“Dating Secrets from a Matchmaker — Making Dating Work” By Recel Tayor, Owner of Vital Partners

Credit: Recel Tayor, Vital Partners

Dear Readers, 
My name is Recel Tayor and I am here to share my story as an accredited matchmaker. I have been operating my business for decades, and I’m excited to share with you my insider tips and secrets from the matchmaking industry!

What is matchmaking actually?
First of all, you may wonder exactly what matchmaking in modern society means. The origins of matchmaking in many cultures go back thousands of years, from when families and communities began. Many cultures still practice the approach to match their children with like-minded families, shared values and beliefs being a huge part of the success of any marriage — it makes sense, particularly in today’s ever expanding world.

Tips for dating
I am going to let you in on the most important secret and it’s one that you might not be expecting. It’s not about how you dress, or making sure that you arrive on a date on time. Way before the date, the most important tip is to question your ideal partner checklist. You know, that list you have in your head or that you have actually written down, the criteria that your ideal next partner needs to deliver on. The job or the annual income, the looks, their height, their figure, personality, friends, family, favourite movie genre… trust me, I’ve seen it all. Actually the most important thing is a person’s values. So throw the list aside, the number one tip is to have an open mind to who you accept to go on a date with and secondly, have an open mind when you meet them and through the whole date.

Why is matchmaking or a dating agency the way to go?
The trend of people having negative experiences with dating apps, means that more and more singles are moving (back) to dating agencies. Unlike a computer algorithm, a matchmaker meets and gets to know you. We will not only talk about the type of relationship that you believe you are looking for now, but we also dissect what went wrong in your past relationships — the type of person you were with, how you responded to certain situations in the past. A great matchmaker is your personal relationship coach and love life cheerleader. That’s one-on-one personal (human) service. There for you for a quick text or phone call, and yes, even to chat about what to wear on the first date!

A good business means good reviews.
Just like any business today, if you’re considering using the services of a dating agency, make sure to look at their client reviews. Not just about the reviews that say that the process and experience was enjoyable. Look at how long the couples who were matched have been together. A long-term relationship is a sure sign of an amazing match! Here’s one of my favourites just posted today from a client: I met my 2nd husband in 1999 and we married in 2012.
Weddings, babies — these are all the amazing outcomes that confirm to me that I really am changing people’s lives!
So, stay positive because I believe everyone deserves to find true love.

Love, Recel Tayor

Meet Our Contributor — Recel Tayor
Recel wants to leave a legacy of love. As owner and MD of Vital Partners, her company has been a trusted matchmaking service in Sydney and Canberra since 1986. Their mission is to create meaningful, lasting relationships through a personalised and professional matchmaking approach. She’s an Accredited Matchmaker and in her work she supports her clients daily as their relationship facilitator. The clients come from all walks of life, with all kinds of relationship backgrounds. There’s a lot of emotion in her work. Recel loves understanding her clients’ back stories and helping them to identify what type of partner they need to move forward. Not necessarily what social media influences what they think they want, in this next stage of their life. What’s the best part of her job? Attending her clients weddings and receiving their baby photos!