Many of us in our 20s and 30s have been preoccupied with our careers that we miss out on interacting with people outside work. A lot of us have been so attached to the digital world that even finding a potential partner relies on tinkering with a gadget.
We all know that looking for a dating prospect is made available nowadays through numerous dating apps (Tinker, Badoo, etc.). While some have been successful in finding love or lasting relationships through this ‘techie’ method, many still opt to find a date through traditional ways due to risks of online catfishing (the phenomenon of internet users pretending to be someone they’re not to lure someone into an emotional or romantic relationship). But what if we don’t have enough contacts to widen our social network? This is where the concept of speed dating may be useful. To help us in grasping a better idea on what this dating service is all about, Ivy of Cherir Life Events gives us the lowdown and shares with us how she and her friend Glory got into organizing the successful series.
READ through our interview:
RR: How did you meet and think of getting into event organizing?
Glory and I were blockmates way back in Ateneo. Apart from being Legal Management majors, we consider being entrepreneurial as a common ground. Although we are presently thriving in the corporate field, we still have this affinity towards managing a business of our own. Venturing into events has been the top-of-mind choice because it allows us to be strategic and creative at the same time. We thought of arranging speed dating events because we want something that is meaningful, interpersonal yet positively unconventional. We are targeting millennials – young, achievers, go-getters who are living a very busy life. Our goal is to bring together like-minded people for socialization, friendship, and potentially beyond… 🙂
RR: For those unfamiliar, what is the concept of speed dating?
Speed dating is an organized dating activity which allows individuals to meet and mingle with a number of new people. It is ideal for working professionals who lead a very busy life, and wish to meet new friends in a fun and safe way.
All potential participants will undergo a screening process to help organizers pool the right mix of people and make the engagement as interesting as possible.
During the event, participants will be given a 3-5 minute opportunity to date in a round-robin fashion. In a matching card provided, speed daters will note if there is a spark (Yes or No). If two people signified a mutual interest, the pair will receive each other’s contact information (post-event). It is important to note that contact information will only be shared if there is a match. Hereafter, we let the participants decide on their own if they wish to take it forward.
RR: I still have this perception that a lot of people our age are quite shy when it comes to blind dates and openly seeking a partner, please enlighten me if there’s truth to this or not. And in cases of shy participants, how do you deal with them?
That still holds true for most of our participants. We feel that majority of Filipino millennials are still a bit withdrawn when it comes to finding a date. Perhaps, it’s part of our culture. However, though we are still more inclined towards being discreet about these things, a sense of personal empowerment tips the scale off a bit. Trying out something new, or crossing-out a bucket list were just few of the motivations why our participants joined the event.
There are also some participants who know for a fact that they hold the key towards achieving their dream of having a partner. As such, they boldly take responsibility of meeting potential partners. Even if they did not find a match, the experience allowed them to realize that mingling / dating is really not that tough. It is as simple as meeting new friends and exploring a bit of their adventurous side!
As for shy participants, we prepare exciting games and special awards to break the ice, and to throw away the jitters. We want the participants to loosen up, and just be themselves. At the end of the event, people actually feel more confident about themselves and end up being more comfortable about the idea of going out.
RR: What are the usual concerns of first-time speed daters? I’m sure you get questions from interested participants.
Here are just a few concerns that were raised, and how we responded to them:
- Do I always get a ‘match’? What if I don’t get a ‘match’?
Speed dating does not guarantee successful matches. We let them look at speed dating as an experience to get to know oneself more or get to know what they really want in a partner. At the end of the day, you will learn a thing or two, especially meeting people from various industries. It is also great to know that a lot of participants ended up as good friends and even travel buddies.
- What do I say during the dating activity?
We remind participants to relax and be themselves. Nothing beats an honest and spontaneous conversation. If all else fails, we prepared some ice breaker questions per table which participants can make use of when running out of ideas to share.
- What kind of people will I meet there? Is the event worth my time and money?
There is a screening so definitely the participants were meticulously chosen to ensure that there will be a good mix of people. We want to make sure that people will meet other people of their caliber.
RR: How often do you hold speed dating events and what’s the average number of participants?
We try to hold a speed dating event 2-3 times a year. Every event accommodates 20 pairs of participants.
RR: Do you have successful matches by this time?
Yes, we do. From our 2 recent events, we have 3 successful pairs who are happily in love.
RR’s Note: Upon checking their Facebook page , I found this testimonial:
This is #NotYourOrdinaryLoveStory. Watch how #LoveHappens between Yannie and Bryce, our participants from last year’s #DOTD Speed Dating Event. [Part1/6]
Posted by Chérir Speed Dating on Friday, April 10, 2015
If you think speed dating is something you’d like to try, there are still a few slots left for their event this July! 🙂
Register here: http://tinyurl.com/CherirLifeEvents
Contact them at 0917-5214339 or 0925-8944297
Email: cherirlifeevents@gmail.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CherirSpeedDating
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