As a Matchmaker, I have always found the concept of speed dating fascinating. For some who have the tendency to talk people’s ears off, you are still in the process of trying to explain to your bedazzled dating partner who you are before the 3-minute buzzer goes off, and for others they don’t have any troubles.  Yet research does point out a different dating problem; being confronted with a large number of choices can make it harder to make a good decision.  In fact, it can even prevent you from making a decision at all.

You might assume that when trying to find a good partner, having a large varied pool of potential candidates available to you to date is a good thing, but research indicates that it is not. Similarly, when you are presented with more potential partners you do not experience any greater emotional satisfaction than one with fewer options.  (they were, if anything, more confused about their choices). If you think about it this does not only pertain to the world of dating.  Have you ever had trouble finding a house to buy?  Well, its not surprising then, you don’t want to see every house for sale, you just want to be shown the ones that fit.  In short, we use all kinds of experts on a daily basis and apparently, we do so for a good reason.

In conclusion, when pressured for time, especially this holiday season and being faced with many competing options, “fast and frugal” decision making can (potentially) lessening the quality of our dates.  Selecting a future spouse based on this might be overdoing it a bit, but when overwhelmed with the many choices of online suitors or potentials at a speed-dating event, my clients if anything, are saying that by reducing and simplifying the process with highly specific, personalized advice that guides the dating decision making, has helped them get to where they are today.

In other words, less is more “merrier” with a little help.