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Matchmaker Offers High End Road To Happily Ever After

BIRMINGHAM (WWJ) - If your love life could use some work this Valentine's Day, why not consider hiring a matchmaker?

Kerrie Schneider of Bella Introductions in Birmingham says people with shared core values make the best matches. Her clients pay  between $300 and $10,000 for services and fill out a 15 page questionnaire about their ideal mate.

"Men tend to go along with he more physical aspect of things, right ... they're more visual. Women tend to look more toward a degree and education, job stability, and somebody that's commitment minded," Schneider said.

Schneider told WWJ Newsradio 950's Marie Osborne she advises clients, on the first date, to avoid controversial subjects such as politics and religion.

Also: "Certainly don't talk about ex-spouses, ex-girlfriends, ex-boyfriends. Do not go there," Schneider said. "Please do not answer your cell phone in the middle of the date; do not text while you're at dinner -- that is such a turnoff ... Once I had a nose picker!"

One more important piece of advice:  Don't hop right into bed.

"At times I think we all feel like maybe [sex] is the one thing that's going to capture him or her, and the sad reality is -- what is there to explore further once that's happened? So that can wait," she said. "Hold onto that aspect. You will never regret waiting to get intimate with

So, in an age when a person is connected to hundreds of others via social media, why is it so hard to meet people?

"Ironically, we're doing less social networking," Schneider said. "People are really ... even though the technology is easier to get in front of other people, it's prohibiting them from really getting down to that face-to-face: Who are you? What are you looking for? You know, the old-fashioned," Schneider said.

Schneider said her database is packed with professionals who often don't have time to look for a match.

Schneider said she has better than a 65 percent success rate in getting someone in a long-term relationship.

Think you're ready to try a matchmaker? Check out the website here.

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