Russian Traditional Matchmaking is a very old and traditional art of finding and introducing two compatible people.
In almost all cultures there were traditional matchmakers. In Russia almost all marriages up to the revolution of
1917 were arranged with the help of these matchmakers. Young people didn't have a free choice to select their
future mates. They were totally dependent on their parents and the professional help of matchmakers.
Sexual attraction (chemistry), was not considered vitally important for a good match. A couple needed to be compatible according to their social status, education and other practical reasons. As a result, these marriages, generally, were very successful. There is a famous Russian proverb: "Choose a matchmaker, not a bride." It shows how highly respected and important was the role of matchmakers in Russian traditions and culture. There were two types of matchmakers in Russia. There were those women who assumed this role as a labor of love, and then there were the professional matchmakers. But, both categories of matchmakers made the search according to the rich and old national wisdom and experience that has been refined and passed down for centuries.. First of all, the matchmaker learned as much as possible about the prospective groom and his family. They would visit men's homes, learning about their lives, income, requirements, problems, etc. Then, they performed a very individual search for a client using their own experience, wisdom and networking resources..
A good matchmaker was not only a headhunter, but also a private detective. She knew how to talk to neighbors (generally to the older women who knew everything about everyone); visit shops and markets where a prospective bride did her shopping, to find her spending habits and frequently more. Remember, unlike modern day America, and until very recently, almost all Russians have lived in a single neighborhood all their lives, and this is still mostly the case. She would also meet with her relatives to find out about her background, her childhood, habits and nuances. If a matchmaker was satisfied with her private investigation, she then arranged the first meeting of the young people. In Russia, this meeting was called "smotrini" (from "looking"). The groom-to-be and his family were invited to the prospective bride's home. If the smotrini was successful, the young couple became engaged.
Highly practical considerations and hundreds of years of traditions developed the right procedure of choosing a mate. Love is blind! This is an expression that you can find in all languages and cultures. It shows that when two people are in love, the chemistry is so high they usually can't see the truth about each other, frequently overlooking the critical importance of the issues related to compatibility. It takes a really good matchmaker, one who is dispassionate and neutral, and one who has a good eye, common sense, experience and knowledge to advise them on the critical matter of compatibility. Moreover, it is especially important for those who live a great distance from each other and who were raised in a different language, culture and traditions.
Our service endeavors to maintain the highest standards of traditional matchmaking. We have agents in Russia whose first duty is to locate very special girls that fit the want descriptions of our clients. We try to find out everything about these ladies that we can to be sure that there are no skeletons in their closets. Also, we introduce our clients to the potential brides by showing them their photos, video and responses to our clients' introduction letters. Only the ladies who show sincere interest towards our clients will be introduced to them.
Meanwhile, here in the USA, I try to find out as much as possible about my clients, working closely with them to explore all issues, endeavoring to discover his real desires and hopes. The truth is important first of all for him. Not knowing the whole truth can produce the wrong results, and cause serious problems in the future marriage. Matchmaking is a two way street. It is not only important to find a desirable and compatible lady for a gentleman, but also to be sure that he is desirable and compatible for her. This takes a good knowledge of both cultures, languages and traditions to create a good match.
This is who we are and what we do.
Sexual attraction (chemistry), was not considered vitally important for a good match. A couple needed to be compatible according to their social status, education and other practical reasons. As a result, these marriages, generally, were very successful. There is a famous Russian proverb: "Choose a matchmaker, not a bride." It shows how highly respected and important was the role of matchmakers in Russian traditions and culture. There were two types of matchmakers in Russia. There were those women who assumed this role as a labor of love, and then there were the professional matchmakers. But, both categories of matchmakers made the search according to the rich and old national wisdom and experience that has been refined and passed down for centuries.. First of all, the matchmaker learned as much as possible about the prospective groom and his family. They would visit men's homes, learning about their lives, income, requirements, problems, etc. Then, they performed a very individual search for a client using their own experience, wisdom and networking resources..
A good matchmaker was not only a headhunter, but also a private detective. She knew how to talk to neighbors (generally to the older women who knew everything about everyone); visit shops and markets where a prospective bride did her shopping, to find her spending habits and frequently more. Remember, unlike modern day America, and until very recently, almost all Russians have lived in a single neighborhood all their lives, and this is still mostly the case. She would also meet with her relatives to find out about her background, her childhood, habits and nuances. If a matchmaker was satisfied with her private investigation, she then arranged the first meeting of the young people. In Russia, this meeting was called "smotrini" (from "looking"). The groom-to-be and his family were invited to the prospective bride's home. If the smotrini was successful, the young couple became engaged.
Highly practical considerations and hundreds of years of traditions developed the right procedure of choosing a mate. Love is blind! This is an expression that you can find in all languages and cultures. It shows that when two people are in love, the chemistry is so high they usually can't see the truth about each other, frequently overlooking the critical importance of the issues related to compatibility. It takes a really good matchmaker, one who is dispassionate and neutral, and one who has a good eye, common sense, experience and knowledge to advise them on the critical matter of compatibility. Moreover, it is especially important for those who live a great distance from each other and who were raised in a different language, culture and traditions.
Our service endeavors to maintain the highest standards of traditional matchmaking. We have agents in Russia whose first duty is to locate very special girls that fit the want descriptions of our clients. We try to find out everything about these ladies that we can to be sure that there are no skeletons in their closets. Also, we introduce our clients to the potential brides by showing them their photos, video and responses to our clients' introduction letters. Only the ladies who show sincere interest towards our clients will be introduced to them.
Meanwhile, here in the USA, I try to find out as much as possible about my clients, working closely with them to explore all issues, endeavoring to discover his real desires and hopes. The truth is important first of all for him. Not knowing the whole truth can produce the wrong results, and cause serious problems in the future marriage. Matchmaking is a two way street. It is not only important to find a desirable and compatible lady for a gentleman, but also to be sure that he is desirable and compatible for her. This takes a good knowledge of both cultures, languages and traditions to create a good match.
This is who we are and what we do.