British Student to Graduate on 'The Husband Project'

LONDON, March 17, 2009— -- "I don't want to end up alone and Internet dating is too expensive, so I figured 'The Husband Project' is the best way to meet someone."

With that sentiment, art and design student Alex Humphreys, 23, is no different from many women dreaming of a fairy-tale wedding with white flowers everywhere and a gown that will outshine Princess Di's romantic ivory silk dress, embroidered with 10,000 pearls and sequins.

But to have that wedding, they need to find the right partner first. And the search for "the one" is serious business for some women, sometimes calling for radical measures when all else fails.

"I'm sick of being single," Humphreys told ABC News. "And I would like a husband."

So, as a student at the Leeds College of Art and Design in West Yorkshire, England, Humphreys has come up with the Husband Project for part of her final project. Eager to change her single status, she has given herself the unusual assignment of finding a husband and marrying him in three months.

Dating coach Zofia Guzy said her fate will depend on what kind of husband Humphreys is looking for.

"If she is really looking for her life partner then I would advise her to keep in mind that women fall in love with their ears and men with their eyes. So if a guy sleeps with her the first night, then he probably won't marry her," Guzy said.

"Women should let men know they are interested but not chase them. They should let the men chase the women."

Although most people may not consider a single 23-year-old a spinster, Humphreys is determined not to stay alone.

"I don't think I'm too young to get married," she said. "I have friends who are married. And if I want to get married, I better get start looking for it soon."

Not being a particularly active dater, Humphreys relied on friends setting up dates with other friends. When that didn't work out, she turned to Internet dating on Web sites like match.com and the Guardian's Soulmates Web site, which are popular in Britain. Suddenly, the source of potential future husbands was infinite but there was one problem: Internet dating isn't really light on the wallet.