Love Takes Time

Cheryl Miles, 42, senior presenter of SPH Radio’s ONE FM 91.3, is tying the knot with her beau, Matthew Nixon, 38, in Missouri in the United States. We find out more about her man and how she’s planning her destination wedding via Skype.

- Steve Thio

Congrats on your upcoming nuptials! How did you meet your perfect partner?

I prayed for him! (Laughs) No, seriously. I remember praying for God to send me the right partner and guide my steps towards him. I surrendered all my preconceived expectations and made a conscious decision to find a man who was husband material.

I had been happily single for four years before I met Matthew. After much urging from friends, I signed on to the dating app, Bumble, as I had heard the people there were more sincere about dating and not just looking for a hook-up. I wanted to meet someone age appropriate (I’d had two disastrous relationships with much younger men before), someone not related to my social or work circles, someone who would truly like me for who I am and not for superficial reasons.

When you meet someone who doesn’t know you from work, who is simply attracted to your energy or smile, they walk away remembering who you are as a person instead of what you do for a living.

I met Matthew soon after signing up and learnt that we had mutual friends. We took it slow in the beginning and allowed things to develop naturally.

What was your first impression of him on your first date?

I took him to a concert at Hard Rock Cafe because I had friends there who could keep an eye on me. I was cautious because I’d met weird people before from dating apps. But he was a gentleman from the start and took an interest in me as a person. It was hard to talk there because the band was playing, but I could tell he had very kind eyes and a lovely demeanour.

What did you like about Matthew?

My parents used to say that a true gentleman would come and pick you up from the house. I thought that was old-fashioned, but on our third date, Matt insisted on picking me up even though my house was so out of the way for him. This sparked hope in me.