I saw a "Westchester Deal of the Day" for Catch Me A Match in February 2011. I knew I wanted to try to find a man a different way since I don't do the whole bar thing and the online dating thing...I am really glad it seems to work for so many other people, but I gave up. So, I checked out their website a few times...but it was so unprofessional looking that I really hesitated thinking - what kind of person would chose them with a site like this? But then I thought, well, I might and I hope someone else in the Westchester area will too, since it is convenient. A few weeks later I met with both of the ladies for all of 20 minutes. I basically reiterated what I said in my online 'application' thing. I did ask them about my age range (30s) and they admitted that most of their clients were in their 40s so I asked how will they find me a match meeting my criteria. They reassured me they went out to meet people and said in most times people get more than 1 date a month. So, I did it, I figured $340 might not be that bad if it worked...and unfortunately I don't have enough money for the NYC ones that are probably way better and I am not thin enough for the trophy wife match makers.
My first date was with someone not only out of my age range (but I thought what is an age? Low 40s could work) but also in a ethnicity that I didn't want. Now I don't want to seem like I have major issues with those things...I could be flexible, but 1) they clearly didn't listen to anything I said and 2) if you are going to break one of my three criteria...do one at a time, not two or three. The guy was nice..but nothing more. He said he told them that their website was unprofessional as well.
The matchmakers sent me a picture of another guy. Total old dweeb - I thought SERIOUSLY...that guy? Why on Earth would they select him for me? I refused the date and sent them a file with pictures of people I am attracted to - that I either dated in the past or hooked up with or someone I currently find attractive; there were definitely enough pictures on there to get an idea of the broad range of looks I am comfortable with.
A month later I get an email the matchmakers met a perfect guy for me. They listed 3 things about him they thought I would like (blue eyes, outgoing, does yoga --& mind you the yoga & eye thing makes no difference to me whatsoever). Again, my match was in his 40s but I accepted the date with out seeing a picture. He didn't look anything like the pictures I sent them, but he wasn't as unattractive as the #2, but he was retired. On our date I asked him how he was involved in Catch Me A Match he said that he met them at a Westchester Singles event and they spoke to him all of FIVE minutes. He has negative things to say about Catch Me A Match too, and he isn't even a client. I took some time to decide what I would write on my review - and apparently I took too long because I get an email from them less than 48 hours after the date for my followup. I fill it out and then they claimed they didn't get it so I had to do it all over again. In the mean time, my date was nice enough to call me and we made plans without the intervention of the matchmakers. I went on the second date with this man then the match makers told me he though I was nice and I should try a second date. At that second date, I realized that drinking those beers/margaritas were helpful on date #1. This guy just told the same stories over & over again. I really hate that. Then looking more closely, he was overweight and not all that attractive. But aside from just the looks, I knew nothing would transpire based on his personality. He doesn't have qualities that in the long term would benefit a healthy relationship for me.
After the first date from date #3, I asked one of the matchmakers if they only met people at the Westchester Singles Events...and that I had hoped they would meet my match at a non-event - like a bar, grocery store, dry cleaner, park. Who knows. They claimed they went other places, but I do think they are all places where it reeks of desperation. I don't think I am there yet!
I don't think I am ugly and I will not 'settle' for someone just because we happen to be two single people in the same county. I was not planning on renewing my contract with them since I feel they have did a crappy job. I wish they were honest about either me being a hard match or not having people I wanted to meet. I mean, how hard could it be to set up a decent looking, nice 31 year old? I thought if I was flexible with them the first time with age/race, that they would do better the second or third time...but nope. Maybe I should have asked what their husbands looked like so I can get a sense of what they like.
Then in May the matchmakers emailed me to refund me $100 for my last month since they found it 'too difficult to find a single man in his 30s'. I wish they were honest upfront with how they met people and that they didn't want to really actually look for someone that met what I wanted and instead tried to set me up with people I didn't really want to meet based on my three major criteria points. I was happy they admitted defeat, but they still took my $240 for two dates that I did more for practice than with hopes of finding a boyfriend. Since they contacted me regarding the refund, I thought it would arrive soon thereafter. I sent them two follow-up emails asking about it and never received a response. It took a full month before my partial refund to be delivered to me, in an unmarked envelope.
The few blog posts I wrote about Catch Me A Match lead to a few emails of other clients of theirs with very similar stories. They all agreed that the initial 'interview' went well and they seemed like they knew what they were doing but then the matches were not what people wanted. The matchmakers contacted them stating they couldn't find them matches...and that is from both sexes and in different age ranges than me!
My advice...if Catch Me A Match is still in business...don't bother signing up for their services. Join the Westchester Singles Meet Up and you will meet the same type of people instead of wasting your money on their monthly services.
Here are my previous posts about my match making experience:
Catch me a match!
Date #1
The Chase
Date #2
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