You guys may have spoke to each other online first but technically you met at a Starbucks or a restaurant or at a mini golf place, right? Where was your first date? No one needs to know you found each other online, just tell them you met wherever you first set eyes on each other face to face.

Online dating is not as taboo as it used to be but everyone should understand your hesitation.

Good luck!

no big deal. i met my husband on match.com. We got engaged in 3 months. I know at least 4 other people who have met their spouses on such places.

If your still not sure, use fallen's suggestions. No one needs to know, if you dont want them too.

The only problem would be if his family or friends know you met online, then its very likely that everyone else will find out.
If no one knows yet, while its really not a huge deal now when people meet online, then just dont tell them, go with what Fallen said, say you met where you literally physically met for the first time.

If you guys are happy with each other that's all that should matter. Who cares what your brother and sister thinks? You shouldn't be ashamed of anything, so I said not forgive.

This is stupid. You're happy so who cares how you met? Your siblings sound like *ssholes if they would give you a hard time about how you met your boyfriend instead of being happy that you found a nice guy.

I am going to be harsh. Are you kidding? Everyone online dates nowadays- it's as common as meeting outside by chance. Personally I think you need to get over it and recognize you are in a happy relationship. If this is so embarrasing then perhaps you should leave your poor BF to find a girl who has has priorities straight.

I agree with geebers. Onine meeting is so common now. What's the issue? Be proud that you took the steps to try to find the right person for you and it worked.

I met my guy at a forum and I knew I was going to get bombarded for it. My parents are strict, old-fashioned types and my siblings would have never taken it seriously. But you know what, I still told them. I decided that if they're not going to support the best thing I have in my life then they're not family anyway. They didn't--or at least, not for about a year or so. I can't tell you what to do but I will tell you that it's going to be hard but it will be so worth it. I could never bring myself to make up some "acceptable" story just to cover my ass. Maybe it was a bit embarrassing but I was even more embarrassed of my behavior when I realized what I was thinking. He loves me; I love him. This is our history. This is how we met, this is how we got here and I'm damned proud of it. You should feel the same. Think about it; what are the odds of you two meeting in a crazy place like the internet? That's got to be amazing, right? Can't say forgive or not forgive until you decide what to do so good luck with that!

I'm undecided on this - mostly because I would feel similar to you, BUT making online connections is really common now, so it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm also not sure about asking your boyfriend to lie for you...maybe just tell them about your first date if the question comes up, that way you're not lying and not telling them.

FORGIVE

my BBF met her now husband online...they lied to their families because sadly they would think it was questionable and weird. They decided to tell everyone they had met at her work in the cafeteria while he was running some errands....maybe you could tell them you met when you guys met in person. Starbucks for coffee or so.

Good luck!

It doesn't really matter how you met. Don't make your relationship about your family, make it about the both of you. It doesn't matter how they feel about it.

I wouldn't call it terrible but I think you need to get over these issues you have with online dating. You had to "resort to such measures"? You really think that only completely desperate people look for love online? Get over it!

why do you care what other people think about ANY part of your relationship? i think it's great that the 2 of you knew what you wanted and went after it. you found a great guy. is there a "better" way to meet a partner? what would that be? a bar, church, street corner, class? i don't get it, you wanted to find a partner and you did. you have what you wanted so get over it.

Why are you embarrassed?? Meeting online is NOT a moral failing. Why are you attaching negativity to that? In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with it.

I met my husband online 5 years ago and I think it's a great way to meet someone. You get to weed out all the weirdos before you waste time going on dates with them, right? We were kind of embarrassed about telling our families and friends how we met as well; mostly because our families are both very old-fashioned and think online dating=computer stalkers that are going to kill you or something. I told my family that it was better than meeting some random guy at a bar and they definitely agreed with me on that one. So I'd say you have nothing to be embarrassed about, especially since the success rate of relationships of people that met online is veyr high.

i think this was a dear abby or amy question very recently lol...

I didn't want to fess up to meeting my boyfriend online at first. But it was all in my head. No one even cared because it's so common.

Don't make someone else lie for you about this. It's not worth it.

If you are desperate to keep the news in check, do what Fallen suggested.

I met my boyfriend online but if I don't feel like disclosing I just say we met at the zoo, which is true. That is the first time I met him!

I'm kinda in the same situation... but mine has gone a little further.

