What Singles REALLY Want in 2024!

Ever wonder what your potential dates are really looking for? Or if your relationship expectations match up with everyone else’s?

The Knot just released their 2024 Relationship and Intimacy study, revealing fascinating insights about how singles find love, what they’re actually looking for, and those persistent deal breakers that shape our dating decisions.

Get ready to decode modern romance with Esther Lee, deputy editor of The Knot. She’s breaking down the numbers on everything from meet-cutes to marriage, and some of these findings might surprise you!

Plus, don’t miss our Dear Damona segment, where we tackle an awkward gift-giving situation. When is it too soon for intimate presents? 

(1:34) Meet Esther Lee

Esther Lee is the deputy editor of The Knot, leading content on The Knot Wellness with a focus on financial, relationship, and mental well-being. 

She oversees The Knot’s travel vertical, including honeymoons, destination weddings, and bachelorette parties, along with overarching features and trends.

The Comfort Connection (05:13)

The Knot’s 2024 study challenges everything you thought you knew about attraction and chemistry. What tops the list of desirable qualities might surprise you – and it’s not what most dating coaches are teaching!

As Esther notes, “There has to be this openness and this lightness, almost like you’re showing up as yourself and being comfortable with who you are.” Find out why authenticity might be your best dating strategy.

Love Offline (17:52)

Dating apps aren’t the only path to partnership. 

The study reveals unexpected ways couples are meeting in 2024, including some surprising new trends in the gaming world.

Plus, discover why traditional meet-cutes might be making a comeback and how Gen Z is revolutionizing the dating scene.

Married Life Myths & Reality (21:20)

Think you know how marriage changes relationships? The study’s findings about intimacy patterns before and after marriage might change your mind.

Esther shares insights from a recently married team member who discovered unexpected shifts in their relationship dynamics post-wedding. 

Learn why “putting a ring on it” might transform more than just your legal status.

The Distance Dance (34:48)

When it comes to deal breakers, distance tops many singles’ lists. 

But what exactly counts as “long-distance”? For some New Yorkers, it’s crossing boroughs; for others, it’s crossing oceans.

Plus, discover the other relationship red flags that made the list and why they might matter more than you think.

Connect with Esther and The Knot:

• Website:TheKnot.com
• Report:https://www.theknot.com/content/relationship-and-intimacy-study
• elee@theknotww.com

(39:19) Dear Damona, Help Me!

Email from a listener named Cathy:

This is a little off the beaten path, but my 17-year-old grandson is dating a lovely young woman, and she recently had a birthday for a birthday gift. 

He bought her a Victoria’s Secret bra. She interpreted this as him wanting much more out of the relationship, and she promptly slapped him in his face and stormed off.

I gotta say, I love the gal’s chutzpah since there was certainly no ambiguity in her reaction. Any ideas on how he might navigate this precarious situation? 

Do you have questions? Damona has the answers! Don’t forget you can submit your dating and relationship questions for our Dear Damona segment on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, or leave us a voicemail or text to 424-246-6255, and hear Damona’s answers live in a future episode!