Did you ever wonder how matchmaking worked before the internet?
This weekend, the most famous matchmaking festival in the world takes place in Ireland. The festival hails back to the matchmaking tradition in rural Ireland, where matches between singles were made by travelling salesmen who knew all the singles in the country and introduced them to each other. Unfortunately for those seeking love, there was no internet and no be2 to make matchmaking infinitely easier. Instead, the singles had to travel from all over the country to meet at festivals, where the matchmakers, lots of dancing (and drinking) smoothed the path of love for single men and women.
The largest of these was the matchmaking festival in Lisdoonvarna. The town sports many a resident matchmaker, the annual Matchmaking Festival and even the Matchmaker Bar. Today, the matchmaking festival is the biggest singles festival in Europe, although most visitors aren’t there to search for love. Instead, people gather to dance and have fun.
After all, you can find the love of your life at an online matchmaking website without travelling to Lisdoonvarna. Nevertheless, the history of the matchmaking festival gives an insight into the complications of finding love before the advent of the internet (thank you, Internet, we love you!)

The 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love

At this time forty years ago, in San Francisco people from all walks of life were wearing flowers in their hair, dancing in the streets and embracing the Hippie ideals of love, peace and tolerance. It was the summer of 1967, the Summer of Love. Up to 100,000 people of all ages flocked to the district Haight-Ashbury, where a social utopia was being built. (more…)

Unlike dating sites that let everyone see the personals of their members, be2 only allows members to view profiles that are a good match. Each member who sees your profile at be2 has been selected because their personality is well suited to yours. What sets our matchmaking website apart from a dating site is that be2 personals are individually selected and recommended. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean you can’t improve your chances. The matchmaking website tells another member that your personalities match. After that it’s up to you to make your personal profile so appealing that your match will want to contact you. (more…)

What do you do when your relationship is in trouble? Talk! Sounds simple! And yet it can be so hard. If your relationship is worth saving, then overcome communication issues and start talking straight. In a relationship, each person has a different communication style. You need to acknowledge that your boyfriend or girlfriend’s style may differ from yours. If the boyfriend loves to talk, never letting the girlfriend get a word in, or the girlfriend is a great listener who doesn’t like to share secrets, there’s trouble ahead. Learn to adjust your speaking and listening patterns to your boyfriend or girlfriend’s speech. (more…)

I’m every woman?

You may be THE woman in your man’s life, but never the only woman. As his girlfriend, you are sure to be number one. But if you want to retain the girlfriend-position in his life, make sure you know how to get on with the other women who matter.

1. His mother. The woman who gave birth to him and raised him can exercise great influence over her son. If she disapproves of his girlfriend, you might be gone faster than you can say “Mama’s man.” (more…)

Once upon a time…

Everyone loves a good love story and here at be2 we’re suckers for a romance with a happy ending! That’s why we love to share the best be2 love stories with you. No two love stories are the same, just as no two be2 members are the same. The only thing they all have in common is that they found their soul mate at be2. (more…)

Watch, learn, love…

For those of us who have yet to find true love, romantic films are essential viewing. But rather than watching and yearning, we should be watching and learning. Each Hollywood love fest contains a lesson that can be applied when love comes around. For those who are already in love, they are a great excuse to snuggle in front of the TV and brush up on those romantic skills. (more…)

Find out more “about me”

In our step-by-step guide through the be2 matchmaking profile, you have already learned how to read the be2 Index and the Facts. The section “About me..” is very different from these. (more…)

After you’ve read our first date dos and don’ts,” there are three things you need to keep in mind: location, location, location! Get it right and romance can blossom! The most important thing is a setting where you can both feel relaxed. A first date makes most people nervous, so the location should set you at ease. (more…)