Ignite Dating Reviews [Can Michelle Begy Find Your Perfect Match?]

Ignite Dating, founded by Michelle Begy in 2020, offers boutique matchmaking services across the UK, Australia, and Europe. The London-headquartered agency uses a blend of psychometric profiling, headhunting, and private network matching to serve "medium to high net worth individuals." Pricing isn't disclosed online, but comparable UK matchmakers range from £10,000 to £60,000+, so expect premium pricing for this personalized service.

Key Insights:

• Pricing not disclosed — You'll need a consultation to learn costs, but Ignite Dating caters to "medium to high net worth individuals," suggesting premium pricing
• Franchise model — Operates across six UK territories with plans to expand to 12 by 2025, plus Australian expansion
• Psychometric approach — Uses personality profiling, MBTI, and attachment style assessments to match clients
• Executive coaching available — Optional sessions with a Master Executive Coach to prepare clients for dating
• Traditional elements — Always gains permission from the gentleman first before arranging introductions
• Standard contract structure — Like most UK matchmakers, likely requires upfront payment for multi-month packages

From the smaller boutique operations to the big industry players, our expert team has reviewed over 200 matchmaking services.

Our insights are based not only on our extensive industry experience spanning 14+ years but also on comprehensive research, genuine customer feedback, and a profound understanding of the matchmaking landscape.

This short profile is packed with all details you need to decide if Ignite Dating is the best UK agency for you.

Before entering the world of professional matchmaking, Michelle Begy had a successful career in advertising and PR. Then in 2013, she joined RSVP, a dating agency and singles club as a Director of Events. In that role, she coordinated up to five social opportunities every week for singles to meet their perfect match.

In 2018 she also assumed the role of “Head Hunter Matchmaker” for RSVP, giving her the experience she needed to launch her own agency, Ignite Dating, in 2020.

As she explained to TechRound, she believed singles were looking for an alternative way to meet quality matches.

Educated and successful people did not have time for the labour-intensive scrolling of online dating, were growing bored of the ineffectiveness of database matching, and did not want to have their profiles all over the internet.

Begy was able to quickly expand her service, opening additional UK locations and launching a franchise model across six territories. One of her goals, as shared in a Forbes interview, is to provide a more localized and personal service, tailored to the specific needs of each region. 

Dating in a rural setting differs from finding a partner in London, so fully trained and globally accredited franchisees can offer the best advice and introductions based on their local knowledge.

In terms of the future, Begy told Forbes she plans to continue expanding, growing the current franchise number to 12 by 2025 and entering the Australian market.

But for now, Ignite Dating is headquartered in London and works with clients across the UK, Australia, and Europe. According to Begy, clients come from all walks of life and range in age from 29 years old to up into their late 70s. 

As she puts it, 

Our private network of available ladies and gentlemen boasts successful people from all walks of life, whether in the corporate world, creative industries or academically, all with the commonality that they are seeking a lifetime relationship.

Begy and her team offer ongoing support to clients throughout the process, and she also doles out dating advice via various media channels. Here’s a taste of her best advice for singles just getting back into the dating game:

Ignite Dating weaves an in-depth understanding of personality type and relationship needs into their matchmaking approach, with Begy believing that understanding both yourself and what you need from a partner is vital when it comes to fostering a lasting relationship.

As she explained in an interview with Stylist,

When you think about the relationships around you and how you treat those that you care about, you will notice a pattern in the actions that you take and how you feel when you receive those actions towards yourself. 

That’s why learning is a big part of Ignite Dating’s process. You’ll learn about yourself, and give careful consideration to what’s important to you with a dedicated matchmaker available to support you every step of the way. 

If that style feels like a good fit, the next step is filling out an online inquiry form or getting in touch with the team. They will arrange an in-person meeting with a matchmaker for a consultation. 

Next, if you decide to move forward with Ignite Dating, you’ll purchase the service package and sign the contract. 

As a client, you’ll work with your matchmaker who will curate an Ignite Dating profile, written by a professional copywriter, and have a professional photo shoot for the dating profile images.

Your matchmaker spends time getting to know you to gain a better understanding of the values and preferences that are important to you. 

