At Drawing Down the Moon, we’ve discovered something surprising: despite what’s going on, this is actually a pretty good time to date.
That’s a hot take—I get it. Let me explain.
People working from home means more me time, both in the evening and at the weekend. What’s more, more and more singles are realising that not only are they alone, but they’re lonely, too—and they want to remedy that situation. After all, pre-COVID our lives were hectic: work, friends, events, conferences, parties—not much time left over to ruminate on our singleness. But now we’re all isolating, there’s weeks to contemplate little else apart from our futures, whether through the lens of personal development or instead yearning for a long-term relationship.
So take it from a professional matchmaker—now is not the time to wait! Now is the time to grasp the nettle—and we’re here to help you with that. At Drawing Down the Moon we thrive on helping people find love. There’s no more joyous moment in the office (or, at the moment, on Zoom!) than announcing to the team a brand-new relationship for one of our clients—or even an engagement for a previous (and now blissfully coupled-up) client! We’re excited to see the unique matches we’re going to make in this seminal moment in history, as the whole world is thrown into unprecedented circumstances.
Right now on the dating scene it’s all about Zoom. And according to our clients, an unexpected perk of Zoom dating is that it’s a more relaxed way to get to know your date. Normally dating involves travel, planning where and when to meet, worrying whether the lighting will show you at your best… whether the wine menu will be up to standard… whether you’ll be able to hear your date over the din (this place looks a bit rowdy judging from its Instagram, right?)… But Zoom negates every one of these problems. You set the environment exactly as it’s going to put you most at ease.
Then all you need to do is be resourceful—and what better place to start than our 5 best ways to spice up your Zoom dating?!
1. Dating Cards from The School of Life
These tremendous cards are the perfect icebreaker. Designed to foster intimacy and empathy while encouraging deep and sincere conversation, the Dating Cards are a superb way to connect with a potential partner. Describe your first kiss. How might you entertain a five-year-old who a friend left with you for an hour or two? The cards are separated into Easy, Medium, and Hard. If your date doesn’t have their own deck, you can select one without looking and hold it to the camera for them to read out for you.
New and existing DDM clients alike receive a complimentary pack of the School of Life’s Dating Cards!
2. Dating In Paris, Rome, or even the Kalahari…
Zoom dating has opened up the possibility of not only dating someone based anywhere in the world, but also of dating anywhere in the world… (Kind of.) With Zoom, you can upload any photo or video as a backdrop—no need for a green screen! So what if it occasionally glitches? Your date doesn’t actually think you’re currently bathing on a beach in the Caribbean! It still looks pretty good, and adds some quirky fun into the mix.
Some of our clients have enjoyed second or third dates where both agreed on a shared backdrop in advance—then both cooked a meal according to the destination! They’ve also played music from that country, taken turns selecting songs, and discussed why they like (or dislike!) each piece. If you drink, you could even pick a lovely wine from the region.
3. Attending an Opera or a Ballet together
The arts have adapted in the most spectacular way, with internationally renowned ballet and opera houses throwing open their ‘doors’ to a worldwide audience online—most for the first time in their histories. These include the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne, the Sydney Opera House, the Bolshoi Theatre, and New York City Ballet. (Note: some require membership.) Whether you’re looking locally or globally, there’s no end to the organisations currently displaying their creative prowess for either no fee or a low fee.
Our professional advice is not to watch a ballet or opera on your first Zoom date (or in real life for that matter, when things open up again). Spend that time getting to know one another, then book in that special trip for date 3 or 4! That’s the time you can start exploring venues beyond restaurants and wine bars. And of course, supporting the arts is great, even when we can’t fully experience the thrill of a live performance.
4. Drawing or painting a portrait of one another
Results may vary—but laughter’s guaranteed. Just make sure that whatever masterpiece you produce is flattering—or, at least, not unflattering!
You’ll need to do a little prep for this one. But even if you don’t have paint, chalk, crayons, or coloured pencils, you can still do a simple pen or pencil sketch. This activity is surprisingly absorbing: after all, it requires you to gaze at your date’s face without it being weird! What makes their face beautiful, uniquely theirs?
As with the ballet and opera date above, we recommend this activity not for a first date; but it would absolutely make a great second or third date—although never say never, if date 1 is going swimmingly. And don’t worry about being constrained by your actual artistic talents (or lack thereof)—it’s the motive behind what you’ve produced and your interpretation of their countenance that’s most important. You might be amazed at how effective this date idea is for building a connection!
5. Reading from your favourite book or reciting your favourite poem
Again, this isn’t one to request out of the blue (unless your date just so happens to be opportunely seated before a giant bookcase)—but with a bit of prep, it can be really quite profound. Sometimes the opening line of a novel is all you need to be whisked back to that world the author so deftly enticed you into the first time you read it. Why not share that with your date, and ask the same of them? You can tell a huge amount about a person from their artistic predilections. Whether they pick out a chapter by Voltaire or dust off an old Winnie the Pooh, just for a moment you’ll be privy to a tiny window on their life which few have ever seen. That’s something to treasure. Enjoy being in the moment with them.
One bonus of this date idea is that it’s the sort of thing that in normal times probably wouldn’t crop up in your relationship for months, even years. That really encapsulates the benefit of Zoom dating: you can accelerate certain aspects of the process of getting to know one another while slowing down others that can go too fast too soon—most prominent among these being intimacy.
The dating world’s your oyster—from the comfort of your own home
No matter what you decide to do on your Zoom date, we highly recommend following the guidelines for first and second dates we’ve collated after setting up literally thousands of successful matches: be respectful, don’t get drunk, and try to stick to 90 minutes (unless you’re enjoying a performance). And don’t make impulsive judgements. Even the best of us can get it wrong on first dates. It’s nerve-wracking to meet someone you’re intensely attracted to! Give your date the chance to shine in their own time. (Oh—and make sure you’re familiar with using Zoom!)
Drawing Down the Moon is an elite, multi-award-winning dating agency. Our world-class matchmakers are renowned for successfully pairing intelligent, empathetic, and highly compatible singles looking to settle down with someone special. We understand that many singles are apprehensive at the prospect of Zoom dating—but if you don’t try you’ll never know, and you might miss out on meeting someone seriously amazing. Get in touch, and let’s get you on a fabulous Zoom date with your potential life partner!
And if you are fed up trying to zoom date on your own, then contact the friendly matchmakers at Drawing Down the Moon Matchmaking today.
