Julianne Cantarella Review [New Jersey's Best Matchmaker?]

Julianne Cantarella runs a boutique matchmaking service in Northern New Jersey and Rockland County, specializing in singles over 40. She only accepts male clients (around 10 at a time), offers personalized date coaching, and matches clients with women from her pre-screened database. Her service requires a year-long contract with customized pricing.

Key Insights:

• Only accepts men as paying matchmaking clients, keeping her roster small (around 10 clients)

• Specializes in singles over 40 in Northern New Jersey and Rockland County

• Licensed therapist with Master's in social work, former eHarmony matchmaking consultant

• Women join the database for free (ages 25-68) after passing screening

• Contract includes full year of "hold time" with customized pricing per client

• Provides date coaching and feedback after each introduction

• Small database means limited match pool compared to modern matchmaking services

Our team has reviewed over 200 matchmaking services, diving into their operations, cost, success rates, and customer experiences. Our reviews are built on extensive research and a keen understanding of the matchmaking landscape that comes with 14+ years of first-hand industry experience.

Let's start with meeting the matchmaker...

Julianne Cantarella founded New Jersey's Matchmaker in 2009 after working as a matchmaking consultant for eHarmony's Diamond program. With a Master's in social work from Fordham University, she brings 12 years of therapy experience and a background in social work to her matchmaking practice.

This Englewood Cliffs-based matchmaker has shared her dating expertise through Your Tango online magazine, Talk of the Town magazine, "The Dr. Joy Show," and Vue Magazine. As a mom of three, she entered the industry at her husband's encouragement.

According to an Urban Agenda Magazine interview, she said:

I thought my husband was crazy when he told me to go for the interview, but I got the job, and my passion was born. I’m here to help people, and that’s what I get to do. It’s such an exciting and rewarding profession. I still get butterflies when I hear about my clients’ dates.

The Initial Consultation

Your journey begins with a 1-2 hour consultation where Cantarella learns about your relationship goals and partner preferences. She focuses exclusively on singles over 40 and maintains a boutique operation with approximately 10 clients at any given time.

The Matchmaking Process

After signing a year-long contract with customized pricing, Cantarella searches her database of eligible New Jersey singles for compatible matches. She conducts in-depth interviews with each potential match before arranging date details.

Women join her database for free after passing a screening process, with ages ranging from 25 to 68. If suitable matches aren't available in her existing network, she connects with other matchmakers, scouts in person, or discreetly advertises.

Post-Date Support

Following each introduction, you'll exchange feedback with your matchmaker. You'll hear what your date thought about you, and Cantarella will provide additional coaching as needed. This feedback loop helps identify any self-limiting beliefs or behaviors blocking your path to love.

In her words, she wants to “help empower my clients to make healthy changes and extinguish all self-limiting beliefs or behaviors that could be blocking them from love. It allows them to see what changes need to be made in order to move forward.”

Want an example of some of those changes she might ask you to make? She shared her top 3 tips for revamping your love life with Urban Agenda:

1. Don’t Put Up With Bad Behavior - Creating new boundaries is important in new relationships, so if a date doesn’t call you back or treats you poorly, don’t accept it.
2. Be Proactive About Meeting New People - Take a class, or volunteer for a cause that you’re passionate about. Whatever you decide to do, it needs to be an active step.
3. Put Your Best Foot Forward - It’s important to show people your “best you,” whether that’s in person or on your dating profile. If you need pro photos or a makeover, make it happen.

While Cantarella only accepts men as matchmaking clients, she offers date coaching for women who she describes as "more open to the process." Many of her female coaching clients have never been married and hope to eventually start a family.

As she explained in an interview: "I've been doing coaching since I entered this area. I love coaching because I love empowering women." Her coaching helps women prepare for healthy relationships by addressing patterns that may be preventing them from finding lasting love.

Cantarella's boutique approach means personalized attention. Her small client roster allows her to provide thorough date coaching alongside matchmaking. As she explained in an interview, she wants to "help empower my clients to make healthy changes and extinguish all self-limiting beliefs or behaviors that could be blocking them from love."

Her background as a licensed therapist gives her unique insights into relationship dynamics and what makes successful partnerships work.

To help you answer that question, check out our New Jersey's Matchmaker review next! You'll find all the details you need to help you decide if she is the best fit for you.

For example, Cantarella's service requires you to sign a contract that typically lasts for 6 months. And it's common in the industry to pay in full before your matchmaking service begins. However, there are some services that allow you a little more flexibility.

VIDA Select provides an exclusive matchmaking service on a monthly basis, which means you only pay for the months you want service. Plus, if you meet someone amazing right away you won’t be paying for time you don’t need!

Remember that a successful match requires mutual compatibility and that can be challenging to find when working from a limited rolodex. This is often why you’ll find complaints in online matchmaking service reviews where people are saying that their matches don’t meet most - or any - of their criteria.

But with VIDA’s modern approach to matchmaking, finding your ideal partner just got easier! VIDA’s matchmakers have access to the largest pool of New Jersey singles there is, which means you can look forward to meeting singles who check all your boxes.

On average, VIDA clients begin a relationship with a match in just 3 months. Intrigued? Discover how VIDA Select will find your ideal partner too! Start here.