For the first time in my life, I don’t live in the American South. I traded out Southern hospitality for Midwestern friendliness, and while I’m still collecting data on who has the nicest population, I can say with certainty that I miss many elements of the South that other areas can’t quite touch.
Maybe it’s just because I’m from the South, but there’s something magical about the people, food, music, and feel of where I grew up and the places like it. This magic continues – and even amplifies – when it comes to romance. But no matter where you’re looking for love, it’s always helpful to get a little assistance.
Matchmakers help singles throughout the dating journey and can simplify the process by hand-picking matches and giving expert advice. These matchmakers bring the best of what the South offers, from group dinner dates to exclusive location-based services.
With the help of a matchmaker, singles can explore the many avenues to connection without getting overwhelmed or burnt out. From the Carolinas to Texas to Florida, these matchmakers are making real connections happen.
Sarah Kathryn Walmsley
Sarah Kathryn Walmsley is an Atlanta-based matchmaker and the founder of Eight at Eight Dinner Club, an innovative dating dinner service. Eight at Eight has four men and four women meet for an evening of friendly conversation, good food, and social connections. Sarah Kathryn and her team hand-pick dinner group parties based on age, mutual interests, and backgrounds to increase the likelihood of sparks flying.
Eight at Eight events are held at local restaurants around Atlanta. Sarah Kathryn works closely with her team of matchmakers to choose restaurants and experiences with the right vibe to encourage romance and connection. Sarah Kathryn brings a warm Southern charm to her matchmaking approach, and her services have led to more than 400 marriages.
More About Sarah Kathryn
- Linkedin: Sarah Kathryn Walmsley
Julia McCurley
Julia McCurley is the CEO and founder of Something More, Austin’s premier matchmaking service for executive singles. Something More was founded in 2009 and continues to connect singles in Austin for loving and committed partnerships. Julia is a Master Certified Matchmaker with an extensive database built on her personal and professional local connections.
Julia and her matchmaking team work with singles looking for a discreet and private matchmaking service. Many of Something More’s clients are high-level executives who need a private and hands-on approach to dating. Julia and her team have nearly two decades of experience matching ambitious men and women, so they’re the perfect pick for Austin-area professional singles.
Laurie Berzack
Laurie Berzack is the owner and lead matchmaker at Carolinas Matchmaker. The matchmaking service welcomes single heterosexual men and women and LGBTQ+ singles across South and North Carolina. Laurie focuses on matching singles based on many compatibility elements and the shared desire for long-lasting relationships.
Laurie has over a decade of matchmaking experience. She is supported by a team of experienced client specialists who work closely with clients to make sure every aspect of their matchmaking process is attended to. Carolinas Matchmaker expertly blends traditional matchmaking with a more modern approach, creating the perfect mix of both.
Ella Scaduto
Ella Scaduto is a Certified Matchmaker, dating coach, and the founder of Smoky Matchmaker. Smoky Matchmaker is based in Knoxville and works with singles across Tennessee. As a matchmaker and dating coach, Ella offers clients a multifaceted support system that attends to the many elements of the matchmaking process, from first introductions to making things official.
Just like traditional dating, matchmaking is a journey, and Ella keeps her clients engaged with every step. She gets to know each of her clients personally, and then uses this knowledge to make introductions using her extensive database of singles. After every introduction, Ella gets feedback from her clients and makes adjustments based on the feedback.
Emily Hellman
Emily Hellman is the CEO, founder, and matchmaker behind Caliber Match, a nationwide matchmaking service with offices across the South. Caliber Match has offices in Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana, and beyond, and singles work with a team of matchmakers who get to know them on a personal level. Caliber Match works with successful professional singles, and their nationwide database means introductions are plentiful.
Caliber Match’s unique matchmaking model allows matchmakers to make nationwide or local introductions based on what a client is looking for. Despite the firm’s nationwide reach, matchmakers take a personalized and boutique approach with each client. Emily and her team of matchmakers offer clients the ideal combination of a large database and a hands-on matchmaking experience.
Michelle Renée Smith
Michelle Renée Smith is the founder and principal matchmaker for East Coast Match. Michelle’s matchmaking origins come from her time as an international performer. As she made her way across the world, meeting people and making new connections, she realized she had a knack for knowing when two people would jive. Inspired by her experiences, she founded East Coast Match.
East Coast Match provides personalized introductions for professionals seeking a confidential matchmaking service. Michelle and her matchmakers work closely with each client to find a match in the service’s proprietary and exclusive database. Michelle and her team hold themselves to the highest matchmaking standards and focus on creating an experience that’s private, effective, and fun.
Ann Parnes
Ann Parnes is a New Orleans-based dating coach and the matchmaker behind Match Made in NOLA. Ann has always had the gift of connecting people and uses that gift today to help single professionals find committed relationships. She gets to know each of her clients on a personal level so she can make matches that speak to who they are and the kind of love they’re looking for.
Match Made in NOLA provides discreet matchmaking services and relationship coaching for singles who are ready for serious connections. Ann works with a select number of clients at a time so each single can get the hands-on attention the matchmaking process requires. Match Made in NOLA has an extensive client base and database, so singles have plenty of options as they meet their introductions.
Jordana Balsam
Jordana Balsam is the matchmaker behind SoFlo Matchmaking, one of South Florida’s best matchmaking services. Jordana is selective about her clients and only takes on singles who are ready for commitment and long-lasting partnerships. She specializes in working with successful and elite professionals who haven’t had the time to dedicate to dating.
Jordana’s been through the ups and downs of dating, so she knows the process can get tiring. After her own dating journey and eventual success, she’s sharing what she learned about dating, relationships, and love through a highly personalized and selective matchmaking service. Jordana considers every element of what makes a partnership last, from financial compatibility to emotional connection.
Nadine Jimenez-Langagne
Nadine Jimenez-Langagne is the founder and CEO of Matchmaking Nashville, one of the city’s most popular matchmaking services. Before becoming a matchmaker, Nadine had a two-decade career as a corporate executive, which she now brings to the world of love outsourcing. She is a Certified Matchmaking Institute Matchmaker and the only certified premier matchmaker based in Nashville.
Nadine works with busy professionals with limited time to find their life partner. She works with male clients and has a robust database of amazing women who are ready for real connections. Her matchmaking approach combines a large database, local connections, personalized feedback, and stellar introductions.
Leisha Murphy
Leisha Murphy is a cornerstone of the Southern matchmaking scene. She started her matchmaking career in the early 1990s in Houston, and after moving to Atlanta, she founded Single Atlanta with her twin sister and business partner, Lisa Lyngos. Together, the duo is a matchmaking powerhouse that connects single Atlantans every day.
Leisha actively serves clients in Single Atlanta’s Luxury Division, and her extensive experience lends itself to the fast-paced and high-volume nature of matchmaking in a city like Atlanta. Leisha’s warm and welcoming personality makes it easy for her clients to open up and give her the information she needs to make thoughtful matches.
Matchmakers Simplify the Dating Journey
Dating can be difficult, and like any other process, burnout is a real threat. If you’re stuck in what feels like a cycle of short-lived or unsuccessful relationships, it’s important to switch up your approach to avoid becoming overwhelmed or, even worse, giving up on dating altogether.
A matchmaker can help you refocus and give you the space to enjoy the best parts of dating while not getting caught up in the technicalities. Every dater needs somebody in their corner to support them, give them advice, and offer an outsider’s perspective when needed.
When that person is a matchmaker, you’re getting input from a professional with an experienced view of the dating world — and a little perspective shift can go a long way.
