How do the relationships develop?

After meeting each other, most net relationships go through a couple of stages that let those involved get to know each other better. Most couples begin by sending casual friendly email a couple of times a week, which usually escalates to a couple of times a day. They then begin to talk to each other in a private talk session or a private chat channel. After becoming comfortable with each other and deciding the relationship is worth pursuing they will call each other on the phone and talk ``voice.'' At some point after this a face-to-face meeting is planned. Because so many of these relationships span states or even continents, this usually requires a lot of planning and sureness on the part of the couple. If the relationship has lasted through this point (usually at least 6 months) the couple continue their relationship using the Internet and might eventually plan on moving to the same geographic place, getting married, or both.
Every relationship is different, though. Julie says, ``The relationship progressed rather quickly. At first we just exchanged information such as physical appearance, family background, school info, etc. We only met and talked on the MUSH for a few weeks. Then we exchanged email addresses and started sending email two or three times a day up to present. Most recently I just returned from meeting Dale in person. I went up to where he lives, over 3000 miles away, and stayed for a week over spring break.''
Tina and Mark's relationship developed over more than 6 months and spanned from the United States to Australia. They are planning their wedding for October of 1996. According to Tina, ``At first, we were just friends. We would talk casually... this lasted about a week or so. Then we started getting to know one another, and we both realized that we clicked. We then left our public meeting place and ventured into a private channel. We would spend literally hours on end just talking, learning about each other, learning about each other's cultures, our lives, our goals, our dreams. After a few weeks, we realized that we were destined to be together, and that fate had brought us together, and we declared our love for one another. We have always had a very strong line of communication, whether it be on the net, by phone, or by mail. I made him a video tape of me, and my friends/life here, and he sent me photos. The phone calls went from once a month, to twice a month, to once a week, and from 10-20 minutes a call to over an hour a call.''