I have been dating my guy now for 8 months... and had planned to keep it a secret. We aren't actually loud and proud yet (haven't met parents etc)... but anyway, my sister woke up my sleeping laptop, and saw an IM conversation between us, so she now knows all. AND, she is one heck of a loud mouth... and I have already been approached by a few people asking about my online dating experience (like what site)... it is mortifying-ly embarrassing (to me). I really need to tell her NOT to tell anyone... cos it's not her business to tell. And if I (and we) want to keep the exact way we met a secret, that is up to us...

But really, sometimes secrets are hard to keep, and you come out looking bad when the truth comes out.

Like my friends and other family members who know about me and him, think we met a different way... but I am afraid my sister will tell the 'real' way, and I will come out looking like an even bigger loser, for lying/fibbing. *sigh

But, I guess bottom line- 8 months isn't something to sniff at!!! I'd say we be passed the point of embarrassment.

Oops... error alert.

"But, I guess bottom line- 8 months isn't something to sniff at!!! I'd say we ***SHOULD** be passed the point of embarrassment. "

Don't be embarrassed. I'm sure your siblings will eventually get over it (though you will have to suffer the initial laughs). There's nothing wrong with online dating; it's like a bar, only it's more goal-oriented, efficient and long-term and you don't have to deal with creeps hitting on you (well, it's easier to ignore them anyway).
The days of 'internet dating' being only for losers who couldn't get a date in real life are long gone.

I met my boyfriend online and all my friends knew it but it was a little embarrassing with the families.

With his family, we told them we met at a concert (which is where we first actually met).

With my family, who knows I have a bit of an online life, I told them I met him through a platonic site that I met some other female friends through and it just turned into more.

We've been together 2.5 years and it really depends on the person when I answer how we met. I either tell them online or a concert. I mean they are both true--depending on your definition of "meet" as either first words or first sight.

Does everyone meet people behind a computer screen nowadays? Idk...Its nothing wrong with it, If he's a good guy he's a good guy. I can understand why you would be embarassed though. I think online love stories are kinda weird. Its like people depend on technology for EVERYTHING now, even love. Forgiven.

don't make him lie for you
like fallen said, just say where you had your first date and try to skirt around it

get over it and be happy you found someone who is such a great fit

My boyfriend and I met online 2 years ago. He's my first everything so you can imagine how I felt telling my mother how I met him. I totally understand you, I told my mother we met at a bank meeting (we both work for a bank) and she was ok with that. When he took me to meet his parents I he asked me if I could lie and say we met through a mutual friend, which I did. Both of our parents are old fashion and we have mothers who would completely freak out if they learned we met online. Its worked out since we are still together. The way I see it you can never guess the ending of a story from the beginning.

I'm in the exact same situation...I didn't tell anyone I was doing the online dating thing. I met a great guy and we've been together for 6 months now. He told his friends and got a lot of crap about it so he understood why I didn't. I never actually lied to anyone, I just said it was sort of a set-up, blind date thing (I just left out that eharmony did the set-up). Now that it's great and I really think he's the perfect one for me and all my friends and family met him and like him, I wouldn't mind telling people how we met...at the beginning I just didn't want the crap and if it didn't work out then I didn't want to hear "well that's why you shouldn't meet people online". I figure it will come out at some point (especially because his friends know) but who cares if we're happy and I doubt anyone would be mad that I didn't tell them, all my friends will understand why I didn't want to.

i just thought of something else - belle1031 and her boyfriend, for example, told her parents a different story than they told her boyfriend's parents...

and the poster, here, is trying to tell her family a different story than they will tell her boyfriend's parents...but what if they get married....? how awkward willt he speeches be when you tell the history of the relationship etc. when the stories are all a lie and are conflicting?

just tell the truth!

I also met my husband on Match.com, and I've never once thought it was a bad thing. I LOVE telling people where we met, because it's different than most people. I'm not ashamed of it at all.

For the people that are urging her to tell the 'truth'....you have to understand that every family is different and every person is different...good for the ones that are not ashamed or have issues...but in some cases IT IS a matter of embarrassment and you NEVER hear the end of it....NEVER.

It's a hard thing to 'confess' when you have old fashioned parents or are from a different culture. Like I said before. Just tell them you met at the place of your first encounter...your BF should support you if the real meeting will get you in trouble.

Forgive.... the last guy I dated, I met online. I just know my family would KILLL ME, especially my parents, if they knew I met a guy offline. My mom is super paranoid about things like that. But all my friends know then truth about our relationship and how we met. What I do is just tell people I meet him at a restaurant, which is true considering that's the first time I met him in person, even tho we talked online and on the phone a month prior.

I was in the same boat with my fiance, we started talking online and then met a couple of weeks later. He told his mom that we met at a concert ha-ha even though I think she knows since his brother and sis in law asked me directly how we met and I told them the truth not knowing he had fibbed the details. It's funny to think about now but I agree with everyone else about online dating not a big deal anymore. It's better than meeting guys in bars and a lot safer.

