Ask a Matchmaker

This week, we have reality TV royalty joining us to answer YOUR dating questions! Their unique story of how they became a couple adds some unique insight into the dating arena. Doug Hehner and Jamie Otis are the "OG" couple of the popular reality series Married at First Sight. After meeting at the alter 6 years ago, they are still happily married and have 2 beautiful rainbow babies, Henley Grace & Hendrix Douglas. Their journey to getting pregnant wasn't easy, as they had many losses, however like Jamie says, after the storm comes the rainbow! Doug won Jamie over with his wit, charm and patience, just as Jamie won Doug over with her caring nature, and determined spirit. Now, they host the top podcast, Hot Marriage, Cool Parents together, and have a YouTube channel with over 50k subscribers. Jamie also host Married at First Sight: Unfiltered & they are currently filming Married at First Sight: Couples Cam on Lifetime. In this episode, the three discuss some behind the scenes dirt on Married at First Sight, who should pay on dates, the mental health struggles that come with having a baby and how important looks play in first meeting a match. Listen to Doug and Jamie's podcast, "Hot Marriage, Cool Parents" Follow Jame on Instagram Follow Doug on Instagram Find Doug and Jamie on YouTube Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match's Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

This week, you're getting not one, but TWO matchmakers! Joining Maria on this week's episode is her work husband, the Chief Operating Officer and Matchmaker at Agape Match, Louie Felix! Louie Felix is matchmaking industry leader. His corporate startup and acquisition background brought him to the forefront of the relationship industry when he was contracted for the acquisition for a high end Beverly Hills-based matchmaking company. From there, he went on to serve as the CEO of two of the country's largest matchmaking companies, as well as simultaneously acquiring and running the largest dating company in California. With these ventures, Louie has been responsible for the successful matchmaking efforts of more than 50,000 clients worldwide. He joined Agape Match's team in 2018 and is the "gatekeeper" matchmaker. He decides if new potential clients are a good fit for Agape Match or if they may be better suited at another service because, like Maria, he believes that your first match must be with your matchmaker. Topics discussed this week include: - How soon is it okay to meet a potential match's children?- Is it okay to be picky about a potential match's education?- Is it okay to try to date your neighbor?- When is it a good idea to move in with a partner? Schedule a call with Louie! Find Louie on Instagram Follow Maria on Instagram Have a question for Maria? Visit askamatchmaker.com Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

Have you ever read the wedding announcements in a newspaper or magazine and just rolled your eyes? Sometimes it feels more like a bad chapter from a novel than real life. Heck, it feels more like some really odd flex than actually announcing your love for someone! Well, our guest today loves taking those announcements and having some fun with them. Meet the voice of the @NYTVows parody account, comedian Selena Coppock! Selena Coppock is a standup comedian, writer, author, and storyteller based in NYC. She is the creator and voice of @NYTVows, the parody Twitter and Instagram account that lampoons the New York Times Wedding section, the wedding industrial complex, WASPs, and courtship rituals of the rich and insufferable. She is also the creator and host of TWO WICK MINIMUM, America's favorite and only podcast about candles. Follow NYTVows on Twitter and Instagram Find Selena on Twitter Check out Selena's podcast, Two Wick Minimum, on Apple Podcasts Follow Maria on Instagram http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

We're living in a revolutionary moment in society. Conversations about race are at the forefront. But how does it affect dating? This week is double the fun! You get not one, but TWO love and dating professionals to answer your questions! Maria is joined by dating coach and media personality Damonda Hoffman! Damona Hoffman is a dating coach & media personality who starred in two A+E Networks' TV series: #BlackLove and A Question of Love. She's a regular contributor to The LA Times, The Washington Post, NPR, CNN Headline News (HLN), BET.com, and more. She also hosts and produces the weekly podcast, Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman. Find Damona's podcast, Dates & Mates Follow Damona on Instagram Follow Maria on Instagram Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

This week's guest is truly a wordsmith. Not only does her articles resonate and make you think, her tweets go viral all the time. Just recently, Hillary Clinton even retweeted her!!! What can we learn about the power of our words to build relationships with others, even getting that first date? Charlotte Clymer is a writer and LGBTQ advocate. She recently finished a tour as the press secretary for rapid response at the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization. Currently, she is working on her first book, soon-to-be announced. Find Charlotte on Twitter Find Charlotte on Instagram Follow Maria on Instagram Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

How we grow up can dictate how we act in our relationships as adults, whether we consciously know it or not. We might learn about these habits the hard way. How would growing up in a religious movement that some describe as an apocalyptic cult affect you as an adult? Could you imagine that? Today, Matchmaker Maria speaks with author Flor Edwards and her twin sister Tamar Edwards. By age twelve, Flor and Tamar had lived in 24 different locations across three continents. Always on the move to escape the Antichrist and in preparation for the Apocalypse in 1993, their nomadic childhood prompted Flor to pen her memoir Apocalypse Child: A Life in End Times. Flor movingly describes her early life growing up with her family and 11 siblings as a member of The Children of God, a controversial religious movement that many describe as an apocalyptic cult. Tamar works in health and wellness and is currently in the process of receiving her certification as a sex and intimacy coach. Get Flor's book, Apocalypse Child: A Life in End Times can be found on Amazon here. Find Flor on Instagram Visit Flor's website Follow Maria on Instagram Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

