During COVID-19, most connections started the same way: through a screen. That’s how Vanessa and Mehrad met.
What started as a remote volunteer opportunity slowly became a complicated love story. Vanessa was in Vancouver, Canada, and Mehrad was in Tehran, Iran, nearly 11,000 kilometers apart with a 12 hour time difference. Basically, as Vanessa was starting her day, Mehrad was actually getting ready for bed.
At first, their conversations were just work-related with scheduled meetings, project updates and team discussions. But over time, their calls began to last a little longer as they simply enjoyed each other’s company, even if it was only through a screen. Work topics then became conversations about daily routines, culture, family traditions, and what life looked like on opposite sides of the world.
Because virtual meetings were already part of their daily routine, Zoom naturally became their “dating space.” Eventually, they even started leaving their meetings running for 24 hours just to feel present in each other’s day. One would fall asleep while the other stayed on, muted, and went about their day. It wasn’t conventional, but it made things feel a little easier.
As their relationship continued, they learned something important about long-distance relationships: it’s really easy to fall into routine. Daily texting, virtual meetings, phone calls and the same questions on repeat…
“How was your day?”
“What did you eat?”
“What are you up to?”
The questions were nice and sometimes important, but asking them over and over again made things feel a little too predictable. Being far apart is already hard. Different time zones, no physical touch, no spontaneous dinner dates, and no quick weekend plans together. A long-distance relationship (especially one that has lasted more than six months) can start to feel like it’s limited to just screens and small talk if there isn’t any excitement.
After about a year of long-distance dating, Vanessa and Mehrad decided to try something different. They searched Google for “fun long-distance date ideas” in the hopes of finding inspiration. Instead, most articles offered the same advice: chat every day, order Uber Eats for each other, or watch a movie together.
Obviously, after one year of being together, they had already done that. And in their case, even ordering Uber wasn’t realistic because certain services simply don’t operate in every country. Many popular platforms like Uber, Netflix, Disney+, and other streaming services are restricted, unavailable, or unreliable in places like Iran due to sanctions and regional limitations.
And Iran isn’t the only example. Couples dating across countries in parts of the Middle East, Africa, Russia, Asia, and other regions often face similar barriers, whether it is app availability, payment systems, delivery services, or internet access. Much of the advice online seems written for couples living in the same country or separated by a short flight, not for couples navigating international barriers or completely different digital ecosystems.
That made them realize there are few resources available for long-distance couples. And after that, they began using their own imagination to design their own dates. They experimented with ideas that didn’t rely on country-specific apps, subscriptions, or delivery services or, at least, some that could be easily adapted.
Vanessa and Mehrad were inspired by the “Alphabet Dating” trend they saw on TikTok. The original trend encourages couples to plan in-person dates, one for each letter of the alphabet (for example, “A” for aquarium, “B” for bowling, and so on). Because they were in a long-distance relationship, they couldn’t do the dates physically together. Instead of giving up on the idea, they adapted it. They turned each letter into a virtual date and filmed the entire experience, showing how couples can creatively connect from different locations.
What started as a fun way to strengthen their own relationship quickly resonated with others. Many long-distance couples found their ideas relatable, practical, and inspiring. After several of their videos went viral on Instagram and TikTok, Vanessa and Mehrad continued sharing more creative date ideas. Over time, their content evolved into a global community that supports and inspires couples navigating long-distance relationships.
Today, @ldrdate has grown to over 112K followers on Instagram and more than 36K followers on TikTok with some of their videos generating over 50 million views. Through their social media platforms and their new website, Vanessa and Mehrad share long-distance date ideas with tutorials and practical tips that couples can easily recreate and follow.
Their experience shows a hidden truth about long-distance relationships: distance itself isn’t what makes things difficult. Repetition and lack of creativity do. When couples rely only on texting and routine calls, the relationship can start to feel boring rather than beautiful and meaningful.
For over four years, Vanessa and Mehrad documented their entire long-distance journey online. During that time, they met several times in person in Istanbul, Turkey, a destination that was easily accessible for Mehrad as an Iranian passport holder and convenient with direct flights from Canada. After multiple visits and years of long-distance commitment, Vanessa and Mehrad chose to get married in Turkey, turning a place of reunion into part of their love story.
In 2025, they finally closed the distance when Mehrad moved to Canada. What once felt nearly impossible became their reality. Their story has inspired thousands of long-distance couples who once wondered if the wait would ever be “worth it”. Vanessa and Mehrad openly share that closing the distance is possible even across borders, time zones, and complex international barriers.
Even after closing the distance, they continue creating and sharing videos focused specifically on long-distance date ideas. Although they are now together in the same country, their mission remains the same: helping couples like them who are navigating a long-distance relationship find creative, practical ways to stay connected. They have also begun developing virtual gift ideas for long-distance couples and are working on potentially launching interactive games in the near future.
If you’re in a long-distance relationship and in need of a new date idea, visit LDRDate.ca.
