Midlife Commitment and Dating – CARPe Diem- Joy TVBC

Today love is triumphant.  Marriage is becoming less conventional, less dutiful and less obligatory—but even more important we find that not all people over-50, single again and dating, find themselves end up technically married.  And because for most couples, weddings are no longer obligatory, they must however be extraordinary.

For couples today, marriage has changed from being a rite of passage to a celebration of love and commitment – a sign that two people are ready to stand up in front of friends and family and commit themselves further.  However, marriage should be entered with a cool head and know that weddings join families, not just couples. It can take the already complicated and complicate it more.  And for most people dating with MORE than a few life miles left on the clock, they still idealise marriage but think of relationships as something to go slow and it be undertaken at some point in the future, or perhaps not at all.

Mastering the old-fashioned way of finding love means you are “looking to be matched not bombarded by dates” and there are ways you can embrace old-fashioned dating and still feel empowered in a because ultimately you are calling the shots. While most midlife singles aren’t exactly in a hurry to meet a new partner, they all would like to meet someone for companionship—or more.  And, this new phase of life to begin with a lot of laughs, some fun, some intimacy and definitely, some good food.  

However, I can’t help but also think about how important it is for singles today to really know when it is real love, as opposed to a vision clouded from a fast moving, whirlwind of a romance and emotions that would make anyone swoon.  Now that’s crazy, stupid, love.

WATCH: An encore presentation of the CARPe diem Season 2 opener: Zoomer Weddings – Navigate love and commitment later in life with some insight from those who tied the knot twice.

Join host Carmen RuizyLaza and her guests Marina Adshade (https://economics.ubc.ca/faculty-and-staff/marina-adshade/), Jane Carstens of Matchmaker For Hire, and Darrin Hotte from @New Solution Mediation, & special guests Bert Hick and Jim Doyle, this Friday February 20 at 5:00pm on Joytv BC.

Episode summary video click below

This Monday on CARPe diem:An encore presentation of the CARPe diem Season 2 opener: Zoomer Weddings – Navigate love…

Posted by Joytv BC on Friday, February 14, 2020

Seize YOUR Day!

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“He bought me Chocolate but….”

We at Matchmaker for Hire are just crazy about all things sweet, especially chocolate.  Hell, chocolate can solve almost any problem and chocolate and dating have gone hand in hand since the beginning of time because we all know that when it comes down to it, nothing can compete with a special moment made of sensuality and chocolate.  So needless to say we are always keen to spread the joy and encourage the passion of chocolate and dating and over the years we’ve hear some little stories and remarks about chocolate and dating to make you smile…..

  • “On our 3rd date he asked me if I was into S&M’s, I thought he had pronounced it wrong, so I answered oh sure I love them, especially the peanut ones.  He didn’t call me back.”
  • “Over dinner we started the debate about sex and chocolate.  9 out of 10 men prefer sex to chocolate he told me, that’s funny I replied, 9 out of 10 women prefer chocolate to sex.  There was a moment’s hesitation; he pulled a box of chocolates from under his chair.  I think we can meet in the middle I smiled.”
  • “My boyfriend wanted to do something extra special, so he laid out a chocolate inspired picnic in front of the fire.  I was working late, and he fell asleep while waiting.  When I came home the chocolate had melted into the rug.  A for Effort, F for the cleaning bill.”
  • And lastly, why chocolate and a great date are the same thing – Chocolates are easy to pick up and hard to put down.

Is your dating life like a box of chocolates?

Source credit ; https://www.santabarbarachocolate.com/chocolate-dating/

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Find Love this Snow Day!

If you live in BC today, you look outside your window and you are completely snowed in. There is now way you can even set foot outside your front door and there is only so much Netflix you can watch. You are also very aware that Valentines Day is around the corner and you are wondering what you can do to get yourself out of these snow day blues. Well, we can help! What better way to use your snow days productively then by giving us a call today, WE’RE IN THE OFFICE, and ready to have a chat with you to find that someone special and maybe just in time for Valentines Day.

