Overwhelmed by Online Dating? Find the Right Matchmaking Service in Seattle

Dating services are a popular way to get out there in the dating scene, but there are so many to choose from. Also, they often vary in their matchmaking strategies, price, and commitment required. So how do you choose?

I am going to rule out online dating sites, because there are too many and they all offer similar services. They can be useful, but we all know they have an overwhelming number of misleading profiles. I have seen profile pictures of Brooke Burke up there- no kidding. You know there are too many options when you narrow your search down to only brunettes under 5’ 9” and still get thousands of results. Online dating, unfortunately for those who do it honestly, is just full of strange people with great profiles.

So let’s assume you want more tailored matchmaking. You also want more care taken to protect your privacy and set you up with desirable candidates. This means you will want to use a "boutique" service. These companies often offer many personalized services and more attention to you, the client. The most expensive of these services often try to do all the work for the client by finding dates and handpicking every detail. Who wants to go on a date with someone who is too inept or lazy to choose the restaurant?

One good way to evaluate a boutique service is to see how much personal attention you receive. You want the option of getting lots of individualized attention and advice, but choose a service that stops short of doing everything for you. How will you learn that way? Ideally, you will acquire skills and not become reliant on a service for all your social needs.

With many services, (and the user reviews back this up) you will get "personal" attention from a salesperson working for commission, who will disappear as soon as you sign up, never to be seen again. Just a quick Google search for “feedback” or “reviews” of many popular companies will reveal this to be, unfortunately, widespread. Choose a service with a good national and local reputation. If there are negative reviews for a service’s Chicago branch, it can mean that the business model will be just as flawed in the Seattle franchise as well.

Long story short, make sure that a dating company will meet with you regularly to discuss your concerns and progress, and see that they will actually use your feedback to set you up with better matches. For those services with contracts, after you sign on the dotted line and pay a huge fee, are they going to hold up their end of the bargain? Be especially wary of any service that asks you to sign a contract before attending one of their events. It may sound cynical, but many services don't care who they set you up with or how happy you are with your "matches" after already have your credit card information. Services that charge monthly are more likely to keep your interests in mind.

A newer trend in boutique matchmaking services is to offer dating advice, classes and coaching to members. These companies will assist the member along the way in their search for a long-term relationship. For example, "social matchmaking" with Guys And Girls Next Door in Seattle offers courses taught by experts in their fields, as well as individualized counseling with a staff psychologist and drop-in hours for members to ask questions and receive advice. They even offer fashion advice! This service sets up members on group dates, so they can meet lots of people, make friends, and maybe find a relationship match, all while enjoying fun events. Eight at Eight Dinner Club operates on a similar model, setting up groups of four women and four men on dinner dates.

Finally, consider the types of events that you will be going to with the service. Do you really trust a service to set you up on a one-on-one blind date, or a lunch date, with someone you will really click with? (Especially if you already signed a contract.) Dating services that offer fun, group events can be more likely to result in friendships and long-term relationships than all-or-nothing blind dates. This type of matchmaking is sometimes called social matchmaking.

I hope this information helps you find a suitable dating service in Seattle. For additional help, please check the local reviews such as Citysearch Seattle area dating service reviews or Yelp reviews. Be wary of suspiciously positive reviews as well, because less reputable companies are known to post glowing reviews of their own product. Good luck!