Online dating sites are a boon to couples like Russ and Jess, the creators of what is easily the most impressive wedding site the Net's ever seen. Their story begins with two busy professionals who do not have the time or inclination to wade through the waters of their local dating scene. They opted instead, as more and more singles do, to seek love online.

Her profile, though it lacked a photo, intrigued him with its playful descriptions. After chatting online, they met in person and the sparks flew. However, his demanding travel schedule meant that it would be another month before they'd have their first official date. In the meantime, they kept in touch with emails and postcards. Career demands took him across the country, and soon they were dealing with the demands of an long-distance relationship.

However, distance taught them that they were meant to be together. He proposed in April, 2011, and they'll be married in August of this year.

Stories like this don't just tell us that love is out there for online daters; they give us tips on how to make it happen for us:

• Go with a great headline. What about you is attention-grabbing and extraordinary? Lead with what makes you unique.
• Profiles without pictures can get passed by. While Russ went ahead despite his misgivings about Jess's lack of a picture, not all singles will choose to do so.
• Know that you will not click with every single you meet. Jess & Russ each went on a couple other dates with other people before meeting each other.
• Be patient. It can take weeks or months to develop your relationship online.
• Email conversations are a great way to build a relationship. When you write to each other, you get to share more about yourselves. This makes it possible for the two of you to really get to know each other.
• Love can overcome distance. Your perfect partner may live in another city, or on the other side of the world. Use the terrific tools that Planet Love Match provides to get to know people through email, video chats and SafeCall conversations.

Photo: jessandruss.us