Here’s some simple steps you will need to get you started;

Pictures you need to have. Hundreds of singletons will be doing the same thing as you! Make sure you find some great pictures of yourself that you are proud of and that show you clearly to add to your profile. Please, no gym selfies or over edited, Instagram ready pictures! They should represent your true self and what the person will see if they decide they want to meet you.

Get your “about me” up to scratch. Keep it light, chatty and positive and make sure your grammar is correct. Poor grammar is a major turn off for both men and women so make sure you proofread everything before you hit that ‘send’ button!

Make a first move and contact us! Whilst you are stuck inside, you have time to engage with your inner self confidence so why not test it out by making the first move and have a chat with us? It’s amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it and all from the comfort of your sofa, in your lovely warm home, in your pajamas whilst the snow continues to fall outside.

email [email protected] or call 778-552-3350

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The Problem with Dating Apps

Dating apps. I hate and love them at the same time.  They can be great because we meet someone we’d never normally meet, but what are the downsides? Tinder came out in 2012 and that was the first dating app created. Nearly eight years later, with so many different dating apps on the market, are they helping or hurting our society?

I’m Laura Jacobs, and I’m a professional Matchmaker. While my profession is as old as time, the emergence of dating apps has vastly changed the landscape of dating today and makes my job extremely interesting.

The biggest question I get is “Well, why do I need you? I can just go on Bumble or Tinder and find someone….I don’t need a matchmaker.” If I had a penny for every time I heard this, I’d be rolling in it, yet people are still dissatisfied beyond belief. They are still single, they are still searching every app looking for the “next best thing” out there. They are still afraid of commitment, and some are even using dating apps as pure “entertainment,” forgetting that there are actual people with emotions on the other side of the photos they’re swiping left or right on.

I believe gender roles also have a part to play in all this confusion. I am a millennial, and when my baby boomer parents met, my father approached my mother, in person. If you are also a millennial, you likely have similar stories from your parents and grandparents of how they met. Why is this? Because back then the man had no choice but to walk up to a woman, he found attractive and say hi to her. There was no other option! He wasn’t going to go on his smartphone later and swipe away at other women. Therefore, the risk of rejection was worth the price to talk to that woman. I don’t know about you, but the last time I heard a girlfriend say a guy came up to her as a total stranger and said “hi” was, never. Isn’t that sad?  And herein lies the problem. We’re all confused now. Who is supposed to approach who?  We live a half-life in a digital world, glued to our phones. Why would a man come up to a woman in life and risk that rejection when he can just do things the easy way and swipe left or right? Apps trick us into thinking we have unlimited options and don’t need to take risks anymore in our real lives when it comes to love.

The disconnect here is women are still raised with something I like to call “Princess Mentality.” Disney Plus just came out, and I was re watching the classics I grew up with. Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. What do these stories have in common? The Princess meets a Prince who once he sees her, is totally devoted to her and doesn’t second guess his feelings or go swiping for other Princesses! He knows she’s the one. I suppose we all search for that feeling. As women, we want men to be sure of us, and how can they be when now they are thrown thousands of other options virtually every single day?

I asked different men and women their main complaints with dating apps and these are just some of the things I heard.

One woman said she felt due to all the other “options” out there, she had to be unrealistically impressive on every single date she went on. She also felt once she went on two or three dates with one man, he got bored. He stopped texting as much because he wanted something “new” and “exciting.”

One man admitted to me he used apps for “entertainment” and didn’t take them seriously. When I inquired further as to what he meant, he said “well I’m not going to meet my wife on a dating app, those are for hookups and just seeing what’s out there.” This harsh truth surprised me. Many men have told me the same thing that they don’t take women seriously who they meet on apps.

 One man told me “I use them when I’m bored, not when I’m looking for an actual relationship.”

The truth hurts. Yet it’s a vicious cycle because as women, how are we supposed to meet men any other way when societally we are all conditioned thinking men should approach us and ask us out, yet barely any of them are doing that anymore due to dating apps?