We all have dating stories that are easy to look back at and see how we should have gotten out of it early on. Some are silly to look at and some seem so dangerous. But it isn't easy to see what's going on when we're in the middle of it. This week, Maria is sharing one story, hoping you might learn from it and maybe share this with someone that might be in the middle of their own toxic relationship. Sharing her story this week is writer Zoë Gulliksen. She's worked at a wealth of different places including Gotham News, The New York Public Library, MoviePass, and Midtown Comics. While working as a movie journalist she interviewed talent such as Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Colin Firth, Ryan Gosling, Leonardo DiCaprio, and many more. She's written a blog post about her toxic relationship that has been seen by many people. So much so that anyone who has tried to date this guy since they find the blog post, saving themselves from potential disaster! Follow Zoë on Twitter Follow Zoë on Instagram Follow Maria on Instagram Have a question for Maria? Visit askamatchmaker.com Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

We all have one of two things: a romance we've seen on TV or a movie that we LOVE and a romance we've seen on TV or a movie that we can't stand. Maybe because we don't like the people OR we think "There's no way that would actually happen!" So much of our society's ideas on what a relationship could be or how it forms comes from movies. It's screwed up how we look at romance. This week, we're doing something different. We're diving into pop culture and finding out what's good, what's bad and what's wrong with love and relationships in movies, TV and music. And we have our resident pop culture geek with us to help, comedian Gus Constantellis! Gus Constantellis is a first generation Greek-American LGBTQ+ stand up comedian/writer. He regularly performs at Caroline's on Broadway, Stand Up NY, and all over the tristate area. He brings his unique perspective of growing up in NYC with immigrant parents to his standup, writing, and vibrant personality. If you're Greek, you probably know him from the "Greek Mom" bits that we all are obsessed with. Find Gus on Instagram Watch Gus's stand up special "Pepper" on Instagram Follow Maria on Instagram Have a question for Maria? Visit askamatchmaker.com Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

He's been answering dating and relationship questions for years on the JTrain podcast! Now he's our special guest this week to answer YOUR questions… it's Jared Freid! Jared Freid is a comedian based out of New York City. His comedy is current and reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if everyone you know is a millennial, obsessed with dating apps, trying to be a real adult and worried about their body. He's a regular at the Comedy Cellar, Caroline's on Broadway, and Gotham. He hosts the JTrain podcast and co-hosts a modern dating podcast called "U Up?" with Jordana Abraham of Betches. This discussed in this episode: Find Jared on Instagram Check out the JTrain podcast on Apple Podcasts Find more about Jared at jaredfreid.com Follow Maria on Instagram Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

What do Jeopardy! and dating have in common? No, Alex Trebek isn't single, he's happily married, sorry to disappoint you. But you can learn so much about how to approach dating and relationships by how top competing contestants on the show prepare to play the game. And this week's guest is just the person to help… Jeopardy! Champion and Author of the new book, "Get Ready: A Champion's Guide to Preparing for the Moments That Matter," Buzzy Cohen! Buzzy Cohen took America by storm during his ten-game run on Jeopardy! in 2016. His distinctive sharp look, broad knowledge base, and irreverent sense of humor captured people's attention like no other contestant had before. This led to coverage on the likes of Buzzfeed and Vanity Fair, as well as appearances on Good Morning America and Entertainment Tonight. Winning the 2017 Tournament of Champions only bolstered his position as a fan favorite - his gutsy bets and playful attitude with Alex Trebek and other contestants made his competition an all-time favorite for many viewers including yours truly. Cohen returned as one of the six captains for the Season 35 "All-Star Games" where his charm and personality took center stage among such luminaries as Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. He is often cited, by no-less than the NY Times, as a possible replacement host for Alex Trebek. In hs new book "Get Ready- A Champion's Guide to Preparing for the Moments That Matter", Buzzy draws on his own experience as well as interviews with other top performers (from musicians and federal prosecutors to glassblowers and competitive coffee brewers) to teach listeners how the unique preparation method he developed can help them train for high-pressure performance situations in their own lives: interviews, exams, speeches, and even dating! Things discussed in this episode include… Get Buzzy's book, "Get Ready: A Champion's Guide to Preparing for the Moments That Matter," on Audible. Find Buzzy on Twitter. Follow Maria on Instagram Have a question for Maria? Want to be part of an upcoming live taping of Ask a Matchmaker on Zoom? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com