Simply Matchmaking Reviews: Is It Worth the 12-Month Contract?

Simply Matchmaking was founded in Seattle in 2013 by Ali Migliore, a former event planner who had always wanted to work in matchmaking. After interviewing with established firms and not landing a position, she started her own.

Her husband Matt joined as COO and the team also includes 11 matchmakers, a matchmaking director, two online dating specialists, two personal stylists, and a VP of client relations.

The company is rooted in the Pacific Northwest, with the majority of clients in Seattle and Bellevue. Migliore also works with a network of matchmakers all over the country, like Colorado's Abby Rosenblum, for clients who want a broader search. 

While Migliore also works with a network of matchmakers all over the country, like Colorado's Abby Rosenblum. But the majority of her clients are in the Pacific Northwest. Many of them live in Seattle and Bellevue.

The service works with a wide range of clients: ages 21 to 80, all orientations, all backgrounds. Migliore has said publicly that if your heart is genuinely in the right place and you're committed to a real relationship, Simply Matchmaking will work with you.

As she told The Ghosted Podcast,

“We service all ages, all ethnicities, all religions, LGBTQ, you name it – if you are truly looking for a committed relationship and your heart is in the right place, you can work with Simply Matchmaking.”

In its early years, the company earned some local recognition: King 5 named it the top matchmaker in Western Washington in 2015, and City Voter called it the best Seattle matchmaking service in 2016 and 2017.

The process starts with a free 20-minute strategy call to determine whether you're a fit for the service. From there, you choose your path: database member or VIP client.

As a database member, you pay an interview fee ($275 virtual, $500 in-person) to have your profile added to Simply Matchmaking's pool of potential matches. A matchmaker may select you for introduction to a paying client. But the search is not active on your behalf, you're simply waiting to be chosen.

As a VIP client, a dedicated matchmaker actively works your file. Here is how that typically looks:

1. Complete your personal interview so your matchmaker understands who you are and exactly who you're looking for.

2. Your matchmaker hand-selects candidates from the database and arranges all logistics for each date.

3. Before each date, you receive guidance on what to wear and how to prepare.

4. After each date, your matchmaker follows up with both sides, collects feedback, and refines the search criteria.

5. The process continues until you find someone worth pursuing further, or until your 12-month contract concludes.

As Migliore told Dating Advice,

"We get to know every single client who comes through the door. It’s like dating therapy when you sit down with one of us."

All contracts include unlimited matches and last for 12 months, as you'll have the ability to suspend your service as needed.

Matchmaking fees are non-refundable in most circumstances, and they don’t guarantee you’ll actually get any matches. As with any contract, read it carefully prior to signing so you understand exactly what service you’ll be receiving in exchange for your money.

On Yelp, Simply Matchmaking has been reviewed 50+ times, resulting in a solid 2.8-star rating.

In their recommended reviews, some happy customers said they had found a serious relationship via the service:

This customer didn’t meet their ideal partner through Simply Matchmaking, but was satisfied with the quality of the service and thought they had picked up some valuable insight along the way:

Other customers however didn’t have such glowing things to say. These clients felt that the service does not cater enough to their female members. In their words:

Simply Matchmaking Google Reviews

Simply Matchmaking also has a 4.3-star rating when it comes to Google reviews, based on 40+ reviews. The majority of reviews are 5-star.

One Google reviewer was thrilled to have met someone through the service and dated for a few months, even though it did not work out in the long run:

Another praised his overall experience:

Of course you can’t predict exactly what your Simply Matchmaking experience would be like from feedback on local review sites. But they do make a handy starting point for jotting down a list of questions to ask during your consultation.

In the meantime, one thing to consider when hiring a matchmaking service is how you feel about signing a 12-month contract that doesn’t actually guarantee you’ll get any matches at all, as Migliore explained in her response to a Yelp complaint:

Wondering if a year-long, non-refundable contract with no match guarantee is the right move for you? VIDA Select is the alternative most worth looking at.

VIDA's matchmakers work in the same Pacific Northwest market, drawing from the largest source of eligible Seattle and Bellevue professionals there is. Before you meet anyone, you review their full profile and photos, so you're not walking into a blind date. You only meet people you've already decided are worth your time.

The contract structure is different by design. VIDA offers month-to-month packages that don't require a long-term contract. If the service isn't delivering, you stop paying. It's as simple as that.

VIDA also offers a 90-Day Match Guarantee, which includes at least 5 curated matches that you personally approve for $6,000. Results guaranteed, or the search continues at no additional cost.

82% of VIDA clients meet someone special within 90 days, and most find their person within 4 to 7 introductions. 

To learn more, schedule a quick, free, no-obligation phone call with one of our matchmakers.