What?
Speed Dating is similar to a cocktail party, but you have the opportunity to meet each person of the opposite sex on a one-on-one basis. You will chat for 6 minutes with each of your dates – just enough time to figure out who you’d like to see again. Unlike a blind date, there’s no pressure – once we ring the bell, the gentlemen stand up and rotate to the next woman. Contrary to a nightclub, the guys don’t need to muster the courage to approach a woman – the only courage they need is to attend the party. Nor do the ladies need to shoot glances around the bar and wait around for a guy to approach them – they can take control and broaden their dating pool. Fishbowl hosts are there to ensure the drinks are flowing and the dates are rolling.
Where?
We’ve hosted events at numerous Beijing hotspots, mostly in the Sanlitun area, such as Opposite House, Hotel G, Face Bar, Yin Bar, Kro’s Nest, and Salud.
How?
Each event has an equal number of gentlemen and ladies. You will go on a series of one-on-one “mini dates”, each lasting approximately 6 minutes. Once the host signals, the ladies will stay seated, while the gentlemen stand up and rotate to the next table giving you a chance to speak with everyone.
You’ll be given a card to make notes as you go along and after the mini-dates are complete, you will be given time to fill out the a speed dating card and decide who you would like to see again, who you’d like to remain “friends” with.
The hosts will collect the cards and compare them to the other attendees. Within 2 to 3 days you will receive an email and find out if there are any “matches” i.e. anyone you chose that also chose you. You’ll then be free to contact them via email.
Who goes?
Our events are attended by English speakers within the age range of 25-35. Most participants are professionals living in Beijing, both locals and foreigners alike. We pride our events on having well rounded, out-going participants. We advertise exclusively in English magazines to ensure a certain professional and educational level of participants. Additionally this creates a nice balance of local Chinese and foreign professionals.
When you come to a speed dating event, you’ll find that there are lots of other people out there that are also looking to meet others in a relaxed and natural way.
Also you won’t get stuck with anyone you don’t get along with – the whole idea of speed dating is to meet lots of people quickly and then decide who you want to spend more time with.
Concerns
Case of the nerves – Many people feel nervous when they arrive at a speed dating event. Don’t worry – everyone is in the “same boat” and most likely other attendees are feeling a similar apprehension. There’s really no time to feel awkward because the rounds are so quick. After the 1st or 2nd round you will warm up to the process and feel excited about the possibilities. Most people are surprised at how easy the whole speed dating process is, and how the conversation flows.
Safety – We create a safe, public environment at our parties and we respect our participants’ personal information. We only release your email address to others if there is a “match”. While we request your cell phone number upon registration, it will be used for confirmation purposes only. We do not distribute or share your information with others without your permission.
Repeat attendees – If you have attended one of our speed dating parties previously and are apprehensive to bump into the same participants, don’t worry. We keep careful records of who attended which parties and will notify if that is the case. That way you will meet a new group of women or men at the next party.
Cost?
The cost is ￥150 and will includes admission to the event, participation in “mini dates,” one beverage, and an email following the event with your speed dating card results. Depending on the location, canopies and appetizers may also be included.
What now?
We require advanced registration for all our events to ensure that we have a balanced number of gentlemen and ladies. We highly recommend you register early to reserve space. Our parties are by reservation only and walk-ins will be not allowed to participate. Additionally, if you register, but need to cancel, please do so in a timely manner.
Click here for some speed dating tips: Speed Dating Tips