Maureen Tara Nelson founded MTN Matchmaking in Melville and has matched more than 1,000 singles for long-term relationships and marriages. She also offers dating coaching for her clients.
She credits her own failed marriage with launching her business. Today, her mtn matchmaking service serves clients nationwide. The company has garnered a high reputation among Dan’s Papers readers and mainstream news outlets.
What to Expect
In a time of swiping right and left on smartphones, Maureen Tara Nelson says traditional dating isn’t always effective. So she launched MTN Matchmaking, a company that aims to help singles find a soulmate in the real world.
“Compatibility and chemistry are the two most important components of finding love,” she said. Her service matches people in Long Island and Manhattan, and she recently began taking on national clients.
She teaches clients to be realistic about their expectations. On a first date, she suggests limiting the conversation to lunch, brunch or drinks — and avoiding topics like religion, politics or sex.
MTN fees start at under $1,000, and Nelson’s vetting process includes a background check, interview and a questionnaire that asks clients whether they want marriage or a committed relationship. She says the fees help weed out gold diggers and one-night-stand seekers who might otherwise patronize online dating sites. She also attends charity and business events to recruit matches.
The Process
With a client list of 1,000+, MTN Matchmaking is a discerning matchmaking service helmed by Maureen Tara Nelson, who has 21 years of experience in finding chemistry and compatibility for singles across Long Island and Manhattan. MTN Matchmaking offers a range of services from personal screening and dating coaching to matchmaking and facilitating real-world meetings for clients.
As an advocate for a more traditional approach to dating, Nelson recommends that clients identify their five “must-have” qualities and then locate someone who has all of them. “The more specific you are, the easier it is to find a compatible match,” she says.
A former pharmaceutical rep, Nelson pivoted into the matchmaking industry after her first marriage fell apart and she realized how profoundly unhappy she had been. Her services include matching, e-profile management, date and relationship coaching, and a celebrity program that matches boldface names with other notables. She also attends charity and business events to recruit potential matches for her clients.
Virtual Dates
Virtual dates can be anything from a cozy night in with movie and popcorn to more adventurous, hands-on activities. They can also be an opportunity to discuss more personal or intimate topics with your date, without the eavesdropping of a restaurant or movie theater.
Create a “show-and-tell” board or bucket list together to learn more about each other’s interests. You could share goals, restaurants to try and new skills to learn. If you want to go more in-depth, use tools like vision mapping or goal boarding.
Make a playlist with songs that mean something to you and your partner. Then, during a video call, serenade each other by singing online karaoke. Just be sure to use screen share so you can sing together! Or, take a song quiz and reveal the results together. This will encourage communication and bonding while having some laughs.
Pricing
Maureen Tara Nelson founded her own matchmaking service in Long Island in 2006, and has since facilitated more than 1,000 relationships — including marriages — with clients from age 21 to 87. She works round-the-clock, screening prospective matches in her Melville office and fielding emails from clients at 3 a.m.
Her prices start at “under $1,000” for six months or five matches, Nelson says. More expensive plans pair high-caliber singles, and her firm attends charity and business events to recruit matches. Nelson also has an Elite Program for wealthy individuals, and a Celebrity program.
The cost of finding love can add up quickly, but Nelson believes it’s worth it. She says that her fees accomplish half of the screening, weeding out people who aren’t committed to finding love. And, she says, the personal touch helps her create the most successful matches. “I want to help them find a real relationship, not just a hookup,” she says.