a law student in Newark, NJ at the time. I was surprised she even messaged me knowing where I was living.
Hayley: I messaged Mike initially because of the photo of him in a red shirt with a bull on it that said Sevilla. I knew we mutually liked to travel and would have a lot to talk about. He was in his first year of law school at Seton Hall in Newark, NJ and I was in my senior year at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY back in 2009.
And how was your first date? The more details the better!
Mike: After chatting for a few weeks online and over the phone I asked her out to dinner. We met at a restaurant called Il Brigante in the South Street Seaport. It was the best date imaginable, we talked for hours and basically shut down the restaurant. Even after the restaurant shut down we walked around downtown New York because we weren’t ready to finish the night.
I just remember her being even more beautiful then in her profile pictures.
I just remember her being even more beautiful then in her profile pictures. I was so nervous that she was going to stand me up, but it ended being the best night of my life. I knew that I couldn’t wait to see her again and again.
Hayley: Our first date sealed the deal for me, I knew he was the one as cheesy as that sounds. We went to IL Brigante in the South Street Seaport and I was running late from the trains. I was panicking because I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t going to show up, so I ran over the cobble stones disregarding my perfectly quaffed hair to get to the restaurant.
I walk in and he stands up when he sees me. He was wearing a light blue sweater with a navy stripe across the chest over a button down shirt, I had eggplant purple hair and was wearing a puffy fluffy black coat over my black silky tunic dress (a tad low cut) with black stockings and brown suede knee high boats. I wore my lucky Betsey Johnson earrings, I had a feeling. Anyway, he takes my coat and I apologize for being late he was totally chill and held the seat for me.
I woke up my mom that night to tell her how I was going to marry Michael Goldman some day.
I think we were both so nervous we didn’t order any wine instead we both ordered soda. The menu was completely in Italian, I was nervous about ordering something too pricey so I waited till he ordered so I could find something in a similar price point, we were both in school. We talked about everything from traveling to family, and I mean everything it was so wonderful, honestly the best date of my life, we just clicked. I was really nervous throughout, I wanted him to like me as much as I liked him, under the table I twisted and ripped up my paper napkin.
At the end of the night he put me in a cab and handed the driver some cash, he wanted me to get home safely. I woke up my mom that night to tell her how I was going to marry Michael Goldman some day.
Describe the moment you knew it was true love!
Hayley: There are two moments when I knew it was true love. We were dating for two months but weren’t going to be spending New Years together, he already had plans to go home during winter break. So he sent me a card (I still have it), that said how much he wanted to spend our first New Years together and was sorry we couldn’t, and a stuffed animal. He called me when the ball dropped. It was the feeling of surprise getting the mail and the call, I still get goosebumps.
The second was our first Valentine’s Day together. He took me to Koi in Bryant Park. I spent weeks making him a New York Yankee painting with his name for his sparsely furnished apartment. I wrapped it in red wrapping paper, it was huge, and I took out half of New York as I walked through Bryant Park to the restaurant. We were seated next to a couple who were on the worst first date ever and a mother and daughter. We both picked the same appetizers and could agree on everything we should order. He brought me chocolate roses, and on each rose he wrote all the little things he loved about me (again I still have the notes), like that he loved my crazy collection of socks.
He brought me chocolate roses, and on each rose he wrote all the little things he loved about me
This man is one in a billion and I can’t thank Jdate enough!
What advice would you give other Jdaters?
Hayley: Don’t be afraid to message someone first.
Mike: New York is a big city, but there is someone out there perfect for you. Be ready to answer the next message because it might be your future husband or wife.
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