An Edinburgh woman behind a matchmaking agency set up to help hopeless singles in lockdown is now engaged after pairing with her ex who turned to the service for help.
Laura Smyth, 34, founded Match Made in Scotland in 2020 after she and many friends found it difficult to navigate dating through the pandemic and grew tired of dating apps.
With a wealth of experience in the recruitment agency, Laura trusted her instincts and used her skills to kick start the dating business which is thriving today and celebrating the first engagement through the service.
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The special occasion is even more unique as it is Laura herself who is the bride to be.
The matchmaker met her dream man after an old flame from university came to the service for help.
Emmanuel Duah, 31, reached out after Laura wished her ex a happy birthday, asking to make use of her match making business when he was ready to find the one.
During the process to find a match for Emmanuel, the pair realised they were made for each other and the rest is history.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live Laura Smyth said: "I set it up in November 2020 as my friends were all successful women who were fed up of the dating apps and feeling quite demoralised by them.
"They were anxious that they would not be able to meet anyone during the pandemic and their whole plan of getting married and having children would be impacted.
"One of my friends could not use the apps because of her high profile job. I felt that there must be a lot more people in the same boat and with my 10 years recruitment experience I thought that I have the skills and the network to set up the business.
"It has been incredibly successful and I'm not looking to take on another matchmaker to keep up with demand and I also have a waiting list at the moment as I only take on a certain number of people every month."
It turns out that starting her own business has led to the independent woman achieving not one of her dreams but two after coming back into contact with an old flame through her dating service.
The matchmaker explained: "When I was at university 10 years ago a cocky student, Emmanuel, came to chat me up while I was studying.
"Intrigued by his confidence I decided to go on a date but after a few dates it fizzled out.
"However, in true millennial fashion we remained Facebook friends, despite living in Edinburgh for the last ten years we never bumped into each other yet we chatted periodically when Facebook told us it was the others' birthday.
"In November 2020 when I set up my matchmaking service. I invited all of my Facebook friends to like the page and I get a message from Emmanuel asking what the company was about.
"I told him if he was single he should sign up.... He said he wouldn't use a matchmaker. Fair enough. Roll on May 2021 and I sent him the customary Happy Birthday message and he suddenly decided that we would like to join the service."
Taken aback Laura signed Emmanuel up and began the screening process in the form of a long walk to find out exactly what he was looking for.
"The same week we meet for a consultation in the city centre. I walk in and the attraction was still there but the cocky young university student had disappeared and instead there was a successful, intelligent, confident man.
"Excellent! My clients will snap him up! We have a two hour consultation where he tells me everything about his values, relationship goals, past relationships, lessons learned, what he wants in a future partner and in my head I'm thinking- this is exactly what I want -but ever the professional I say nothing" she exclaimed.
Turns out the feeling was mutual when her cheeky now fiancée took the chance and suggested they go on a date.
"Then despite him telling me he is no longer cocky he says to me.... 'So why don't you just match us up?'
"Now for me I had just taken the decision to leave a long-term relationship and had decided to remain single for a year and focus on building my business.
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"'You and I?', I questioned. 'Sure, we both want the same things, we have the same values and we are attracted to each other, so why not? It's just one date!'
"I sat and thought, who gets the chance to grill a potential partner like I have? I would be crazy to not go on the date when I know what I want and he is telling me he wants the same" she said.
Laura was unsure whether to take the risk but went with her gut feeling and agreed to a date and one thing led to another.
She said: "If I was my own client what would I advise me? I need to practise what I preach.
"So two days later we went for a date and we have been inseparable ever since and on 23rd March he asked me to marry him and I said yes!"
The savvy matchmaker also shared her three top tips for any singles looking for love including: "Follow your instincts, don't worry about what other people will think and love can come from the most unexpected places- go explore."
