Due to the current backlash against online dating, traditional matchmaking is enjoying a renaissance. The demand for a more refined, respectful way to date has created a new generation of Professional Matchmakers, many chasing fame and fortune; vying to be the next ‘Millionaire Matchmaker’. However, with almost thirty-five years in the business, matchmaker Heather Heber-Percy possesses the kind of wisdom and understanding that can only be acquired through time.
Heather credits a brain-storming session at the school gates – back in the ‘80s with fellow mum, Geraldine Turner – for kickstarting her career in dating. At first, Geraldine and Heather tasked themselves with finding dates for lonesome farmers, using Heather’s home as their H.Q. The two became a formidable duo who still work together today at Heather’s exclusive agency, The County Register. In recent years, Heather’s daughter Zara has also become a highly respected matchmaker, under the tutelage of her mother.
We wanted to find out a little more about what it takes to achieve such longevity within a competitive and emotive market-place…
Meeting Heather, it’s clear to see that this is a woman driven by empathy… and a work ethic that is second to none. Much of The County Register’s success is down to the close and authentic bonds Heather, Geraldine and Zara build with their clients – “We aim to provide a truly personal service.” Heather explains, “We never offer a membership to anyone we don’t feel we are the right ‘fit’ for.”
Heather’s clients trust that when she recommends a potential new life partner, that person is worthy of both time and effort. Traditional dating was never a ‘numbers’ game and the County Register doesn’t play it as such. For Heather, Geraldine and Zara, matchmaking is about the finer details, resulting in quality introductions.
“Being a matchmaker can be incredibly fulfilling – ultimately you’re helping people to find love and what’s more important in life than love?” Zara asks – “What I find rewarding about my job is that it rests on my ability to really get to know my clients – I have to understand who they are on a much deeper level than the persona they present to the world; what really motivates them in life, what their true values are as well as their dreams and aspirations. Sometimes being a matchmaker is also about challenging my clients, breaking down preconceived ideas about the sort of person they want to meet – that ‘type’ may be where they’ve gone wrong in the past and they need to open themselves up to new possibilities. What I also love about my job is that chemistry is unpredictable, all we’re doing is increasing people’s chances of meeting the right person by getting them out there again, but the rest is down to that inexplicable mysterious process that happens between two people when they click – it’s alchemical and thankfully, indefinable.”
To contact The County Register, please call 020 8994 3500
www.thecountyregister.com
