|
Matchmakers often charge clients anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 or more a year — not including "marriage bonuses" that can reach six figures.
Mrs. Clampitt's matchmaking business, VIP Life in New York, has led to more than 30 marriages and caters to an elite crowd. Six months of unlimited introductions cost a client $10,000, while a year costs $20,000. On the high end, some matchmakers receive up to $100,000 or more from clients, said Kailen Rosenberg, a matchmaker in Minnesota who works with both national and international clients. She charges from $5,000 to $25,000 per client, depending on travel requirements and the extent of her services.
Despite an often high price tag, matchmakers say there is an immense demand for their services, especially in metropolitan areas, where singles work long hours and say they just don't have the time or energy to search on their own. Mrs. Clampitt partly attributed the recent popularity of the matchmaking industry to a growing number of singles who are fed up with Internet dating but still want help. She and several matchmakers cited class-action lawsuits against various Internet dating Web sites as helping to shift attention back to individual matchmakers.
| 
