Ben Grunewald-Brydie and Nicole Stevens turned heads when they became one of the most talked-about couples to emerge from Netflix’s Love Is Blind UK.
Their story began in true reality-TV fashion: Ben asked Nicole to marry him the very first time he saw her.
Shockingly, she said yes, and just four weeks later, they tied the knot.
Against all odds, their marriage has not only survived but thrived over the past two years.
From Pods to Partnership
Nicole, 31, a marketing director, admits she never imagined marrying a man she had just met.
“In the early days, I kept thinking: How did I go from not knowing this man to him being my husband in just a few weeks?” she laughs.
But she quickly realized her instincts were right: Ben was the partner she wanted for life.
Ben, 35, a freelance drone operator and structural landscaper, echoes her sentiment.
“Our path to marriage was unconventional, but I feel incredibly lucky to have found Nicole. She’s everything I could have wished for in a wife.”
The Mechanics of Love Is Blind
For the uninitiated, Love Is Blind UK flips the usual dating script.
Participants speak to one another from separate pods, never seeing each other, to build a connection purely on emotional and intellectual compatibility.
Over ten days, singles have short “speed dates,” extend the conversations with those who intrigue them, and can even propose marriage.
Only after a proposal do couples meet face-to-face, before heading to a retreat to deepen their bond.
For Ben and Nicole, this process meant two weeks of intensive conversations about religion, money, travel, and family plans—all without laying eyes on each other.
“We built a mental, emotional, and spiritual connection without seeing one another,” says Ben.
“It was the opposite of dating apps, which I find shallow.”
A Twist in the Tale
Interestingly, Ben wasn’t Nicole’s first choice. Initially, she accepted a proposal from Sam Klein, but after meeting him in person, she quickly realized he was seeking fame rather than lasting love.
By this point, Ben had returned home to Preston without a match—but Nicole realized he was her true connection.
The producers arranged a face-to-face meeting at a London pub, and Ben’s second proposal won her heart.
Testing the Physical Spark
Even after connecting emotionally, the couple took steps to see if they had real-world chemistry.
They spent a few days at a spa in Corfu and moved into a London apartment together before their wedding. “Ben was very respectful,” says Nicole.
“I never felt pressured; he let me take the lead.”
Their wedding took place at Wynyard Hall in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, with 20 close family members and friends.
The couple kept the ceremony secret due to Netflix’s non-disclosure agreements, which meant seeing each other only on weekends in the early days—a challenge that initially upset some family members.
Navigating Differences and Daily Life
Nicole and Ben quickly had to adjust to each other’s quirks.
Nicole’s “time blindness” conflicted with Ben’s punctuality, while Ben’s organization strategies sometimes clashed with her more spontaneous approach.
Over time, Nicole even embraced routines that help her manage daily life, while Ben learned to accommodate her personality with patience and creativity.
Family, Faith, and Backgrounds
Nicole comes from a mixed-heritage family with Ghanaian and Lebanese roots, while Ben was raised in a Catholic household.
Their families had to adjust to the rapid nature of their romance, with initial confusion and concern about the show’s premise and the pace of commitment.
Over time, both sets of parents met and gave their blessings.
A Mature Approach to Commitment
Both highly educated—Nicole in maths and economics, Ben with a law degree—they approached the show seriously.
Ben had been single for ten years, prioritizing travel over settling down, while Nicole had a previous marriage that ended in divorce.
Both were ready for commitment, and the show’s unique setup gave them the space to explore emotional depth before introducing physical attraction.
Lessons in Modern Love
Their journey wasn’t without doubts. The night before the wedding, both questioned whether to go through with it, but a heartfelt voice note and careful reflection helped them follow their hearts.
Now, nearly two years later, they remain happily married, with plans for children in the future—though they are still negotiating numbers, Ben hoping for two or three, Nicole thinking just one.
Redefining Dating in the Modern Age
Love Is Blind UK remains unconventional, and few would recommend marrying someone immediately after meeting them.
But Ben and Nicole’s story highlights a valuable lesson: emotional and intellectual connection can form a strong foundation for lasting love, beyond superficial attraction and social media-driven swipes.
Away from pressure and appearances, they found a genuine partnership that continues to thrive.
