So. I went on a dating show. I still say that sentence and half-expect someone to tap me on the shoulder and tell me it was all a very elaborate joke — but no, it really happened, and I have the slightly-too-glossy footage to prove it. It was a creator dating show called Nectar, and the concept was, and I quote my own giddy little face here, "Blind Dating by Prince." The whole premise was that these were real-life princes competing for a date, which is exactly the sort of gloriously over-the-top fairytale nonsense that I cannot say no to. Reader, I did not even try to say no.
If you have been around here a while you already know I have a soft spot for anything that lets me play princess for an afternoon. A pink dress, a bit of drama, a premise borrowed straight from a storybook? That is basically my whole personality with a ribbon tied around it. So when the invitation landed, the only real question in my head was which shade of blush I was going to wear.
Getting Ready to Meet a "Prince"
The getting-ready part was, honestly, my favourite bit — because of course it was. I treated it like the world's most important GRWM, fussing over every curl and taking approximately forever to decide on lipstick. There is something so funny about doing a full soft-glam beauty look, corset laced and all, purely so you can go be charming at a stranger the show has decided to crown a prince. I felt equal parts leading lady and total goofball, and I would not have had it any other way.
I went with a peachy corset dress that made me feel like I had wandered out of an illustrated fairytale, which felt very on-theme for a show promising royalty. On camera I was doing my best to be graceful and mysterious; off camera I was giggling into my hand every time someone said the word "prince" with a straight face. That gap between how elegant it looked and how silly it actually felt is the whole joy of these things, if you ask me.
Was It Real? Was It Silly? Yes.
Here is the honest truth, because I am never going to pretend otherwise: it was a bit of a bit. A creator dating show is playful by design — a format, a premise, a wink at the camera — and everyone involved is in on the fun. I am not here to tell you I met my one true prince or that I "won" anything, because that was never the point. The point was to lean all the way into the fantasy, be a good sport, and make something that made people smile, myself very much included.
And it did make me smile — a lot. There is a real sweetness to letting yourself be a little bit ridiculous on purpose, to dress up and play pretend as a grown woman who absolutely knows better. It reminded me of exactly why I started making content in the first place: it is meant to be joyful. If you want to see the actual filmed moments in all their over-the-top glory, I keep those over on my Instagram, and they are worth a giggle.
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat, tiara optional. If you are new around here and curious how a thrift-loving, pink-obsessed redhead ends up blind dating fictional royalty, my about page is a lovely place to start. Until the next silly, sparkly adventure — thank you for coming along on this one. #liviasloves