Zebra Misc

Love Is In The Air At It’s Just Lunch

With more and more people venturing out into the world, post 2020 quarantine, dating (and love) is in the air. Read more here!

Julie and Terry, a D.C. area couple who met through IJL D.C. in late 2019, dated during the pandemic and recently got engaged in December 2020!

Alexandria, VA – “It’s taking a chance. If you haven’t taken a chance, what’s the worst that can happen?” states Kate O’Connor, professional matchmaker in the DMV for It’s Just Lunch.

With more and more people venturing out into the world, post 2020 quarantine, dating (and love) is in the air.

“People are coming out of the woodwork,” O’Connor says. “In the last three months, we’ve seen a huge increase in clients.”

O’Connor states that the clients that are using their matchmaking services aren’t just people that were stuck at home the past last year and realized they are wanting a serious connection. Some clients haven’t dated for years and no longer want to feel alone!

Does thinking about heading back out into the dating scene cause your stomach to flip and your palms to start sweating? Dating is nerve-wracking! According to O’Connor, this is quite a common way to feel about dating, especially if you’ve lost practice.

“A lot of people will say they want something but are too afraid [to pursue],” laments O’Connor. “People are scared, nobody wants to get rejected.”

That’s where someone like Katie comes in. A professional matchmaker like her will make sure that clients will work to get over that hump of negative self-talk and the fears that are holding them back. The matchmaker is someone clients can deflect to and the person that will give them that little push to get on dates and meeting new people that could potentially be “the one.”

During the quarantine, O’Connor recalls that they were faced with changing the format of It’s Just Lunch’s service to focus on making connections virtually rather than in person. Luckily, the transition from in-person to virtual was a total success! Currently, clients are encouraged to safely meet in person and take full advantage of the reopening of restaurants.

“It’s about getting people out of their houses and getting in a space with one another.”

One surprising thing that has come of out the transition to virtual is that long-distance relationships are more common now. People are working remotely and can be living anywhere, as long as they have good internet connection.

“[Clients] that are working remotely can decide to live in Florida for a few months and they don’t want to do that alone so that’s where the ability to sustain a long-distance relationship comes in,” notes O’Connor.

O’Connor does mention that the clients that seek guidance from matchmakers at It’s Just Lunch aren’t looking for flings.

“They’re busy, the last thing that they want to do is go and chit chat all day long, especially if they are 50 +,” states O’Connor. “Women are looking to date safely; they don’t just want to go out with whoever. Our clients are looking for a serious relationship, whether that’s long-term commitment or marriage.”

Love is love and while O’Connor doesn’t have connections in the LGTBQ+ community, It’s Just Lunch does have a resource to help LGTBQ+ folks have meaningful dates.

Kate O’Connor

Everyone is deserving of creating relationships that bring joy and connection and the matchmakers at It’s Just Lunch are there to help! If you’d like more information on how an awesome matchmaker like Kate O’Connor can help you navigate the world of dating, check out their website here!

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