Our Differentiators

Personal Matchmaking vs Online Dating/Dating Apps

We are often asked how working with a Personal Matchmaker differs from dating online or via a smartphone app. So we felt it would be worthwhile to have a closer look at that subject as many people, particularly those under 45,, have grown up with internet-based dating and may not even realise that there is a well-established and highly credible alternative to it in Personal Matchmaking.

Personal matchmaking has been around for centuries and could be the source of a higher quality partner than you may be able to obtain online and also give you a better chance of success, by working with your own dating expert, rather than tackling your search alone. But is often said to be ‘the best kept secret in dating’.

First a little bit of history on dating, as the very first professional dating agency ‘The Matrimonial Bureau’ first opened its doors in London in the early part of the 18th century around 1705, incredibly even before the United Kingdom had come into existence in 1707. Dating and introductions can actually be traced back even earlier to around 1650, when Mr Robinson first began to introduce people as part of his ‘Citizens Advice Bureau’, charging according to a sliding scale of a person’s wealth. So, dating activity in the U.K. has been established for centuries.

Dating boomed, particularly in the USA after the First World War and in 1930’s London, Heather Jenner and Mary Oliver established a further London Bureau in Bond Street, which was the forerunner of modern dating in the UK today. Way before the internet dating revolution began in the mid to late 1990’s.

The big difference between the two is the emphasis on the word ‘personal’ in Personal Matchmaking, which is a strong clue that you are working with an expert to help you identify and introduce you to potential partners, rather than it being something, you do alone on your PC, laptop or smartphone at home. With the end result that better results and possibly higher quality matches can come from working with your own expert personal matchmaker, rather than going it alone.

Most personal matchmaking companies are smaller and will cost more, because of you employing an expert to assist you. But as a consequence, you will find that usually your matchmaker will know the individuals that are part of the agency and most will have been met and personally interviewed, which is something that an online agency could probably never hope to emulate. You could therefore usually expect quality and results to be better, although there could never be a guarantee of that, as no one knows where chemistry may be found.

If you are unsure about the differences, or your best options, we are happy to offer free advice and offer the chance to ask questions to one of our Membership Advisers. This can be by email, text message, WhatsApp, by telephone or in person at our office. This advice is never charged for and there is no obligation to join afterwards. Our telephones are answered in the UK between 9am and 9pm every day and are all free to use.

The Differences