A Real-Life Fairytale: How Live Streaming Helped One Couple Keep Their Long-Distance Romance Alive

Gemma, a full-time mom from the U.K., and Joel, an aspiring entertainer, met on LiveMe two years ago. The couple is getting married in May 2019.

In our first installment of LiveMe Spotlight, we talked to Michelle and Andy, an engaged couple who met on LiveMe. But, as it turns out, the duo weren’t the only broadcasters falling in love while live broadcasting. Since first virtually meeting about two and half years ago, Joel (MonsterGem🎃PLM), an up-and-coming ventriloquist and entertainer from California, and Gemma (♚GemMonstr♛PLM🎃), a full-time mom from the U.K., have had a long distance relationship. But that will change soon, as the couple plans to tie the knot in just a few short months, all while broadcasting the ceremony for their LiveMe family to enjoy with them as well.

Following the couple’s interview with People, we talked to Gemma to get the full scoop on meeting Joel during a live broadcast, the moment he proposed, and their upcoming nuptials.

Their Lives Before LiveMe

Gemma, 26, grew up in Peterborough, a small town in eastern England, while Joel, 28, was born over 4,000 miles away in Nebraska, though he spent the majority of his childhood in California, where he calls home today.

“I always liked to act and sing although I’ve never thought I was great,” Gemma said when asked about her childhood. “I was in the Scouts because here in the U.K. scouting is for boys and girls, and I always used to love it. I’m an adventurous person and I love to explore.”

A Chance Meeting

A mom to her daughter Alisha, Gemma was looking for ways to make extra income when she saw a LiveMe ad over two years ago. “It was a great opportunity for me to meet new people from across the globe with a potential of earning from it.”

About a week later, she saw one of Joel’s broadcast and was immediately intrigued. “I was just swiping through and ended up staying in his broadcast. His personality and entertaining just drew me to him,” Gemma told LiveMe. “And although he was upset he had lost his wallet, at that point he still just wanted to make other people happy. I wanted to get to know him more.”

Joel, who served in the military before joining LiveMe, had been on the app a few months before meeting Gemma. Though he was initially hesitant about dating someone on LiveMe, the pair hit it off immediately. “We just started to fall for each other,” Gemma said. “He is the kindest, most caring man I’ve ever know even when he’s experiencing his own difficulties.”

Gemma and Joel were able to keep in touch through technology despite their long-distance romance.

“We started speaking because I commented on his broadcast. [It was} just the normal conversation and he ended the broadcast because he had to go find his wallet. He gave me his Snapchat name and whilst he wasn’t broadcasting we carried on messaging through there.” Just three days later Gemma and Joel officially started dating.

The Proposal

While long-distance relationships are notoriously difficult to maintain, Gemma and Joel joined each other’s LiveMe broadcasts often and used group chat app Airtime to stay in touch. A year into the relationship, she and her daughter visited him in the States and the couple went on a camping trip with Joel’s family. Little did Gemma know, however, that he had a surprise in store.

“That was the best day of my life. I had no idea,” she said recalling the day he proposed in December 2017. “I knew the night before we were going to the campground again for a cookout before me and my daughter had to leave.”

“We got to the campsite and Joel walked around with me. [He was]just talking to me about life and how much I meant to him and that he loved me.” A few minutes later, Joel’s mother pulled out a cake and called Gemma over. “[She] said Gemma, this is for you and Alisha because you’re leaving,’ so I went over to look at it. I was so confused. It was a blue cake with writing.

‘Congratulations Gemma and Joel.’” When she turned around, she saw Joel down on one knee “asking me to marry him!”

Joel proposed to Gemma at the campground where the pair was vacationing with his family and her daughter. “That was the best day of my life,” Gemma told LiveMe.

“At first I just nodded my head and I was barely able to speak ‘yes!’ I covered my eyes and my face, and I was shaking like a leaf,” Gemma said. “Watching the video makes me laugh about it all now and how I didn’t realize what was happening. But it was definitely the most magical, intimate moment of my life, and I wouldn’t have asked for it any other way.”

The Wedding

Gemma and Joel’s big day is set for May 20, 2019, and like fellow LiveMe broadcaster Lindee Link, the couple plans to broadcast their wedding live on LiveMe. “We are just having an intimate ceremony. We’ll just collect our marriage license and then [go] camping for three days with family.” Joel’s sister and Alisha will be bridesmaids.

“On our [wedding] anniversary we hope to renew our vows and do a bigger ‘wedding’ for everyone else to celebrate with us,” Gemma added.

What’s Next?

Following their wedding, Gemma plans on moving to California and will continue broadcasting with Joel, whose ventriloquism skills have helped him amass nearly 30,000 fans on LiveMe. “He’s applied to AGT (America’s Got Talent), so we have to see what the future brings, although we do know that we want our own house and a family and Joel would like to be in the entertainment business.”

Read more LiveMe Spotlight interviews here.