Hello! Magazine UK – 19 August 2019

‘I wish I could get my hands

on Jennifer Aniston. I could

definitely find love for her’

coaching and styling, but Lara is adamantthat

wealth isn’t the essential factor. “It isn’tabout

millionaires. It’s about people with class. Idon’t

care how much money someone has in thebank,

if they can’t behave properly on a date andcharm

someone, they’re not going to be on our books.”

The first step for Lara is to meet a potential

client, usually over a drink in a hotel. It’s oftenat

that point that people reveal their dreamdate.

“Many women say the actor Henry Cavill.For

men, Kate Beckinsale is mentioned quitea lot.

And Jennifer Aniston. I wish I could get myhands

onher,I coulddefinitelyfindloveforher.

“We’vehadquitea fewhigh-profilepeopleon

ourbooks:actors,models,billionaires.It’s

difficultforthemtomeetsomebodyonTinder

sotheycometous,”saysLara.

Thebusinessgrewfromherownmatchmaking

skillwithfriends.“I wasthenosyoneandwhenI

leftuniI hada greatnetworkoffriends.I’d

arrangecasualmatchesandpeoplewouldsay:‘Do

youknowanyoneformyfriend?’It seemedlikea

no-brainertoturnit intoa business,”explains

Lara,whosawa gapinthemarketfora dating

agencytargetedat themosteligible,charmingand

successful.OriginallycalledSloaneArranger,the

namechangewasneededwhenit wentglobal:

“PeopleinAmericaandtheMiddleEastdidn’tget

thepunandI wasforeverexplainingit.”

Larabelievesthedatingworldhaschangedin

thelastfiveyears:“We’vebecomeconditionedto

thinkofrelationshipsassomethingthatcanbe

swipe-righted,whichmakesitveryflippant.

Physicalattractionis onlyonepartofit.”

FIRST-DATEETIQUETTE

Sheconcedesthatfirstencountersaretricky.“Try

toberelaxed,keepit to 90 minutesanddon’t

gushaboutyourself.TMI[toomuchinformation]

is nota goodthing.Mysterysaysa lot,peopleare

attractedtoanairofmystique.”

FastforwardtowhenEliseis a teenager:how

willthismatchmakermumholdbackongiving

anopiniononboyfriends?“JuansaysElisewillbe

30 beforeshegoesona dateandallboyfriends

willhavetogothroughhim,”shelaughs.“I’llbe

protective,too,butI’llbefinewithit. I’llbethere

listeningtoherdatestories,saying:‘Tellme

abouthim,darling,what’shelike?’”

Forbehind-the-scenesvideofromourexclusive

photoshoot,visithellomagazine.com.TheUltimate

MatchmakerstartsonWChannel(UKTV)onAugust 5

at11pm.

H

(RIGHT) JUAN’S SHIRT: JAEGER. JEANS: CORDINGS. LARA’S DRESS: REBECCA TAYLOR AT TRILOGYSTORES.CO.UK. (BELOW) LARA’S SHIRT: VINCE AT TRILOGYSTORES.CO.UK. JEANS: PAIGE AT HARVEY NICHOLS. ELISE’S DRESS: ZARA: JUAN’S SHIRT: JAEGER. JEANS: CORDINGS

INTERVIEW: JANE DOWDESWELL

PHOTOS: DAN KENNEDY

STYLING: SOPHIE KENNINGHAM AT FRANK AGENCY

HAIR & MAKE-UP: GARY COCKERILL

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS: FILMMAGIC. WIREIMAGE. (LEFT) JUAN’S SHIRT: JAEGER. JEANS: CORDINGS. LARA’S DRESS: FORTE_FORTE AT HARVEY NICHOLS

Would-be

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