I voted forgive, but there is nothing to be embarrassed about. That's the norm nowadays and it doesn't mean you're a loser or anything. In fact, I know many people who met online (me included!) and their partners are amazing people (good-looking, smart, successful, etc.). They just didn't like the bar/club scene and the people at work were too old for them. So those typical places were not successful places to meet people.

Your siblings need to grow up if they find that something to make fun of you about. Just tell them that they aren't up to speed on technology and need to get out of their caves! I bet they're a bunch of traditional old farts.

its your story and no one needs an explanation if you don't want to give it. if the dreaded question comes up why don't you just tell them about the first time you met in person. thats really what counts anyway.

I met my hubby online 3 years ago and we use the first place where we met face-to-face when people ask. It's much easier than having to listen to other people's opinions of online dating.

I'm with Fallen.

how old are you? i think this is a old people thing i met pretty much all of my boyfriends online. since i was 12. i'm the online generation child. and all my friends met their other halfs like that too. there's nothing creepy in meeting like that, it's online the exact website that can be creepy or desperate. anyway, if you're desperate (not meaning the author) then it's fine too! meeting someone you can actually love is really difficult, so whatever, by all means necessary, right?

Forgive -- I'm in the same boat.

When I first starting dating my now-husband, I told all my friends and family how me met b/c I had never online dated and thought it was funny.

BUT once we started getting serious I began to feel self-conscious about it. None of my husband's friends or family knows the real story.

When you are married people ALWAYS ask how you met - I have no bias towards OTHER people meeting online but for some lingering reason I don't want to admit I met MY husband that way.

Yes it's an age thing -- I'm 35 so I didn't start online dating until I was 29 and quite frankly, desperate for a new way to meet people.

Call me silly - we tell people we met at the beach. Whenever my best friend hears me use this line she giggles and whispers to me "Beach.Com..."

SO. The only issue is whether or not your BF is uncomfortable lying to your parents. I don't judge your insecurity at all, BUT if it makes him really uncomfortable, or think that you are embarrassed of HIM 9and not just how you met) then you need to talk it out with HIM.

Not us.

I really don't think there is anything to be be embarrassed about, but I agree with fallen, just say you met at a starbucks or wherever your first date was, because you did - it's not lying, and if you really don't feel comfortable with telling people you met online, then you don't have to - it's your business!

that being said, I really don't see it as a failing or an embarrassment to meet people online.. Sometimes it just happens that way, and why blow off a good thing just because of the way you met? it's the relationship that's important, not the whys and wherefores of how you got together!

I don't think it's anything to be embarrassed about, but if you don't feel comfortable bringing it up, then just tell people you met at the actual first place that you met (like coffee shop/restaurant/neighborhood that you first met up). Then when people become more comfortable with you both as a couple or when you begin to open up about it, you can tell.

I'm in agreement with everyone here. I'm glad this question was posted because I just joined an online dating site and was wondering the same thing if I did meet someone online and it became serious.

I met my current boyfriend online, and we told our families about how we met. At first I was a little wary of telling people how we met.. but now it simply doesn't matter anymore. There is no rule about how to meet people. I agree with machiattolove -- It is the relationship that's important!!

Get over it. There are an incredible number of people that have done the online dating thing (myself included). And odds are, if someone hasn't tried it, they've considered it or are curious about it or their sister/brother/cousin/roommate met his/her/its husband/wife/partner on it. Get over it. Seriously.

First of all: Forgive! And your guy probably will too!

Ok, that out of the way, I think you might be vastly underestimating how you met. I mean, here *we* are, somehow connected, because of the internet, right? It's a different world now; how are people supposed to meet anyways now with iphones and blackberrys and "you shouldn't date someone from work" and "clubbing isn't really my thing" and you're constantly on the go? The only time we have now is on the internet, and I can't wait for some good statistics to be published, because I bet a good percentage of people under 50 have met someone really special online. So do what you need to do, but seriously, this is the information age, why be ashamed of that?

My boyfriend and I first met at party, barely said hi, than truely met online. He was embarrased about it, I was not since my friends and family already knew I was online. Both of us stretched the truth about the amount of conversation at the party, but now at 10 months he no longer wants to lie. Eventually you won't mind the truth because the truth is what got you your love!

I think thats stupid. My husband and I met on okcupid.com. Once youre out of your partying years it's not like theres a lot of places to meet. It's nothing to be ashamed of ya know...