Zoe Grey and her partner Matt live in Cambridgeshire with four children between them – and say their open relationship has made them happier than ever
A couple have disclosed the key to their thriving and robust partnership is allowing one another to be intimate with other people. Zoe Grey and her other half Matt share a home in Cambridgeshire with their combined family of four children.
Ex-soldier Matt, who had previously been betrayed by former girlfriends, was the one who broached the subject with Zoe about embarking on an open relationship. Eager to explore, Zoe agreed, and she admitted she’s never experienced a more fulfilling partnership.
She attributes their rock-solid bond to the fact that having permission to be intimate with others has removed any concerns about infidelity, dishonesty and secretive behaviour.
Zoe said: “It’s different to any other relationship I have ever been in, but I have never been in a happier relationship. There is so much trust between us. The fact we can have fun with other people eliminates the worry of cheating, lying, and sneaking around.
“The connection we have together is so strong, and our relationship is so solid. We go to events and have fun with other people together. We don’t go off separately with others.”
The concept of an open arrangement emerged after Matt told Zoe she was free to meet other men, provided she told him about it.
Having been cheated on while serving in the armed forces, he made it clear from day one this was his preferred approach to handling things.
Zoe explained: “After a couple of months of doing this, I told Matt that I also wanted him to have fun with other women and let me know about it, and now we have a fully open relationship and have fun with other people together.
“At first, he was shocked that I wanted him to do it too. It was alien territory for him, and he was nervous when we first went to a club, but now we have the most amazing relationship and we are happier than we have ever been.”
Zoe and Matt, who were raised in the same town and reconnected through social media, initially turned to dating platforms to meet men and women for meet ups. They would also attend clubs and private gatherings, though they established firm boundaries.
She said: “When we first started doing it, we had a rule of no kissing other people as it felt a lot more intimate, but over time this has changed, and now we are both open to kissing other people.
“Our main ground rules now are that we both have to find the other couple or person attractive, being safe, and using protection.”
Zoe describes their current situation as an “amazing relationship” where they can be “open and honest with each other”. She added: “It’s definitely brought us closer together. It’s great. We’ve never felt like this in a relationship before.”
She acknowledges that jealousy can occasionally surface, but they always voice their feelings and work through them together.
“Communication is key,” she emphasised. Despite it suiting them perfectly, the pair have faced considerable backlash on social media over their lifestyle choice, with some critics even questioning whether they “even love each other because of it”.
However, Zoe insists it doesn’t faze them as they’re fully aware of “how well it works” for their relationship.
She added: “Being in an open relationship and having fun with other people has actually made our trust in each other stronger. If either of us wants to do something, we go and ask the other person, so there is no need to do anything behind our partner’s back.
“We’re extremely happy, and everyone we have met in the lifestyle is also extremely happy with their choices. Everyone is so friendly, and there is no judgment. We’ve made lifelong friends by doing this too.”
