Charlotte woman creates a three-page Google form to find a husband. Then she gets 270 applications and over 1,000 DMs: ‘So… You’re Interested?’
‘Marriage is the goal.’
A woman from Charlotte had enough of leaving things to chance and decided to find her future husband by actively inviting applications for the role. Arin Patterson, 36-year-old resident of Charlotte, North Carolina, successfully navigated the wild world of modern dating by creating a three-page Google form to find her future spouse. By the time the application window closed at 11:59 PM EDT on September 30, she had received 270 applications and well over 1,000 direct messages.
According to the New York Post, Patterson, @arinpatterson on Instagram, who works at UNC Charlotte as the senior associate director of a student union, decided she was tired of the traditional routes. After being single for about three years and navigating the ups and downs of standard dating apps, she opted for something much more direct via a reel. She also pinned her form, titled “So…You’re Interested?”, to her Instagram bio in late August.
The document was designed to be a comprehensive look at potential suitors, requiring men to provide details about their careers, daily routines, and their views on marriage and family. She even included a fun prompt asking applicants to describe something they could talk about for an “unreasonable amount of time.”
Arin’s requirements were clear from the start
Patterson sought a Christian man between 28 and 47 years old who is ready to embrace the roles of husband and father. She also expressed a preference for men with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Standing at 5’8″ barefoot and 6’0″ in heels, she also set a height requirement of 5’10” or above. While she acknowledged being open to a “boo for the holidays,” she remained steadfast that “marriage is the goal” throughout the entire process.
The reaction online has been a total whirlwind. Some people have been incredibly supportive, leaving comments on her Instagram posts like “You will find a worthy partner soon” and “I applaud the intentional move.” Others were a bit more skeptical, labeling the effort as desperate. Patterson, however, has brushed off the negativity with grace. She noted that she doesn’t think having a clear desire for something means you’re desperate.
For her, this is a fun, funny, and very serious way to be intentional about what she wants in life. Her project gained serious traction after a video she posted on September 15 went viral. The exposure led to a string of media appearances, including features in Axios, the New York Post, and an interview on Fox and Friends.
As she mentioned in a follow-up reel posted on October 5, 2026, the influx of interest was so overwhelming that she had to pause her screening process. She plans to have all 270-plus applications reviewed by October 15. Every applicant will hear back from her, whether they are moving forward in the interview process or receiving a polite note of gratitude for their interest.
Unconventional dating strategies are not uncommon
According to Vice, in 2022, a man named Muhammad Malik used billboards in London and Birmingham to search for a wife, which resulted in over 5,000 applications. While Malik had the backing of a dating app company, Patterson is managing her search entirely on her own.
It is just one woman, a Google form, and a massive pile of data to sift through. This is truly a DIY approach to finding a life partner that makes you rethink how much time we waste on platforms that don’t always yield the results we want.
The digital response has been global, with people from other countries and states reaching out to learn more about her journey. Patterson has even hinted at having some new ideas for other singles who are still looking for love. She is genuinely excited about the path forward and plans to keep her followers updated as she begins the next phase of interviewing and dating viable candidates.
Whether or not this leads to a ring, the audacity of the project is hard not to admire. Patterson took a process that often feels like a chore and turned it into a project that has sparked a genuine conversation about modern romance. It is certainly not the typical way to find a spouse, but in an age where we are all looking for more meaningful connections, maybe a little bit of extra effort is exactly what’s needed.
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