'Married At First Sight' is "wasting everybody’s time" says pro matchmaker

If the Married At First Sight experts want to boost their success rate, they should focus on finding a female who meets the male’s visual criteria according to this Brisbane matchmaker.

Source: Seven Network

If a relationship is going to get off the ground it’s all about meeting a guy’s visual needs, according to matchmaker Linda Prescott.

“The way a man’s brain works is that if he doesn’t have an attraction to start it doesn’t grow,” she explains.

“Those experts from Married At First Sight (MAFS) are wasting everybody’s time.”

For a woman it’s all about the emotional connection, Linda explains, which attraction can grow from.

“If they were actual matchmakers they would get that but they are not, they are psychologists.”

Linda has former reality TV show contestants on her books, including one from MAFS who told her, "The experts are not there to help you at all. The only time they have conversations with you is when the cameras are rolling.”

Some decisions made by producers, such as the ‘wife swap’ on last season’s show, was “horrendous, it is making a mockery of marriage,” according to Linda.

But for professional matchmaker Ashley Grant, MAFS and the other reality dating shows have given his business a boost.

“People are getting inspired to get back out there, we do get registrations increasing quite a lot when these shows are on.”

So what does a matchmaker actually do?

“We profile the person so we know what’s going to work and then we educate them on how to date,” Linda says.

For the cost of $975 for a six month membership a client will not only get matched with someone, they will also be given an extensive guidebook on how to act on a date. This includes advice on what the opposite sex generally likes and dislikes – Linda’s hot tip, women should never rock up late to a date. Linda and her team also provide feedback after the first date and offer the chance to work through any concerns with their clients.

Dipak Mankodi is a sales manger by day but he spends his weeknights and weekends tending to his database of relationship seekers. The matchmaker asks new clients to fill out questionnaires that include questions like: "How would you parent describe your personality?"

He then matches people who he believes are well suited and helps them organize a face-to-face meeting -- but it's rarely a match made at first sight. 

“That is when I step back and let them take their time to make their own decisions.”