Throughout time, mail order brides have been popular, and they still are today. However, I prefer to call them foreign brides – it’s politically more correct, it sounds way nicer (and better!), and doesn’t come with some of the negative connotations of a “mail order bride” (#Exploitation #Abuse #HumanTrafficking #UnequalPowerDisparities and more).
Even though something is popular, does that mean you should jump on the bandwagon and also get yourself a foreign bride?
My answer is “yes, absolutely.” You can find true love locally, but when you test international waters looking for a girlfriend or wife, you have so many more options and opportunities.
This guide contains everything you need to know about mail order bride websites, also known as online dating sites or matchmaking agencies so you can be confident about finding your foreign bride (read also: The perfect sites to find International love online).
Reasons Why You Can Trust Us
- Faithfully reviewed over 1000 International online dating and matchmaking services
- Our team has been testing online dating services for over 10 years.
- We guarantee to review and revise the content regularly.
- Contributed in many publications including Notsalmon.com, Marriage.com, or Medium.com.
TOP3 Sites For Russian & Ukraine Dating
An Important Word from the Editor: We Prefer “International Dating Sites”
I honestly hate the term “mail order bride.” It’s so inauthentic and just plain blah – lacking creativity and an honest reflection of what it is to meet and fall in love with a foreign lady.
I like to use “international dating sites,” and when referring to the ladies you meet on these platforms that are from other countries, the terms “foreign lady, foreign woman, or foreign bride” are much more accurate and acceptable.
A brief look at the history of mail order brides reveals that the practice of “buying your wife” like she’s listed on a platform like Amazon or ebay dates back to the 17th century. Jumping a bit forward in time, these ladies often came from war-torn countries and men thought they needed to be saved, like they were damsels in distress.
More recently, the practice of mail order brides is linked to abuse and toxic relationships where the lady is imported to the man’s country and thus wholly dependent on him, often with no way to return to her home country or leave the relationship. Another issue that accompanies mail order brides is human trafficking …
So considering all of this, “foreign ladies” and “international dating sites” are the way to go. Don’t you agree?
How Do Mail Order Bride Sites Work?
There are a few different ways in which mail order bride websites work.
First, there’s the online dating websites that are like social media platforms but more geared toward matchmaking and online dating. When you find a suitable online dating site, you need to sign up, create a profile, and start browsing, or (on some sites) you get love matches.
Online dating platforms have various services and features to make it easy to find your soulmate, and some of these services include chat messages, video chats, and sending likes, stickers, gifts, photos, and videos.
Next, there’s matchmaking agencies. These are agencies you register with, and they work with foreign ladies who are looking for a husband. You’ll get profiles (like the traditional mail order bride catalog) to look at, and the agency helps you connect with a person who is best suited to you.
Depending on the services you opt in for, you may need to travel to meet the lady in question and get to know her before “sealing the deal.”
Lastly, there are sites that offer a combination of services. These are like matchmaking agencies meeting online dating platforms. So you can expect to search and browse and/or get love matches (or sign up for an exclusive matchmaking service where a relationship consultant will help you find and meet the lady of your dreams).
You may also have the option of booking a singles tour (also called a romance tour) where you travel to South America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, or Africa and meet ladies at meet- and-greet events.
Finding a Legit Mail Order Bride Site – Things to Remember
An essential element of foreign bride sites I can’t stress enough is that you can’t just sign up to the first one you find (or that ranks the highest on Google or your preferred search engine).
There are quite a number of things you should keep in mind about online dating and using matchmaking and romance tour services, and these essentials are important to help keep you safe.
So here’s what you should keep in mind when it comes to foreign bride services:
2. There’s a lot of fraud in the industry with many romance or dating scams always making the rounds.
3. Professional scammers can be individuals who create fake profiles and their only intent is to scam you, or these scammers can be companies who do everything possible to entice you to use their dating site and keep spending money to line their pockets (your chances of finding love are a big fat zero).