Let me also clarify and say that by no means am I saying that women can’t be guilty of using dating apps for the superficial reasons too, but it generally wasn’t the feedback I got. As a woman myself, I must emphasize and relate to the way men shamelessly act on dating apps. Hypothetically, that guy who asked you to come over for Netflix and chill and doesn’t even know you COULD be a good guy, but he doesn’t take this app seriously, or you.

I became a matchmaker because I truly believe in love. I also love connecting people and helping them find love. There is nothing more fulfilling then hearing I helped two people find a loving relationship. I use my intuition every day to “feel” who would be a good match for one another. I interview a client for over an hour sometimes, finding out what they are looking for, and more importantly, WHO they are. Someone going to a matchmaker, is tired of the regular methods and wants to get serious about their love life.  We set up dates with caution and care. I’m not sending my clients unlimited options, because all you need is one. All you need is that ONE person to be a game changer for you. You don’t need to swipe hundreds of people. After I meet a client, I sit down and wonder who would be good for them based on what they’re looking for. My clients also trust me. I met a client yesterday after I convinced him to go out with a girl who is not usually his physical type, but I said, “please trust me.” He reported back to me that they had a great date and he was so pleasantly surprised by her and would see her again. As a matchmaker I “vet” each person that comes into my office. You aren’t meeting some stranger off Bumble you saw 3 photos of, you are meeting someone I vouch for, a quality person. You are meeting someone you read an extensive bio on who is looking for a meaningful connection.

I predict with the rise of technology the use of matchmakers for my generation will become more mainstream. People are tired of being overlooked on apps. They are tired of not being taken seriously. One thing that makes us human is our desire to connect to each other.  Love is the optimum connection, and Matchmakers provide you with a much better chance of achieving that connection.

Blog Post contributor – Laura Jacobs

contact [email protected]

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Top 4 Tips for Holiday Dating – 2019

We made a list, we checked it twice….

From our Matchmaker For Hire family to yours we encourage you to keep the season merry and bright by adding dating best practices to your holiday prep.

Before you begin to load up your calendar with potential dates this holiday season, make sure you review these tips for yourself ;

  1. BE patient –   Dating during the busy holidays can be challenging! On top of your already packed schedule of to-do’s, shopping, office parties, and tree trimming.
  2. The classic dinner or coffee dates can get stale. With so much free time around the holidays, why not change gears and go for a leisurely brunch? Allowing yourself the extra time to get to know your date will help you get to know them better sooner!
  3. ‘Tis the season to ensure you have the perfect digital profile and clever pickup lines packaged in a two-minute chat.  
  4. And lastly, know it’s ok to pause your dating life during the holidays and avoid dating till January.

No matter what, I hope these tips will make the holidays less romantically stressful and carry you thru all season long.

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Meet Laura…

Ready for someone to scour Vancouver for you – with no stone left unturned- armed with compassion and an unparalleled intuition for finding the love of your life?

Meet Laura….

After working with a high-end matchmaking firm in NYC she understands the unique, every-changing dating scene – with great insight into exactly what you’re looking for so you can stop wasting your time on non-compatible connections.   Over the years, her high-end modelling agency clients have consistently approached her, imploring her to spearhead a high-end dating service and she came into the matchmaking world with a credible skill set to find all the attractive, magnetic, and smart matches for her clients, and recently back in Canada with connections to some of Vancouver’s most gorgeous men and women.

Now joining the team at Matchmaker for Hire, Laura’s expertise has continued to venture boldly into the world of dating and her curiosity, excitement, and intuition serve her in effortlessly spotting your perfect match. 

The result; we remain exclusive matchmaking experts that offer our elite clients the very best services available.

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Wheels, Whiskey and She’s Single; what more do you want?

Have you ever told one of your single friends that they’re totally crazy for not asking out your attractive, funny, single friend?  No ? Well it happens in my world all the time.  If you are single and one of your mutual friends are single, everybody wants to know; Why don’t you go out with her? She’s pretty, she’s smart, she’s fun and she’s SINGLE;  what more could you want ?

