Is Internet Dating Killing Romance?

With the hectic world of online dating finding a partner can feel more like doing your Ocado shop. You can understand why the masses using these websites and apps feel like romance is being washed away with every swipe, wink and like. Not only is the process painstakingly systematic it is also incredibly time consuming: it takes an average of 11 hours of trawling before you may even get a physical date...only to realise that your date was a little flexible with the truth in their description, doesn’t look like the profile picture and actually doesn’t want a serious relationship – Great!

Don’t be put off there is another way: Matchmaking agencies, and yes that is still a thing! In fact it’s a brilliant and effective thing, especially for busy people. You can say goodbye to the tedious trawl whilst a skilled and experienced matchmaker does the hard work for you. Another reason many choose matchmaking agencies is their discreet nature: people often don’t want their profiles in the public eye for fear of bumping into colleagues, clients or employees online.

Sounds great doesn’t it? But which matchmaking agency? Let me help you with that! Here at Little Black Book we would love to assist you in finding your ideal partner. We are an award winning agency based in West London with a friendly, experienced team offering a personal service. We always meet everyone face to face for a coffee and a chat so we can discover more about you and get a great understanding of what you are looking for. Not only does this meeting mean that we eliminate the chance of profile fibbing but our skilled intuitive matchmakers will pick up on fundamental traits like temperament and that all important sense of humour, which are tricky to gauge online. 

Why wait to meet your perfect life partner? If you were serious about finding a new home you would register with an estate agent, if you were looking for the next step on the career ladder you would use a headhunter. So why not invest in your future happiness? Give us a call and let us delve into our little black book and find you the perfect match.

Will your relationship last?

Here is an adaption of my compatibility test as published in Mail Online (23 October 2016) .  This is definitely a test for the established relationship.  If you’re just starting out this is something to aim for.   If you’ve been together for a while and can answer  ‘yes’ to 8 out of 11 of the following questions then you’re on to something special and long term.  Good luck.

1.    Are you best possible version of yourselves?

None of us our so straight forward that we are just the same kind of person throughout our lives.  In this relationship,  ask yourself if you are you the best person you have ever been because of the person you’re with?

2.    Do you trust each other without question?

Do you wonder where your partner is on a night out? Do you need to know every detail about where they were or whom they were with?  Are you ever tempted to check the check their phone messages or email?  If so, you can’t answer yes to this question.

3.     Do you both feel that you are the lucky one in the relationship and acknowledge it regularly?

 This has to work both ways. 

4.     Can you both imagine the long-term future and being old together

If you’ve talked about how you imagine spending your old age and you’re in each other’s scenarios, then this an obvious sign of relationship longevity.

5.     Are you best friends?

        You tell each other everything, you speak everyday and you laugh together.

6.     Do you like each other’s family and friends (the odd exception is fine ;-)

Our friends and family define us, if they like you and you like them but your partner doesn’t, something doesn’t add up.

7.     Do you support each other’s decisions?

For all the major decisions whether it be work, family or financial, are you on the same page? Or even if you can’t agree completely can you support the final decision anyway.

8.     Do you do things apart?

If you do everything together, you will soon run out of things to talk about.  Having your own hobbies or just seeing friends separately adds interest to the relationship and makes you appreciate the time you have together more.

9.     Do you have interests together?

 A healthy relationship is about finding the right balance between question 7 and 8.  There should be a least a       couple of things you enjoy doing together on a regular basis, weather it be a joint favourite TV programme or a shared hobby.

10.  Do you agree on the big stuff?

The small and medium stuff doesn’t really matter you can debate that or come to a compromise (see number 11) but it’s the really big stuff that matters like; the way you bring up your children, do you even want children? major financial decisions and where this relationship is heading.

11. Can you manage conflict?

You can’t agree with your partner all of the time on everything that would be very dull.  It’s how the disagreements pan out that matter.  Can you  have good healthy disagreement, that doesn’t escalate into something huge, then kiss and makeup at the end of it?

If you couldn’t answer yes to 8 out of 11, it doesn’t mean your relationship is doomed, but this quiz might give you a couple of areas to work on.  If you answer yes to all 11 then enjoy the bliss, you are both very lucky xx