'I married man I'd never met on Zoom - now we've divorcing over cheating fears'
A woman who married a man she had never met in person has had their marriage annulled, saying it feels like "a weight lifted".
Ayse Reeves, 27, met Darrin Martin, then 24, on a Facebook group during lockdown in November 2020. The couple became romantically involved despite never meeting in person.
The couple married in August 2021, still never having met in person. Ayse, from Lancashire in the UK, had tried visiting Darrin in Michigan, USA earlier in 2021 but was denied entry by immigration officials who claimed she 'didn’t have enough money in her bank to support herself' and he 'didn't have strong enough ties to the UK.'
This didn't deter Darrin from proposing in May 2021 via FaceTime. Their virtual marriage ceremony was officiated via Zoom and made legally binding in Utah, USA, taking advantage of new laws allowing online international unions.
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Ayse Reeves with Darrin on video call (Alex Cousins / SWNS)Both of their families supported the quickly-escalating relationship. Darrin had even asked Ayse's father for his blessing prior to proposing. They began speaking daily on the phone despite the five-hour time difference - and Ayse completely altered her sleep pattern so she could sleep at the same time as him.
The couple initially planned to tie the knot when they finally got the chance to meet for the first time. But, after reading about a new law passed that made international virtual wedding ceremonies legal in the state of Utah, US, they decided to go ahead straight away. Ayse and Darrin tied the knot on August 19, 2021, in an online ceremony, while their parents watched.
Darrin on his wedding day (SWNS)
Ayse Reeves, 27. (Ayse Reeves / SWNS)But cracks soon emerged. Ayse became suspicious that Darrin was cheating after he became "distant" only a month into their marriage. She filed for an annulment in December 2021, citing "non-consummation" as the reason.
Ayse, a full-time student, from Lancaster, Lancs., said: "When the letter came through to tell me I was no longer married, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders. It felt like I couldn't move on because I was still tied to him.
Ayse Reeves kissing Darrin on video call (Alex Cousins / SWNS)"Looking back, it feels like it wasn’t real because I didn’t meet him. I was in a little bubble, I got so swept up in getting married that I didn't think about how it was a crazy thing to do. I've definitely learnt not to rush into things - I would not get into something serious without meeting them now."
Due to Darrin being in the States and Ayse in the UK, it took over 15 painful months for the annulment to be finalised, with Ayse having to wait for the decree absolute while being unable to move on. In November 2022, Ayse blocked Darrin on social media and claims she has heard nothing from him since. Finally, after a painful wait, Ayse received the decree absolute in the post on April 19.
A doll Ayse had made of Darrin (Alex Cousins / SWNS)Ayse added: "She said: "My sister rang me when the letter arrived and when she read it out, it was a weight lifted off my shoulders. It felt like it was never going to come - it was almost like there was still a tie to him. My feelings for him were 100 per cent real though - I wouldn't have gone through it if they weren't.
"Looking back, I wish we had kept it as a friendship like at the start. Sometimes I wonder if we still would have been friends if we kept it as that. One positive thing is it has made me stronger, dealing with it all. I was in a rubbish place when it all happened, and being able to get through that has made me a lot stronger."
Ayse has blocked Darrin (Ayse Reeves / SWNS)
Ayse burns the stuffed toy she had made in Darrin's likeness on a grill (Ayse Reeves / SWNS)The marriage had broken down definitively after Darrin admitted to his infidelity, though he claims it was only after Ayse had already cheated during a family holiday. Ayse strongly denies this occurred while they were officially a couple.
Darrin said: "I definitely did cheat, I have no problems admitting I did, but two wrongs don't make a right." Darrin agreed that it was good to finally have the marriage annulled. He claims he told Ayse about his infidelity before she spotted photos on Facebook - although she says this was not the case.
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Darrin on video call (Alex Cousins / SWNS)Darrin claimed he tried to maintain a friendship with her and said "we'd still be friends now" if she hadn't blocked him. He claimed she cheated on him first, on a family holiday shortly before their marriage - which made the foundations "unstable" so he cheated on her "out of spite". Ayse claims the holiday took place before they were even officially together.
Ayse responded: "I met him in July and went on holiday that August. Darrin and I hadn't even spoken about whether we would become anything. He just likes to throw that in my face whenever his affair gets brought up to him to try and justify it."
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