Dating Advice From a London Matchmaker - Gay Matchmaking Agency - London New York Berlin Toronto - The Echelon Scene

August may be our annual month on hold, but behind the scenes, it was anything but quiet. September rolled around and now as we enter October - dating, work and the run into the festive season has well and truly kicked off!

Summer for our Clients, it was a chance to switch off from intentional dating for a moment. For me, it is an opportunity to take stock, look at every Membership with a fresh pair of eyes and prepare for what is always a very busy autumn.

There is something particularly satisfying about this point in the year. After the natural pause of Summer, there is suddenly momentum again. Diaries are filling up, people are back home and Client are excited to be dating again.

So, in the spirit of getting back in the swing of first dates, I wanted to share a little dating advice.

• Try not to look for instant certainty. A first date doesn’t need to be fireworks and you certainly don’t need to know immediately whether you could marry someone. Sometimes attraction takes a little time. If you enjoyed yourself, you were curious about them and you’d quite like to see them again, that can be more than enough.
• The same goes for the checklist. Knowing what matters to you and having standards is important, but there is a point where a very specific idea of your “perfect person” can actually get in the way. Some of the best introductions are the ones you might not have chosen for yourself on a dating app. Leave a little room to be surprised.
• I also think we could all spend less time asking whether someone looks right on paper and more time noticing how we actually feel around them. Do you feel relaxed? Do you feel like yourself? Do you want to tell them things? Are you interested in what they have to say? Do you feel seen? Those little things can tell you an awful lot.
• And perhaps most importantly, be genuinely available. Wanting a relationship and actually having the space in your life for one aren’t always the same thing. Dating requires a little vulnerability, a little flexibility and a willingness to let someone into the life you’ve already built.
  
  There are so many unbelievably brilliant people looking for the same thing you are. Sometimes the biggest shift is simply approaching dating with a little more curiosity, a little less pressure and an open mind.
  
  Here’s to a very busy autumn. We’re looking forward to the conversations, first dates, unexpected connections, and hopefully, some incredible love stories that the months ahead will bring. Ultimately, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the right people find their way to one another - knowing that one introduction can be the beginning of something extraordinary.
  
  If you are ready to find long-term love, reach out directly to Jacqueline.