Single in Northern New Jersey or Rockland County? If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering if Julianne Cantarella’s dating service “New Jersey’s Matchmaker” is the best way to meet someone special.
Reading matchmaking service reviews is a great first step.
This New Jersey’s Matchmaker review is packed with helpful info like her matchmaking philosophy and what to expect if you sign up. You’ll even read about some real customer experiences!
Meet The Matchmaker: Julianne Cantarella
With a Master’s in social work from Fordham University, Cantarella definitely has some insight into what makes people tick. She’s a licensed therapist with 12 years experience, and a former social worker.
Prior to founding New Jersey’s Matchmaker in 2009, she was a matchmaking consultant for clients enrolled in the Diamond program for online dating giant eHarmony.
She’s also a respected dating coach, and has dispensed advice via Your Tango online magazine and “The Dr. Joy Show”. She also contributed to the PBS documentary “This Emotional Life” as New Jersey’s “premiere relationship expert.”
This mom of three got into the matchmaking field when her husband encouraged her to go on the eHarmony matchmaker interview. As she told Urban Agenda Magazine,
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.
So how does this Englewood Cliffs matchmaker elevate herself from the competition? Let’s take a look at how she works her magic.
How New Jersey’s Matchmaker Finds People Love
The first step for potential clients is a 1-2 hour consultation with Cantarella. During this interview, she’ll get to know you and what you’re looking for in a relationship and in a partner.
She only takes men on as paying clients, and specializes in working with singles over 40. She also keeps her client list small – generally around 10 at any particular time.
Running a boutique matchmaking service gives her plenty of time to give each client any date coaching they need as well.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
What To Expect As A Client
If you decide to sign up for the matchmaking service, you’ll sign a contract that includes a full year of “hold” time. The cost of her service depends on each client, and she’ll tailor a matchmaking package that fits your relationship goals. Not all of her clients seek marriage. Some of them just want to meet someone special to spend time with.
Whatever your goals are, Cantarella will pull compatible matches from her database of eligible New Jersey singles. She’ll interview each potential match in-depth to make sure they’re a good fit, and then arrange all the date details.
After each date, you can give her feedback on what you thought about the quality of the match. You’ll also get feedback on what your date thought about you. That way, you can receive additional coaching sessions as necessary.
You’ll be meeting women who joined the database for free, although they must pass a screening process. The women in the database are ages 25 to 68. If she doesn’t feel like there’s a suitable match in her Rolodex, she’ll network with other matchmakers, go out scouting, or even “discretely advertise.”
Want to learn more about her matchmaking process straight from the source? Check out this interview she did with Dr. Joy:
In addition to matchmaking services, she also offers date coaching. Each 3-month coaching contract includes a pro photo shoot, a professionally written online dating profile, and plenty of advice.
New Jersey’s Matchmaker Reviews From Real Clients
When it comes to local review sites, you won’t find many New Jersey’s Matchmaker reviews. Julianne Cantarella hasn’t been reviewed on Yelp, and she doesn’t have a listing with the Better Business Bureau.
She does have a handful of Google Reviews, and all but one are glowing – she’s got a 4.8-star rating.
Many of the reviewers praised her date coaching, and two clients said Cantarella’s guidance helped them find a relationship that led to marriage:
Her matchmaking ability garnered rave reviews as well. This client was impressed with her first match and the date that Cantarella arranged:
This client thought she worked hard to find him matches, and that the advice he received during the process made him a better person:
Reviewers like this one also appreciated the personalized customer service:
The one negative review was from a woman who wasn’t happy with the quality of the paying clients she was matched with:
Julianne Cantarella has been matchmaking and date coaching since 2009. So the fact that there aren’t many negative reviews floating around out there is a positive sign. But is she the right one for you?
One thing to consider is how you feel about contracts. Many matchmaking services, like hers, require you to sign a lengthy one. Most will include either a set amount of hold time, or whatever length of time you negotiate into the contract up front.
Your signature means you’re committed for the long haul, even if you meet someone right away or you’re not happy with the service.
What If You Could Find Your Soulmate, Without Signing A Contract?
VIDA Select takes a slightly different approach. Elite matchmaking, date coaching, and online dating help, all without a contract.
Instead, you simply pay-as-you-go, for each month you’d like services. That gives you the flexibility to stop your service any time you’d like to see where things go with one of your high-quality matches, or for any other reason you may need to put your dating life on hold for a bit.
VIDA’s elite matchmakers are plugged in to New Jersey’s biggest pool of singles, which means most of our clients only need a few months of service to find someone special.
You’re introducing yourself to every date with the confidence that comes from knowing she not only meets all your “ideal partner” criteria, she’s already excited to meet you too!
VIDA can change your life, and it all starts with a quick, completely free 20-minute phone consultation with one of our best matchmakers.
Just click here to get started!
