Would you rather send a “like” to a stranger on a dating app, or lock eyes with a stranger across a crowded room? Matchmaker Alina Fattakhova, founder and chief matchmaker of Beau Monde Matchmaking, is betting that modern singles will choose the latter.
She’s not wrong: A 2025 Hims survey found that 82% of respondents in a relationship met their partners in real life, and not on an app. And with more daters seeking out IRL connections, it’s only natural for matchmakers and other dating professionals to meet this need.
Read Alina Fattakhova’s full interview with Sheena Holt at Datingnews.com


