Matchmaker, Matchmaker…
Matchmaking is another way to meet men if online dating isn’t your thing or you’ve tired of it. It is definitely a more civilized way of meeting a potential match for a number of reasons:
- Your matchmaker takes time to get to know you through various methods (in-person meeting, questionnaires) and then hand selects a person for you.
- The matchmaker will have met both you and a potential match, so some level of screening has taken place.
- It saves you the time and hassle of weeding through hundreds of men online, and having many pointless conversations just to filter down to the two or three you might want to meet.
I’ve researched local matchmakers and contacted three last November. I went with local boutique type matchmakers and not the huge ones across Canada. I’ve heard from reliable sources that the large matchmaking services (not all) often charge thousands upon thousands of dollars and sometimes get you no picks or just pick any old person for you just to say they got you matches. So I picked local women who had tiny firms. I picked:
I paid the $125.00 initial consultation fee and waited for Laura to call me to set up an initial meeting. The $125 is a one-time fee and then you pay $50 for every date she sets you up on. Seems reasonable. That $125 includes a $50 credit towards any event she throws.
It took her four days to get back to me. She seems a little stiff on the phone and wouldn’t meet anywhere but downtown or in Oakville. All three matchmakers actually only would meet downtown. So if you don’t live in Toronto you are SOL where matchmakers are concerned, unless you travel to them, and live within the GTA (mostly). This is an open market as far as matchmakers go. Maybe I’ll start up my own boutique lol
So we met and Laura was the sweetest, friendliest woman. Warm and intelligent, and easy to talk to. We chatted for two hours, and most of that time had nothing to do with men or matchmaking. We just hit it off. She went through my questionnaire, took some pics, and then said if she found anyone in her database she would let me know.
It has been six months! No matches. Well, one, but that 55-year-old declined meeting me. I wasn’t exactly hot-shit keen on meeting him because he’s as old as Moses as far as I’m concerned, but I was willing to try. I guess 42 isn’t young enough for him. Surprises me not.
I actually interviewed Shanny for my book months before I reached out to her about matchmaking services. She doesn’t recall that I did. I am predicting her fees will be high, like four to five to ten thousand dollars, so I am actually hesitant with going through with this because how awkward to say I can’t afford you even though I *know* she’d find me a man no problem. I just sense that about her.
The first meeting is $125 as well, but I had to cancel. One, she scared me, and two, for the money she will charge, I don’t think I am ready. And … I don’t currently have the money she will charge, but paying it might be in my best interest to find a professional, attractive man with a good job and money. I will use her if all else fails. My last ditch effort as it were.
Friend of a Friend Matchmaking
This one I thought I might not hear back from because they even say on the application page that if you don’t get selected you won’t hear back. It’s based on your location (HAVE to be in Toronto) and what you write. I begged for them to pick me and said it’d be no problem getting into the city. But I did get in. Yay!
I got a code to enter a website where I paid my $427.00 (I know, kinda pricey), but if you consider how much online dating sites cost (the paid ones like Match, eHarmony, Zoosk, and even Plenty of Fish if you upgrade for $20/month) this isn’t that extravagant at all for a year. I paid and then got to download a terms and agreements page and then the 30+ questionnaire they needed me to fill in so they can match me with the love of my life.
(I am skeptical, gotta admit, but best to have all hands on deck with this one, especially since I don’t have family here to hook me up with someone, many friends here to hook me up with someone, and work from home. And I go to Pilates which has one man in the whole group. The gym you say? Please. I’m sweaty and gross when I go. And I wear sweats and old T-shirts a lot of the time so nobody is going to check me out. And who has ever gotten a date from the gym? Yes, Miranda on Sex in the City did. But not in my world that doesn’t happen…not yet anyway.)
I met my matchmaker January 3 in a coffee shop and they asked me a whole bunch of questions. It lasted 45 minutes and I was on my way. So matchmaker, matchmaker…make me a match. But it hasn’t happened yet! Not one hit from them. Am I that unmatchable? lol
Matchmaking does work, I’ve seen it work. It just hasn’t worked for me.
Boutique agencies are the way to go in my opinion, because they often are more affordable, and more legitimate. Read the terms and do your homework. If you live in Toronto, any of those three firms (or all!) will be great for you. Wonderful women who just want to help you find the perfect match.
Flirting With Perception 