As the world of online dating continues to expand, some Washingtonians seek an old-fashioned approach. Catering to the needs to busy professionals, Georgetown’s own cupid, Ann Wood, is making matches long after Valentine’s Day has come and gone.

Wood opened her shop, The Matchmaker, located at 1313 29th St. between N and Dumbarton Avenue, in 1986. Originally a journalist, she is now self-employed as a matchmaker for urban professionals in their 30s in the D.C. area.

After traveling from London to Timbuktu as a freelance journalist, she settled in Washington, D.C., conducting interviews for a matchmaking organization headquartered in New York. This experience motivated her to start her own matchmaking company.

“I am looking for intelligent, trained people who make their own decisions.” Wood said, explaining that she matches up potential love birds who are “well-educated and thoughtful.”

Wood is careful to match people who have similar interests and education backgrounds. “My job is discrimination,” she said.
When Wood decides to make a match, she provides her clientele with accurate information about potential partners. After that, the couple has to provide the sparks.

“I leave the chemistry to them,” she said.

Her clientele consists of 30- to 50-year-old urban professionals who often visit her office on their lunch hour. A year’s consulting from the The Matchmaker is $1,000, which Wood argues is comparable to the amount spent on online dating services.

Interested clients either stop by her Georgetown office or submit a personal questionnaire that is accessible on Wood’s official site.

After that, Wood either matches them with an existing client, or keeps them in mind for future clients.

When a match is made for heterosexual couples, Wood notifies the man first, and then the woman. If both agree to a meeting, Wood’s rule is that the man must contact the woman first.

“The important thing for a woman is to make it a social conversation and a negotiation,” she said.

Wood declined to elaborate on the success rate of her business or how many clients she receives per week.

— Kayla Branson