That’s one of the major advantages of using a matchmaking service, whether you opt for Ignite Dating or one of the many other UK matchmakers:

While you might have an idea of what you’re looking for in a partner, conversations with your matchmaker can help you identify and prioritize the most important aspects of what creates a fulfilling relationship for you. 

Next, the Ignite Dating team conducts a search for potential partners through their private network, database, and affiliate agencies. They also carry out exclusive headhunting of suitable matches within your locality, using a variety of mediums.

As Begy explained to ThriveGlobal,

We do not rely on database matching but instead provide hand-selected, ID-checked introductions that have been picked using a unique blend of psychometric profiling, experience, and intuition.

While Ignite Dating has a modern methodology, they are traditional in some aspects. For instance, they always gain permission to meet from the gentleman first. Once a match has been secured, your matchmaker will share the details and talk through first-date logistics. Begy and her team suggest keeping the first date casual. 

As she shared in the same interview, 

We always recommend keeping it quite low key for the first date – maybe opting for a brunch date somewhere so that you have the option to end it after a chat over coffee and cake if it is not quite right for you or extending it out if the vibe feels right.

As a client, you can opt to work with Geneviève Gresset. As a Master Executive Coach, Gresset provides individual coaching for some of Ignite Dating’s clients, if required. Or you can opt to work with Michelle, who is a Science Based Coach, MBTI and FIRO practitioner. 

According to Begy, 

Our clients get a direct line to Geneviéve’s coaching services to help them get dating ready. By undergoing a session with Geneviéve, they have a better understanding of their dating attachment style and a clearer view on what they are looking for in a partner and how to get the best from their dating journey.  

Now that you know the process, you’re probably wondering…

And that’s something you’ll have to wait and find out during your initial consultation, because Ignite Dating doesn’t disclose their pricing online.

Ignite Dating caters to “medium to high net worth individuals”, so It’s likely on the higher end of the spectrum, yet still represents good value for money, with exceptional customer service.

Let’s take a look at what a few other UK matchmakers charge to get you in the ballpark. 

Enamour, an elite international agency with a presence in London, starts at $20,000 USD for 6 months of service. With Enamour, you’ll be meeting highly compatible matches selected from their heavily curated, invite-only database. The Enamour team also employs high-tech recruiting methods to scout beyond their database, consistently pinpointing matches who check all your boxes.

Another millionaire matchmaking agency in London, Drawing Down The Moon, starts at £10000+ inc vat. DDTM is one of the UK’s longest-running services, having been in business for over 30 years.

Seventy Thirty, founded in 2001 by elite matchmaker Susie Ambrose, starts around £12,000 and can run over £60,000 plus VAT depending on how your package is tailored. 

Modern matchmaking service VIDA Select offers the extensive search capabilities and high-quality matches of these other elite dating agencies, but at a fraction of the cost. Monthly matchmaking services start at $1,595 USD.

There is also a "90-Day Match Guarantee" for $5,750 USD that includes a minimum of 5 highly curated matches. Guaranteed results, or the search continues at no additional cost. 82% of VIDA clients meet someone special within just 3 months.

So now that you know what you can likely expect to spend, the question remains:

Ignite Dating has multiple locations and works with a network of affiliated sources, so it’s possible Begy and her team can find compatible matches for you.

So when making your decision, it will come to factors like whether you’re comfortable with the Ignite Dating process, how much you want to invest in a matchmaking service, and the particulars of your membership contract - particularly the length of it. 

The industry standard ranges from 6 months to a year or more, and you’ll generally be required to pay for the entire package up front, before the search for compatible matches begins. That’s one of the reasons why the type of research you’re doing right now is so important - you don’t want to commit to a long-term contract, only to realize down the road you made a pricey mistake.

But that’s not how all matchmaking services handle contracts. VIDA Select, for instance, has a pay-as-you-go structure. Clients purchase one month of service at a time, which gives you plenty of flexibility to pause or end your service on your terms. 

Whether you want to see where things lead with an intriguing match or you simply feel like the process isn’t quite the right approach for you, you’re not locked in to anything long-term. Just don’t purchase another month - it’s that simple!

Find out how VIDA Select can find your ideal partner!