Great question.  I bring this to your attention because, more often than not, this is something that can feel awkward,  however not entirely unique and most of you can empathize with the frustrating aspects of dating. 

Allow me to help you ….. appreciate setups and little nudges from your friends.  I can’t necessarily put my finger on it, and it’s not always entirely clear to me how compatibility works, but  you know what ? Sometimes it can work and it doesn’t mean you are a “fool” for not going after it.  Nah.  It just means that love’s a mystery sometimes and you’re still out there trying!

Wheels, Whiskey and She’s Single; what more do you want?

Single Gents , I am giving you a chance to meet one of my best VANCOUVER Bachelorettes—in an exclusive way, and at no cost to you.

LC balances her need for independence with the desire for love and partnership and she’s quite the catch. She’s 60 and an attractive, active,  financially secure Prairie Girl Professional who has time for fun and travel; is giving, smart and unique.  She enjoys sportscars, a whiskey straight up and hopes to find someone who doesn’t take their lives overly seriously.   

Contact me at [email protected] to learn more for yourself, your single Dad, Uncle or pass it on to your friends. 

#womenandwhiskey #scotch #whiskeygirl #findlove #love #matchmaker #matchmakerforhire #janecarstens #yvr #vancouver #singlelife #bachelorette #travel #foodie #healthlylife

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If you are Single on Thanksgiving, You’re going to be OK, I promise


If you are single on Thanksgiving this weekend you may easily feel a little nervous going home for the holidays anticipating the family court of questions about your love life.  You shouldn’t be ashamed for being single and letting them know there isn’t a “SO” in your life.  I am not saying it won’t sting a little bit, but not being in a relationship is a great time to explore what you’re into and the kind of person you see yourself with. 

Rest assured there is absolutely nothing wrong with you, and it’s totally valid if you want people to stop questioning you about your lack of partner in your life.  A simple solution; say “I’m single, so, what’s new with you?”.  It’s a clear and straightforward way to pivot the conversation that you don’t want to discuss it any further. 

From there, you can enjoy the food, fall weather, and the rest of the night- Single doesn’t have to go home early!

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National Boyfriend Day – Meet LD

 Apparently, Oct 3 is National Boyfriend Day.  Just because the internet says so doesn’t mean it’s a thing, however if you are single and actually quite like a boyfriend, we sure don’t need another day to rub it in.  So instead of making it another day of a larger societal trend of making single women feel bad, just for being single (yes, that’s right we know you do that), take a day to remind yourself that your other half DOES exist. 

So, to all the single ladies on National Boyfriend Day, I am giving you a chance to meet one of my best Vancouver Bachelors—in an exclusive way, and at no cost to you.  

LD is ready to put himself out there and he’s quite the catch! He is in his late 40’s, tall, dark, and good-looking Professional Athlete who is a philanthropist, caring, giving, smart, sincere and unique. He enjoys living a healthy lifestyle balanced with showing off his culinary skills, spoiling his nieces, and travel.  He hopes to find his special woman soon so contact us  [email protected] to learn more for yourself or pass it on to your best girlfriends.

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Dating – No More Quid Pro Quo

Much of the world today seems to operate on contracts.  With such a “quid pro quo” approach, both sides get something for giving something.  While quid pro quo contracts seem to work well in establishing things such as lawn service or credit card agreements, they rarely are found in any healthy, dating relationships. 

Why?  That’s because inherent in the “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” approach is the fact that each partner keeps a runny tally of who’s done what for whom, and then reciprocates accordingly.  And we all know that we have times when we contribute less in our relationships than your partner and that relationships are rarely a perfect 50/50 division; sometimes you do more sometimes you do less.

However, in a world today where we have due dates, late fees and quid pro quo responsibilities to keep track of, it should bring comfort for many to be in a relationship where kind acts are done out of genuine love, not in hopes of getting something in return.

No tallies, no who did what and not whose turn is next.  It’s a great feeling, and a great way to keep love alive, especially when you are dating.  Now go do something nice.

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