At ForeignWifeFinder, we’re passionate about exploring successful international relationships that began online. Today, we’re excited to share the story of Alan Coltrane (48, from the U.S.) and Olena Melnyk (31, from Ukraine). Their story showcases the power of online connections and offers insights into cross-cultural dating and marriage.
💙 Top Dating Sites to Find a Ukrainian Wife: Based on Alan’s Advice
| 🔗 Dating sites | 👰 Months visitors |
| SofiaDate.com | 280K+ |
| TheLuckyDate.com | 150K+ |
| GoldenBride.net | 330K+ |
💭 Inside their relationship: an intimate conversation
We sat down with Alan Coltrane and Olena Melnyk to get into their love story and the challenges and joys of their international union.
1. Q: What inspired you to look for a partner outside your home country?
We have a bit different stories about that. I’ve dated foreign women before. Working for an international law company, I have to travel a fair share of my life. I’ve always been drawn to European women and even had a few long-term relationships. But something was always off, and I ended up with my heart broken. One day I got inspired by FWF to give online dating a try. When I registered on a dating site, it felt like my last resort. I can’t say that I was interested in Ukrainian mail order brides specifically, but that’s who I fell in love with.
Before Alan, I’ve never dated anyone from abroad. I’ve actually never been abroad that much. Only went to Poland a couple of times as a kid. Through my 20s, I was head-on in my studies, and though I felt treasured to get married, it didn’t feel right for me. Only when I reached my 30s did I feel ready for the family and decided to become a Ukrainian mail order bride. Oh, you might be curious why foreign guys, and not locals. Ukrainian men are fine, but I have so many friends living abroad, and I wanted to have a man who treated me like them.
2. Q: Can you take us back to how you first connected online?
That was around Christmas time, the loneliest time of the year, they say. We started just talking casually a week or two before. We discussed that already, but one day, just before Christmas, when we had a lot going on in our personal lives, we still were chatting nonstop. We don’t know how 2-3 messages a day turned into walls of text, photos, and videos. It felt like being connected to family, which we are fast-forwarding to now.
3. Q: What were your initial impressions of each other, and how did your relationship evolve?
Oh my, what can I say! All of my stereotypes about Ukrainian brides for marriage were ruined, besides the fact that they are really beautiful. I used to believe that Ukrainian mail order wives wanted to be stay-at-home moms, that they were very serious, and that they had strong accents. I know how stupid that was of me; I don’t want your readers to roll their eyes at me. Modern Ukrainian women are smart, ambitious, funny, and some do have cute accents, but my wife has a linguistic degree, so I feel like she knows English better than me.
My initial impression of Alan was quite positive, as he swept me off the ground almost right away. Now, looking back, I don’t know why I felt so sure in him, but he never disappointed me.
4. Q: Can you describe the moment when you realized your online connection was becoming something special?
We both agree that there wasn’t la specific day that we woke up feeling different towards each other. But we just had conversations where we stood and realized that we wanted to be more than people talking on the Internet.
5. Q: What’s the most amusing cultural misunderstanding you’ve experienced together?
That’s where I failed. I wanted to surprise Olenka with a dozen red roses, thinking it was classic and nice. When I gave them to her, I immediately saw that she was scared a bit. She immediately took one rose from the bouquet and put it into a separate vase. In Ukraine, an even number of flowers are brought to funerals. We laughed, but now I always count flowers.
6. Q: What’s been the biggest surprise about living together in the US?
The biggest surprise is probably that not many people believe that you can find a Ukrainian wife online. Even my friends think that Olena has been living in the country for a while. That’s how well she fits in.
7. Q: What’s a skill or hobby you’ve taught each other that’s unique to your respective cultures?
Well, we don’t think that there are a lot of activities that were that new, but our food plates widened a lot with all of the soups, nalysnychky, and varenychky.
8. Q: How do you handle disagreements that stem from cultural differences?
We give each other some space, then talk, then have good sex.
