I flew 800 miles from London to Sweden to meet my Hinge date – it was love at first sight and now we’re engaged

A woman who flew 800 miles to catch her Hinge date said the leap of faith paid off as the couple is now engaged.

Olivia Tapper, 28, matched with her now fiancé Thomas Philipps, 31, from Poole, Dorset, when he visited her native Sweden.

After connecting on the dating app, Olivia said the duo immediately hit it off and wasted no time in arranging a physical date so they could learn more about each other.

But the road to true love hit a snag when Thomas accidentally mixed up his dates and had to fly back to Britain, meaning the couple’s first date was cancelled.

The business developer ‘eagerly’ wanted to follow her heart and boarded a plane to Great Britain.

The couple has a dog together named Leo. Olivia matched with Thomas when he visited her native Sweden

“It was a bold move to fly to another country for a date, but my intuition told me it was the right decision,” Olivia said.

‘I was a mix of nervous and excited. I was curious where this unique connection would lead.’

Things moved quickly for the pair, who were immediately surprised by their chemistry.

Both Olivia and Thomas wanted to take things to the next level and without further ado, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

In August 2022, the bride-to-be went ahead and booked a ticket to Britain, hoping it would pay off – despite initial reservations.

“The distance between Britain and Sweden, combined with my demanding career, made me question whether we should continue our conversations,” Olivia said.

“But there was something intriguing about Thomas that made me want to keep in touch.”

The couple came face to face for the first time when Thomas whisked her away from the airport in his car, and the couple drove back to his hometown, just two hours away.

Olivia, a business developer, was ‘eager’ to follow her heart after the pair hit it off online

Thomas said of his lover: “Her willingness to commit and put forth effort into our relationship gave me the confidence and security to move forward.”

The couple came face to face for the first time when Thomas whisked her away from the airport in his car, and the couple drove back to his hometown, just two hours away.

Despite the potential awkwardness of a 100-mile drive, the two hit it off and said their connection was “undeniable.”

Olivia added: ‘Our first face-to-face meeting was on a long drive from London to Poole.

“It was a situation that could have been very difficult, but it turned out to be an amazing journey.

“We discussed everything from business ambitions to personal dreams, and the connection was undeniable.”

Thomas, the CEO of Pet Portraits, couldn’t have put it better himself: “Our chemistry was undeniable,” he said.

‘I was quite annoyed when our first date fell through and missing that opportunity was frustrating.

Thomas, the CEO of Pet Portraits, said the couple’s chemistry was “undeniable.”

The future Mr. and Mrs. Phillips have already expanded their family with the addition of their pup Leo

“I realized that for this to work, we had to invest time in getting to know each other through frequent FaceTime calls.

‘We were both serious about finding life partners, not just casual dates, and that quickly deepened our bond.

‘Her willingness to commit and make an effort for our relationship gave me the confidence and certainty to move forward.

“That’s when I knew we had something special worth pursuing.”

After another visit to Thomas, Olivia quit her job as a strategic business developer and moved to Britain permanently.

Maintaining a cross-border relationship required “a lifestyle that offered flexibility and travel,” Olivia said.

And since their first date last year, the couple has gone from strength to strength, with Thomas even getting down on one knee after 12 months.

Still fed up with the ‘whirlwind’ romance, the couple have resorted to weekly relationship reviews, which they say has helped their bond grow in a short space of time.

Leo poses for the camera at the couple’s home, where they live together full-time

The future husband and wife are eagerly looking forward to moving to the US with Leo

However, Olivia did not take becoming the future Mrs. Phillips lightly, saying that bringing up the subject initially felt “daunting.”

She said: ‘Asking Thomas about exclusivity was daunting, but his clear ‘yes’ was all I needed to hear. It solidified my decision to invest in this relationship.”

Still fed up with the ‘whirlwind’ romance, the couple have resorted to weekly relationship reviews, which they say has helped their bond grow in a short space of time.

Now they plan to take a big step across the pond together.

“Life has been a whirlwind of joy and growth,” Olivia said.

“We are eagerly preparing for our wedding and planning our future in the US.

“Nurturing our bond through open and honest communication has been critical.

“Our weekly relationship reviews have become a cornerstone of our connection, keeping us grounded and in sync.

“I initially thought that working and living together would bring challenges, but it was surprisingly easy and enjoyable.”

Thomas added: “The prospect of building our empire together fills me with excitement and happiness.

“I’m really pleased with the path we’re on and excited to see what the future holds for us.”