Coronavirus: Couple engaged over Zoom, without ever meeting face-to-face

Dating is hard, especially in lockdown, but this couple met and got engaged via a Zoom meeting – and they still haven’t met in real life.

An American couple got engaged via a Zoom meeting earlier this month — even though they’ve never met in real life.

Katia Ameri found herself single and bored amid America’s coronavirus lockdown, so she decided to take matters into her own hands.

The 28-year-old entrepreneur from San Francisco, California, became a “bachelorette” on a three-hour virtual dating show that was hosted over Zoom, where 12 guys vied for her attention and affection.

She is no longer single, and has even since gotten engaged to one of the contestants — though they have yet to meet face-to-face.

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It wasn’t an easy journey, but yes, I have a zoom fiancé people! 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 https://t.co/VNTleZvPje

— Katia Ameri (@KatiaAmeri) May 3, 2020

On May 6, after three hours of flirting and playing games, Ms Ameri got “engaged” to Ronak “Ro” Trivedi — and it was all live-streamed on Zoom.

Ms Ameri was the first "Zoom Bachelorette" — a twist on "The Bachelorette" franchise for the quarantine times.

There were one-on-one dates, group dates, cocktail hours and fights between contestants as they tried to impress her.

During the three hours, in front of a series of Zoom backgrounds, the suitors did everything from making homemade pizza to exercising their wit.

Katia had 12 guys vying for her attention, when at the start of the month she felt bored and alone.

On the first group date, some of the men were asked to show off their quarantine grooming skills, using scissors or razors depending on the length of their hair.

On a second group date, they displayed their culinary skills.

It was all live-streamed on Twitch, where hundreds of viewers, who paid in the form of charitable donations in exchange for access to the viewing link, watched the full event and commented in real-time.

After the three hours was over, Ms Ameri made her choice, and she picked CEO Ro.

“I thought that he was very sincere,” Ms Ameri told MIT Technology Review.

“And he just seemed like someone I would get along with in the real world.”

Ronak “Ro” Trivedi is now engaged to Katia Ameri

“A Toronto native living in New York City, Ro is the founder of Pietra,” Ro’s bio reads on the website.

“Initially mistaking a photo of Katia for a stock photo, he signed up to master the art of the confessional.

“Now that he knows who Katia is, he thinks they are perfect for each other and is determined to show her that’s the case.”

The pair have texted and had one FaceTime call since selecting each other.

Other bachelors returned home empty-handed.

It’s not the first time Zoom has been used in some bizarre scenarios.

Fearing he might spread the coronavirus to his family, a man watched his baby’s birth via a Zoom uplink.

News.com.au also reported on a case where a child was legally adopted by a family over a video conference call.

But using Zoom isn’t all fun and games.

Earlier this week, news.com.au reported on Singapore handing out a death sentence via a Zoom video link.

Around the same time, a man was murdered while his family watched from the other side of a screen.

Have you used Zoom for something interesting? Continue the conversation | [e-mail] | @AlexTurnerCohen