The rise of online dating has certainly polarised opinion, but it is undoubtedly as popular as it has ever been.

Some cynical observers maintain that it is a dangerous new trend, a vehicle for weird or repressed people to make contact with and potentially terrorise perfectly normal folk.

However, others have found the experience entirely enriching, mainly as people have different expectations from online dating services, all of which can be fulfilled.

Some may just want to meet a personable partner for a bit of fun, some may just take part as they are curious, while others are looking to find their soul-mate.

What remains the most remarkable and heart-warming aspect, though, is the fact that dating sites have concrete evidence of making perfect matches.

It is fascinating to think that two people who are so perfect for each other could be living on different sides of the planet but manage to be struck by Cupid's arrow through the medium of the internet.

The increasing number of cases of people finding true love through online dating is leading even the most sceptical observers to concede that it has its merits.

One such example of this is Jenni Dunning, a columnist who writes for the London Free Press in Canada.

As she explained on LFPress.ca: "While websites for singles (and for the curious, too) aren't exactly new, I always had my doubts about their abilities to hook people up long-term - just from experience.

"Though I've never used one of these sites, my friends have introduced me to a number of weird and/or desperate people they met online."

Ms Denning was subsequently faced with a dilemma when her father began looking online for a new partner - "I hoped for the best but feared the worst," she said.

However, the quest was an instant success and her father found a great match, and now she describes them as "two peas in a pod".

She added: "The online dating gods had pulled it off. Maybe the internet isn't such a bad fixer-upper after all."

Despite this, Ms Jennings was still unsure about the possibility of finding long-term love and ultimately marriage and happiness through online dating.

That was until her brother Mike found a potential match in Toronto whose online profile appeared to perfectly compliment his - and sure enough, they tied the knot last Saturday (August 23rd).

She concluded: "It's amazing to me that, despite all my doubts, two people can find each other kilometres away in different cities and create real love.

"All with a little push from online dating sites. I guess they're not so bad after all!"