Meet Emily Holmes Hahn [Can She Find Your Last First Date?]

Curious about NYC matchmaker Emily Holmes Hahn? From how she got her start to her matchmaking philosophy and dating advice, this matchmaker review has all the info you’re looking for! 

With over 14 years of first-hand experience in the matchmaking industry, our team of experts knows what clients value most in a service. 

We’ve reviewed more than 200 matchmakers, diving deep into their processes, cost, success rates, client experiences, and more.

Let's start with meeting the matchmaker! 

How Emily Holmes Hahn Got Her Start

Emily Holmes Hahn has always had a natural instinct for understanding people - an ability she says she honed during her time in acting school and working in the fashion industry. 

Originally from Maryland, her career path led her to live in Paris for 3 years before moving to New York and settling in the matchmaking industry. 

As her visa was nearing its expiration date, she got an unexpected job offer from Richard Easton, a celebrity matchmaker in New York. As Holmes Hahn mentioned in an interview, the offer was "pretty out of the blue" but it couldn't have been better timing. 

She seized the opportunity and moved to New York.

This wasn’t her first brush with matchmaking. Before moving to Paris, she was in the process of hiring a matchmaker for herself. But before signing up, she accepted a position as a personal shopper at Ralph Lauren Paris.  

As she explained in an interview with V Magazine, “I've always loved connecting people, whether it be for networking, friendship, or romance."

After 2 years working with Easton, Emily Holmes Hahn launched her own service in 2014: LastFirst Matchmaking. While she caters predominantly to elite New York singles, LastFirst also works with clients in Los Angeles, London, Miami, and Paris. 

As Holmes Hahn expressed in an interview, 

"I think all our clients are craving intimacy and connection in the short-term, and hoping the person they choose will end up lasting long-term as well." 

In a conversation with DuJour, she explained her boutique approach. She limits her active client roster to around 30 singles at any given time, only signing up a new client after they have successfully matched a current one. 

Emily Holmes Hahn’s Matchmaking Philosophy   

Holmes Hahn takes a “bespoke” approach to matchmaking, a term she says resonates with her clients looking for a comprehensive and personalized service. 

As she explained in an interview, clients are free to "literally ask for help with anything" related to dating or relationships, and she tries to work their requests into their membership. 

One of the main elements of her matchmaking strategy is the significant role intuition plays — a skill that she says she and her team have honed over time. 

As she explained in an interview with Shondaland, It might be something as simple as seeing how someone strolls into a room or how they interact with staff at a restaurant. 

“Our feminine intuitions are definitely professionally honed. And we're really good at just kind of detecting the sparkle in someone's eye or their jokes that make them laugh.”

This helps them look beyond what a client is saying and instead focus on their subtle mannerisms. According to Holmes Hahn, these small details can carry as much weight in understanding someone's personality as spoken words. 

"More important than what people say is their mannerisms—how they sit, what jokes they're laughing at, how they treat our office employees, how they react when they enter a room.”

With her clients, Holmes Hahn prefers flexibility over a rigid process. Clients can help define what qualities they're seeking in a partner, but she also highlights the necessity of adaptability and openness for the process to be successful.

She explained it this way to Haute Living: 

"We like to say that it’s up to our clients to take the dive. If a man can meet me 3/4 of the way, i.e., he’s got a positive attitude, plenty of self-love, and true willingness to get into a relationship, then I will fill the remaining 1/4 by lining up those high-probability, pre-vetted introductions in front of him!”

Holmes Hahn says she loves the opportunity matchmaking presents to foster deep and sincere connections. In her role, she gets to ‘dig deeper’ more quickly. 

Or as she puts it, 

"I love that I get to have such a meaningful conversation with someone I’ve just met. Being a professional matchmaker somehow makes people open up to me much faster, which is absolutely fascinating, and my favorite part of the job."

Holmes Hahn is no stranger to dishing out dating advice to her clients, and she has also been featured in various media outlets. For instance, In an interview with KD Hamptons, she shared some first date tips for women:

A Peek At The LastFirst Process

The first step for potential clients is to apply for membership through the website and upload 2 recent photos. The LastFirst team will screen those applications and reach out to singles they believe are a fit for the service for a face-to-face interview.

This initial consultation is free and usually lasts about an hour. During this time the team learns about your relationship history, lifestyle, qualities you’re seeking in an ideal partner, etc. 

As Holmes Hahn puts it, the team is there "learning everyone's story." 

Holmes Hahn mentions in an interview that direct and personal questions are part of the process. 

“We're asking people about their relationships with their fathers right off the bat” and “What broke up their marriage if they're divorced?”

When screening individuals for the LastFirst singles database, she says they use a similar line of questioning, and these get-to-know-you conversations explore various topics. 

In her own words, 

“We often go off on tangents chatting about careers, current events, or recent vacation spots, which is great because it gives us a better sense of how these candidates socialize and helps us to properly match them.”

In terms of matching, LastFirst prefers to recommend one potential match at a time to clients. Some personal Information, such as photos, last names, and occupations, is kept under wraps prior to meeting someone. 

Matches are sourced from her internal database, as well as via targeted recruiting. Holmes Hahn and her team are continually on the lookout for potential candidates to add to the database, with sources including their network of friends and people they meet in the city. 

If the match is approved, their team organizes the date. 

But before that date transpires, clients are provided a "code of conduct" which lays out basic guidance for the evening. Separate versions are given to men and women. 

Speaking to Women's Wear Daily, Homes Hahn shares some of the pointers:

“Don’t talk about matchmaking on the date, wear something you’ve worn before, that you feel amazing in, for the guys we say arrive a little bit early and get situated and get seats if it’s a drinks date, so you aren’t arriving together and scrambling. And if they have a fashion question or something, I’m always taking those calls."

What It Costs To Hire Emily Holmes Hahn As Your Personal Matchmaker

Details regarding the pricing for LastFirst matchmaking packages aren't disclosed on their website. 

As Holmes Hahn clarifies, packages carry a “flat fee,” and the final expense is determined by individual matching preferences. Typically, a contract lasts for 18 months, but this duration could be shorter, based on how quickly they can find a client's 'last, first' date.

As she explained in an interview, 

"The service is expensive, but we actually have a really diverse membership across lots of industries—medicine, law, finance, acting, film production, art."

Being listed in the database is free, but you'll need to pass a vetting and screening process first. Being in the database does not guarantee a match, as you’ll only be contacted if a paying client's preference matches your profile. 

Want to learn more about the matchmaking process and see what former clients are saying about their experience? Check out our LastFirst matchmaking review next! 

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