A woman came out as gay in later life and married a woman 19 years her senior — just three months after they met.
Olivia Reed, 34, had only dated men previously when her six-year relationship naturally ran its course.
She decided to give dating women a try and met Kelly Reed, 53, who works for a veterinary practice, on dating app Bumble in February 2023.
The pair hit it off and Kelly drove the seven-and-a-half hours to Frederick, Maryland, from Massachusetts to meet Olivia in early March 2023.
Kelly moved in with Olivia two weeks later and she got down on one knee on June 3, 2023.
The couple tied the knot that same month — on June 24, 2023 — in an intimate ceremony.
Now celebrating a year of marriage they “couldn’t be happier”.
Olivia, a teacher from Frederick, Maryland, said: “Previously I’d only been in relationships with men.
“I’m so happy this is where I am.
“I never even pictured myself getting married. It’s been a whirlwind. We don’t take it for granted.”
Kelly said: “It’s like a fairytale.
“I’ve never been happier in my life. I didn’t realize how unhappy I was before.
“I wake up every single day and I can’t believe I’m here. I’m so grateful for her.”
Olivia wanted to give dating women a try after coming out of a long term relationship and tried out different dating apps before meeting Kelly on Bumble.
She said: “I wanted to see if I liked being with women.”
Kelly had been single for 12 years but decided to get back out there again and Olivia was the first woman she spotted when she downloaded the app.
Kelly said: “She was the first person that popped up.
“I reached out to her and we exchanged numbers. We texted for two weeks and then I finally got her on the phone.
“I liked her so much. I was head over heels.”
Kelly was so desperate to meet Olivia she made the long drive down to see her – after just a few weeks of talking.
Kelly said: “This was so out of my character range.
“I said to her closest friend ‘I’m going to marry this woman’.”
The couple instantly hit it off and as Kelly was able to work remotely she moved down to Maryland in late March – just two weeks after they met in person for the first time.
Their relationship progressed naturally and quickly from there and Kelly proposed on June 3, 2023.
Kelly said: “We got married at the hotel that we met at.”
Olivia said: “It was just me and Kelly and my friend who married us.
“It was very private and very simple.”
The couple have been enjoying married bliss ever since and say their families have been supportive and accepting of their relationship — and neither of them are phased by the age gap.
Olivia said: “You notice some generational differences, like technological use, but 99 per cent of the time we don’t really think about it.
“I was nervous about telling my parents. I’d only ever been with men but they were so accepting.”
The pair say they’ve had the occasional comment mistaking them for mother and daughter – but have never been offended.
Kelly said: “Back in Massachusetts I got asked ‘is that your daughter?’. The guy was mortified.”
Olivia said: “Online people say ‘are you with your grandma?’.
“We don’t take offense.”
The couple just enjoys spending time together every single day and can’t wait for their future together.
Olivia said: “You have to be open to something different — you don’t know what’s going to happen but it could be a really good change.”
