Sunday Telegraph and Herald Sun

Dating Services Have Gone Boutique

Playing the dating game used to be the luck of the draw. Those looking for love – in bars, clubs or done alleyway – could wind up with a virtual smorgasbord of suiters: the good, the bad , the slightly odd, of course, the rich and attractive ones who whisked you away to an island paradise (what, that didn’t happen to you?)

Then we got fussy. No longer do we want an infinite pool of partners; we want exact, concise checklists with all the boxes ticked. Forget the smorgasbord – when it comes to dating, we’re on a very special diet. Which explains the recent explosion of boutique services tailored to a particular idea of what (or rather, who) you believe is the best for you. Fast Impressions (www.fastimpressions.com.au) hosts such custom-ordered singles events Australia-wide. “We offer Tall Men Speed Dating, and Curvey or Petite Women Speed Dating,” confirms PR manager May Ng. “It increases the chances of chemistry, because you meet the people you want to meet, or people interested in your specific characteristics, such as your height, age or ethnicity.”

And don’t ever think you’re over the hill – there’s a dating service just for you. Introduction agency Seniors Contacts (www.seniorscontacts.com.au) specialises in a mature-age clientele (from 45 to 80). “We responded to a need for a tailored, personalized service,” says director Della Cory. “We’ve had a great response – people say, ‘It’s nice to know someone is interested in this age group.’”

Of course, half the fun of dating is keeping an open mind and discovering that true love, despite your dates terrible fashion sense, is a mere makeover away. “It’s true that if you get too specific, you might miss out,” says Ng, “but if you’re absolutely sure about what you’re looking for, why mess around?”