The Date Maven Reviews [Best Wichita Matchmaker For You?]

Thinking about trying Suzanna Mathews’ matchmaking service? This The Date Maven review has all the details you need to help you decide if it’s the best fit. 

Keep reading to find out how this Kansas matchmaker got her start, what to expect, how much it costs, and more!

From boutique services to big industry players, our team of experts has reviewed over 200 matchmaking services. 

Our knowledge comes from 14+ years of firsthand experience, comprehensive research, and a keen understanding of the matchmaking landscape. 

Let's dive in!

Meet Kansas Matchmaker Suzanna Mathews

Before stepping into the matchmaking arena, Suzanna Mathews had an established career as a college-level speech and drama teacher. But then she found herself at a professional crossroads, wanting to try something new.

Mathews had always been the go-to person among her friends, family members, colleagues, and students seeking advice on dating and relationships, so dating coaching seemed a natural fit.

On February 14, 2011, she opened The Date Maven in Wichita, Kansas. The perfect day to launch a service dedicated to helping people find love, she shared in an interview that launching on Valentine’s Day was no accident.

Serving alongside Mathews on the coaching team is her spouse, Michael Rivera. According to Mathews, this offers a dual coaching dynamic, offering both a male and female perspective. 

Catering to a diverse clientele, The Date Maven works with a diverse group of singles, both nationally and internationally.  As she explained in an interview with Dating Advice,

"We serve men, women, all ages, all life stages. Some of our clients are young professionals, others are in retirement, some have always been single, and some have been divorced more than once."

Mathews also explained that they prefer to work with clients who "are interested in personal growth and living their best love-life," adding that their ideal clients are singles who can move beyond past experiences and avoid being limited by rigid belief systems.

The Date Maven: What to Expect

At the heart of The Date Maven team are three key players: Suzanna Mathews, Michael Rivera, and a third coach specializing in singles dating after divorce. The unique coaching style they offer is a blend of Rivera's scientific approach with Mathews' emphasis on spirituality and mindfulness.

As she described it, 

“Our approach to coaching is pretty unique. Our philosophy is ‘Be Love.’ We want our clients to learn how to show up in loving and caring ways.” 

She goes on to express that the goal is to help clients first foster self-love, before teaching them to "bring that light of love to other people." 

Prospective clients begin their journey by completing an online inquiry. Following this, a member of The Date Maven team reaches out to arrange a complimentary exploratory call to gauge if the service is the right fit. 

This call also provides an opportunity to discuss available coaching programs, the matchmaking process, and associated costs.

Clients typically engage in a hybrid coaching and matchmaking program, designed to simultaneously promote personal growth, develop new skills, and search for potential partners. 

This two-pronged program is carried out through a five-step process, combining unique dating strategies and personal development elements.

One feature of the coaching program is an emergency texting service. This allows clients to reach out mid-date if uncomfortable dating scenarios develop. 

As Mathews puts it, 

“We’ll help save the moment as best we can if it’s worth saving.”

This Kansas matchmaker shared in an interview with The Sunflower that her preference is to educate clients about the fundamentals, helping them become more self-sufficient daters.

"I like to teach people the concepts and the strategies that we use in matchmaking and how they can activate those themselves and function as their own matchmaker." 

What It Costs To Work With Suzanna Mathews

The Date Maven offers a range of options tailored to the individual. 

Pricing for matchmaking packages isn't listed on their website, as the final cost varies depending on your specific preferences. Factors influencing total cost include the duration of the matchmaking contract and the specific dating coaching programs chosen. 

Mathews shared in an interview, 

"The cost depends on the needs of the client. [It] can run from several hundred dollars to several thousand." 

For those interested in learning more about their coaching programs, you can purchase a "strategy session" for around $150.  

Other coaching programs include a 6-month relationship program, a 3-month "jumpstart program," and longer-term options extending over a period of 12 or 24 months. All programs come with a personalized plan outlining both online and offline social strategies. 

The Date Maven offers a complementary option, which is signing up to be included in their database of singles. However, it's worth noting that this is a passive membership and you'll only be contacted if you match the criteria of an active, paying member.

Is The Date Maven Right For You? 

Suzanna Mathews has been in the industry for more than a decade. Over the years, she’s been recognized as a dating and relationship coach, receiving features in several media outlets. 

In addition to her coaching career, she's also a published author - Reviving Mrs Robinson: Navigating Cougar-Cub Dating and Relationships.

When it comes to matchmaking service reviews, The Date Maven has yet to be reviewed on platforms like Trustpilot or the Better Business Bureau. 

It does have a Yelp entry, however, no one has reviewed it there yet either.

On its Google Business profile, The Date Maven has a 5-star rating, based on 9 reviews.

The reviews were from people who had worked with her professionally, or attended her training presentations or coaching sessions. 

And while reading first-hand accounts of a particular client’s experience can be helpful, reviews are only part of what you should consider before signing a contract with any matchmaking service that’s on your short list. 

For instance, there’s a difference between dating coaching and matchmaking. Some singles may want (and benefit from both), but others may just be interested in meeting compatible people.

And when it comes to your matches, where they come from is a big factor to weigh. Compatibility is a two-way street. It’s not enough that your date meets your criteria - you also need to match what they’re looking for. 

Putting together quality matches on a consistent basis is difficult for any matchmaker to do if they’re pulling singles from a limited database in any one city.

That’s why a common complaint across the entire industry is meeting people who make you wonder why the matchmaker chose them. It’s not that the service is bad at what they do, they’re just matching you with who they had available at the time!

You may also want to consider a matchmaking service that specializes in scouting outside a limited Rolodex of singles. 

Enamour, for instance, has a curated, invitation-only database, but the team also utilizes an extensive network of scouts and high-tech recruiting tools to leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding your ideal partner.

And VIDA Select’s modern approach leverages the biggest source of eligible Kansas singles there is! With VIDA, you can look forward to first dates with truly compatible people - people who are excited to meet you, too!

With VIDA, matchmaking service is offered on a month-to-month basis, so you don’t have to commit to a multi-month contract. The cost of the service highly aligns the number of hours your matchmaker will spend searching for your ideal partner.

Basic services start at just $1195 per month, while Premium options begin at just $1795 per month. Elite matchmaking packages start at only $2595 per month!

On average, clients meet someone special within just 3 months of signing up.

Intrigued? Discover if VIDA Select is right for you!

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