9. Q: What’s been the most challenging aspect of introducing your partner to your family and friends?
Marrying a Ukrainian woman wasn’t in my plans before, so I never thought about how my family would react. But both sides of our family are very supportive. The language barrier might be the only challenge.
10. Q: How has your international relationship influenced your career or life goals?
We are both focused on family now and building our plans so that we can have and raise children together. And that drives me to earn more.
11. Q: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourselves when you first started dating online?
Enjoy the ride and trust your feelings. Oh, and maybe don’t buy the most expensive plane tickets to Poland; they’ll get cheaper in a couple of days.
🇺🇦 Quick statistics: Ukraine women and international relationships
| Metric | Statistic |
| Age at First International Marriage | 29 |
| Average Age Difference | 6.5-9 years |
| Top Cities for Ukraine Marriages | Kyiv, Lviv, Odessa, Kharkiv |
| Success Rate of Ukraine-Foreign Marriages | 80% |
| Divorce Rate | 3.1 per 1,000 |
| English Proficiency | Moderate |
| Cultural Adaptation Score | 9 of 10 |
✅ 5 Surprising truths about Ukrainian women
- Not surprising, but a Ukrainian woman will punch you if you compare her to Russian mail order wives
- Most women in Ukraine have a higher education.
- Almost all Ukrainian women know at least one foreign language, and they often know 2-3 on a good level.
- A lot of Ukrainian women are not very confident despite the striking looks they have.
- Single Ukrainian brides are multitasking queens, and they often have a few jobs and hobbies and manage to look good.
❗️Ukraine Dating Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts
| Do’s | Dont’s |
| Romantic gestures and presents | Disrespect |
| Build trust and emotional bonds | Rushing PDA |
| Initiate and plan dates | Taking about exes |
| Pay the bill | Even number of flowers |
| Be at your best gentlemanly behavior | Treating your woman as just Ukrainian |
⚠️ Joys and challenges with Ukraine partners
Relationships with Ukrainian brides for marriage come with so many positive aspects, but as we interviewed a couple who managed to build a successful relationship, we understood that it’s important to highlight both. So, the joys of being with the best Slavic mail order brides are:
- Enriching your world with Ukrainian culture, food, and traditions.
- Experiencing deep love and family bonds.
- Being with someone who is ready to overcome challenges and will stand by your side.
But there are also some challenges, like:
- Not all Ukrainian women for marriage are fluent in English.
- Long distance is not easy, and in such an international relationship, it’s unavoidable during the first months.
- Political uncertainty influences plans and moods daily.
These joys and challenges can make your relationship both complex and the best thing that happened to you.
💲 Costs involved in dating a Ukraine Woman
- Visa expenses (tourist, fiancée, or marriage visas)—around $2,200
- Travel costs—$2,000 (round trip + 10 days in Ukraine)
- Communication expenses—$60-80 per week
- Gift-giving (according to Ukrainian customs)—$50 per week
- Wedding expenses (traditional Ukraine ceremony vs. local customs)—from $5,000 in Ukraine to $33,000 in the US
- Relocation costs (if applicable)—$2,000-$4,000
- Legal fees (document translation, marriage registration)—$800-$1,000
✅ How ForeignWifeFinder makes these relationships happen
Services like ForeignWifeFinder make it really easy for people from different countries who have no experience in dating foreigners to see that it’s possible to find love online. It creates a secure and effective educational environment. FWF can inspire singles to meet someone they’d otherwise never encountered. For example, if you always wanted to date a Slavic girl, chances are you never considered Romanian brides, and FWF can help you understand what it means to be in a relationship with Romanian beauties or how to meet Ukrainian brides from firsthand experience.
❤️ Alan Coltrane and Olena Melnyk’s Love Lessons: What We’ve Learned
Alan and Olena’s love shows us that Ukrainian ladies marriage make great matches for American guys. Despite the language and cultural differences, they build happy families. So, if you always wanted to explore international dating, this is your sign to start looking for real Ukrainian brides online.