“You might laugh, you might frown, Walkin’ round London town” – Lily Allen. Gotta take any opportunity to quote a song literally called LDN about London, right? Have truer words ever been sung? They’re also a great way to describe trying to find love in London. If you’ve been/are still searching, you may have picked up on some patterns. Here are 4 things you’ll find when trying to find love in London…

• Having more choice is a blessing and a curse

One of the pros of trying to find love in London is that it’s such a diverse city. You’ll meet people you never would’ve otherwise, from all over the world. Which can be great, it’s always a learning curve to be able to hear about cultures that are different to yours. Also, to have your thoughts or thinking patterns challenged. However, there can be downsides.

As much as you might meet people who you wouldn’t have expected to and end up being grateful for that, it could be the opposite too. You might meet people who you can’t stand, who leave you with a sour taste in your mouth. Also, more choice can lead to people being unlikely to try and make things works when there are other options easily reached.

• Lunch dates are rare

Can you even picture London without thinking of pubs or going to grab a quick drink? Trying to fall in love in London, you’ll find that you’re asked out/end up going on a lot of dates that involve going to bars etc. It usually comes down to ‘shall we get a drink?’ As it’s the easiest option.

To that end, lunch dates and even dinner dates are rare. Especially in the early stages. For one thing, it’s harder (but not impossible) to duck out of a meal early, if things aren’t going well. Also, dating can be nerve wracking and alcohol provides some much-needed Dutch courage to many.

• Dating apps will become a big part of your life

How many articles and posts have you seen about how pivotal dating apps are? When trying to fall in love in London you’ll hear all about it, if not experience it. Tales of dates gone wrong, people disappearing and reappearing months later, seeing friend’s partners on there and panicking. You name it. That’s not to mention the advertising which will be everywhere, if you’re their target audience.

Whether you’re actively using dating apps or taking a break, they’ll take up a lot of space in your life. It could end with you meeting someone or being a love/hate relationship. Either way, it’ll definitely leave you with interesting stories to tell.

• Deciding who is paying the bill will always be awkward

Ah, fun times. Who doesn’t love a little game of ‘who’s paying… shall we split it?’ Look, London is an expensive city. If you’re trying to fall in love in London, it will start to feel even more so. If the average singleton is going on a few dates a month, it all adds up. Then, there are the expectations.

Some expect the guy to pay, some suggest splitting the bill, but it’s really a test. There are instances before anything has even been ordered and someone has already declared that you’ll being doing rounds, but they don’t end up being evenly split. Regardless, a lot of people feel it says a lot about how or if things will progress. We’re saying that there’s no shame in splitting, securing the bag is tough after all!

So, there you have it! 4 things you’ll find when trying to find love in London. Look, we know it can be difficult and exhausting. Love is elusive, but it can be found anywhere and everywhere. However, it’s important to remember there are other kinds of love, not just romantic (although that was the focus here.) If you want to celebrate all the types of love found in London, check out the Love in London photography competition! 🙂