10 Tips On How To Matchmake Your Friends

1. Determine if your friends want to be matched up. As much as you may think your hilarious colleague Sam is a perfect match for your sweet friend Ashley, your attempts at playing Cupid are doomed to fail if either party doesn’t want to be matched up. If they’ve said no and you’re still convinced they’re a great fit…

2. Keep it casual. Organise a group activity, more than four people (you don’t want it to feel like a double date) but less than ten so that everyone in the group has a chance to chat. This gives your friends the opportunity to meet in a low pressure, fun environment. Plus, it gives you an out in case things go wrong.

3. Choose the right match. If your reason for connecting them is simply that they’re both single, hold off. Your friends will view whomever you match them with as a reflection of what you think of them, with that in mind, don’t insult your friends!

4. Look for shared values over shared interests. If one friend loves literature and the other loves to play tennis, don’t write off their romantic potential just yet. Shared values, like being family-oriented, career-oriented, or being a risk taker are much more indicative of compatibility than interests are.

5. When describing the potential match, always undersell. Framing it as “this is someone I think you’d enjoy meeting” rather than, “I’ve found THE ONE for you” keeps expectations in check.

6. Timing is everything. Even if you know two people would make a great match, it may just not be the right time. If one party has just gone through a major life change, such as a break up, family drama, or career change, give them time to adjust to their new circumstances before introducing them to a new romantic interest.

7. Don’t tell secrets. If things do go well, both parties will be tempted to use you to find out more about each other. DO NOT indulge them, creating a healthy bond necessitates them opening up to each other, not you.

8. Don’t interfere. Every courtship has its ups and downs, while you may feel personally attached to the outcome of the relationship, getting involved in them could harm your friendship with one or both friends.

9. Don’t take it personally. If you have good intentions in setting them up, don’t take it personally if things go haywire. You can never know everything about your friends preferences and you aren’t responsible for what happens on the date.

10. Be honest. Don’t give people false hope, no one likes waiting for that call that never comes.