Jordan Eric Barkin and Ivan Bormey Jomolka were both searching for love when they matched on Hinge in June 2024.
Mr. Barkin had recently separated from his husband of four years and was starting a new life in Naples, Fla. Mr. Jomolka had moved from Havana to the United States a few months earlier and hadn’t been in a relationship for several years. At the time, Mr. Barkin was renting a condo in Naples, while Mr. Jomolka lived with his aunt in Cape Coral, Fla., about 40 minutes away.
“I wanted someone to share life’s adventures with,” Mr. Barkin said.
“I was seeking that special someone,” Mr. Jomolka said.
They messaged for a few days before Mr. Barkin, 44, invited Mr. Jomolka, 28, on a dinner date. When he picked Mr. Jomolka up at his aunt’s house, Mr. Jomolka felt a spark. “I was impressed when Jordan opened the door for me,” he said. “It was a kind gesture.”
Mr. Barkin immediately noticed how attractive Mr. Jomolka was. “He had a big smile and great energy,” he said. “I couldn’t wait to be with him and get to know who he was.”
They drove to the waterfront restaurant Gather in Cape Coral and quickly fell into a comfortable conversation over virgin margaritas and steamed lobsters. Mr. Barkin likened the evening to the lyrics from the song “Just Because,” by Mary Chapin Carpenter. “She says, ‘Nothing felt so easy or so right,’ and that’s exactly what the date was,” he said.
“My English wasn’t perfect, so we had to use a translation app sometimes, but it still felt so natural,” Mr. Jomolka said.
Over six hours, they bonded over their mutual interests in photography, interior design and Audrey Hepburn movies (“Roman Holiday” is their favorite).
Mr. Barkin dropped Mr. Jomolka off close to midnight, and before they parted ways, they shared what they described as a “passionate kiss” in his car.
“There was no doubt in my mind that I had found my lifetime perfect partner,” Mr. Jomolka said.
“This was no teenage crush,” Mr. Barkin said. “It was real love.”
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They continued texting and talking almost daily. Come weekends, they were together nonstop.
On their second date, Mr. Barkin introduced Mr. Jomolka to his two dogs, Paisley, a hound mix, and Parker, a Havanese. “My dogs are everything to me, and when I introduced Ivan to them, I told them that they were meeting their future second dad,” he said. “I was that sure about him.”
Their courtship unfolded over long meals at waterfront restaurants, exploring local towns where they walked the streets hand-in-hand. Whenever they had more than a few days off, they traveled to their favorite destinations, including Key West, Fla., Miami and New York.
By last November, Mr. Jomolka had moved in with Mr. Barkin. This April, Mr. Barkin bought a home in Estero, Fla., a Naples suburb, where they now live.
Mr. Jomolka, who grew up in José René Riquelme, Cuba, immigrated from Cuba in early 2024. He is an actor and model who has performed in plays at theaters in Cuba, such as The Ark Puppetry Theater in Havana. He holds an art degree from the Samuel Feijóo Professional Art School in Santa Clara, Cuba.
Mr. Barkin is from Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. He works as a freelance columnist and covers politics and popular culture. His pieces have been published in USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, The Miami Herald and elsewhere. He holds a bachelor’s degree in politics and American studies from Brandeis University and a master’s degree in interior design from the Savannah College of Art and Design. His previous marriage ended in divorce.
The couple became engaged on Mr. Jomolka’s 28th birthday, June 12, in a moment Mr. Jomolka described as a “total surprise.” “We were having cappuccinos by the pool like we do every morning,” he said. “The next thing I know, Jordan said, ‘This is my idea of perfection. Let’s enjoy our lives together forever,’ and he pulled out a ring.”
On Aug. 13, the couple married in the living room of their Estero, Fla., home before 20 guests. Judge Robert Gould officiated. Their ceremony included traditions from both of their backgrounds. In keeping with Mr. Barkin’s Jewish roots, they broke a glass at the end. And in a nod to Mr. Jomolka, Thais Doimeadios, a friend of the couple, played a lively piano rendition of the Cuban song “Cuando me besas” by Antonio Machin.
Parker and Paisley wore white orchid garlands for the occasion and greeted guests at the door.
Shivani Vora is a New York City-based travel writer who considers herself a very savvy packer.
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