4. Pay-per-letter scams are a popular scam online dating companies employ to get you to buy more credits so you can communicate with bots or ladies who’ve created fake profiles. Other scams are translation scams and professional pro-dater scams, but always be on the lookout for anything fishy or something that’s too good to be true.
5. Intercultural and language barriers make it easy to derail your romance journey. These obstacles need to be navigated with care, so I always tell my clients to learn as much as possible about the country and culture their dream lady is from and to learn a bit of the native language so they don’t make any silly faux pas.
An Example of a Typical Mail Order Bride Site – LoveMe.com
A typical mail order bride website is LoveMe.com, which has been around for at least three decades so you know you are in safe hands.
LoveMe.com also goes by the name A Foreign Affair, and they are an online dating site, matchmaking agency, and singles tour operator – like an all-in-one-stop for your romance needs.
- Easy registration process
- Add profiles you like to your Hot List
- Get love matches every week
- Can access LoveMe.com from an internet browser on your phone
- Get bonuses when you send or receive mails or letters
There are basic services you can access free on LoveMe.com, but if you really want to make the most of your membership, it’s best to become a paying member.
Become a Platinum member for a once-off fee of US$95.00 and a monthly subscription fee of US$25.95. With your membership, you get discounts on sending express mails, the three-way phone translation service, and access to all the videos from the ladies.
If you don’t want to become a member, you can still use these services; they are just more expensive.
And then there’s the Executive membership option where you have a professional who helps you find love. This option is ideal if you don’t have time to chat to hundreds of ladies and need extra help to find “The One.”
- Solid rating of 4.1 stars on Sitejabber, an independent third-party reviewer
- Legit and reputable online dating site that’s ideal if you are looking for a foreign partner and a committed long-term relationship
- Helps those who are differently abled
- Get love matches, so you can search or browse or let fate take a swing and see who’s meant to be
- Offers unique services, like romance tours, three-way phone call translations, and more
Need more information before you join this online dating service? Check out my comprehensive review on LoveMe.com.
BeHappy2Day and CuteOnly Are Other Popular Mail Order Bride Sites
If LoveMe.com isn’t quite the online dating service for you, I also recommend BeHappy2Day.com and CuteOnly.com.
I have complete reviews on BeHappy2Day and CuteOnly if you want more information before signing up.
Attention! We Blacklist Many Mail Order Bride Sites
One thing I’m not shy about is the fact that I blacklist quite a lot of online dating sites. Of course, I don’t just go “eeny-meeny-miny-moe” and BAM!; a site has been blacklisted.
I do my due diligence and dive deep into each dating site that I review, and I keep things as objective as possible so I continue to provide value for my readers.
I want to help you be safe when you sign up to an online dating platform, and while I can’t hold your hand each step of the way, I can discern the more reputable sites from the hacks.
When I evaluate a dating website, I consider how the site scores in these essential areas:
- It's reputation. A legit site should be reputable and score well on independent third-party review sites like Sitejabber and Trustpilot.
- How affordable it is. There’s no use in selling your organs just to be able to stay on a site and talk to the lady of your dreams (or the scammer bot). So a dating site needs to be affordable so you can live and eat too.
- How secure the site is. A dating platform should have security measures in place to help protect you from romance scammers.
- The services on offer. Some dating sites are really basic, with only search and chat options. I like dating sites that offer more so you can use every tool at your disposal to win the heart of the lady you like.
Conclusion: Select Your “Mail Order” Site Wisely
When it comes to online dating, it’s essential to be wise when you choose the platform. You want a service that’s reputable and legit, secure and safe, and affordable, and there should be a good number of functional services.
Plus, the dating site and/or app must be user-friendly.
At the end of the day, you can find true love via online dating.
You just need to be patient, persevere, run at the first signs of a scam, red flag, or your gut screaming “no!” and not ever settle because you’ve given up on finding the right romantic partner for you. Related read: How to Recognize Ukrainian Dating Scam
TOP3 Sites For Russian & Ukraine Dating
