Speed dating has been around for a while in the U.S. and the U.K. but it is relatively new in Spain. Many people are still not aware of what speed dating involves. Is it about dating people who are turned on by fast cars or high speed trains? Not really. Is it about going to a singles bar and talking as fast as you can? Getting warmer, but still no cigar!
Speed dating is in fact a safe, fun and well-organised dating activity, which brings together like-minded singles, who just want to meet new and single people and have a good time! At a speed dating event you meet 15 singles in your age group and spend 5 minutes with each person.
Sarah Allibone of DateClub Spain explains how it all works. Sarah founded DateClub Spain in 2006 and has been organizing highly successful speed dating events and singles parties in Barcelona ever since.
“DateClub is all about bringing together professional and interesting people whose paths might normally never cross, and spending a fun evening in informal surroundings. And of course the big bonus is that you meet up to 15 singles of the opposite sex in one night. That’s quite a lot for anyone over 20!
If you are a busy foreign or Spanish professional in the age group mid-twenties to fifties, then meeting new and single people takes time and effort. Work considerations, visitors from abroad, week-ends away and so on often mean that you might normally only meet 15 singles in a whole year! And that was probably a good year!
But if you come to a few speed-dating events or one of our singles parties then in just a few weeks, you will have met so many lovely and single people that your chances of finding a partner are pretty big! It might even be your "media naranja" which is the Spanish term for a soul mate. The literal translation is "half orange!"
I have so many people who have found “The One” after just a few visits, although I can’t promise that you won’t find a few “half lemons” along the way. The trick is not to be disappointed if you don’t find a soul mate the very first time. Give it another chance. And in the meantime have fun!
That’s the thing I am most proud of about DateClub Spain. Everyone who has been at the speed dating events and the parties has really enjoyed themselves! They have met people, made new friends and many have found new partners.
People log on to the DateClub Spain website (see links below) and book onto the event they are interested in. Events are differentiated by type and by age group. They book their place on the event by paying online through the secure means of PayPal or by bank transfer. They then complete a personal profile online, with as much or as little detail as they like. The website also provides helpful hints on making the most out of the event.
At the event:
Events usually start at around 9pm in a quiet and centrally-located bar in Barcelona. This gives people a chance to mingle for around 30 minutes before the speed dating starts. The organiser gives everyone a badge and scorecard, and explains how the evening works.
At the start of the event, all of the girls take their seats at a numbered table around the room. The girls stay seated in the same place during the entire evening, while the guys move around the tables, spending five minutes talking with each girl. When the bell rings to denote the end of each five minute ‘date’, both guys and girls write on their scorecard something that reminds them of that person (eg “C3 - Javi, nice eyes, journalist…”) and then move onto the next.
The process normally takes a couple of hours, including a break in the middle. At the end of the evening, there’s a chance to have a drink with everyone and to continue a conversation you may have started with someone during the event.
After the event:
The next day, you log onto the DateClub website, and can see the profiles of everyone who was at the event the night before. You then electronically “tick” up to seven people that you would like to see again. If you tick them, and they also tick you, you have a “match”. You then receive each other’s email addresses, and the rest is up to you…..
If you tick someone and they don’t tick you, don’t worry….all the ticks are anonymous unless you have “matched”. Consequently, if you didn’t like someone, and they tick you, there is no way they can get your email address. You can enter your ticks on the website for up to one week after the event.
Sarah, who tried speed dating three times in the UK before deciding to set up her own company in Spain, says, “It’s all completely safe and confidential. It’s much more personal than internet dating, because you meet in a safe environment, in a group setting and you can see immediately who you are meeting. With the internet, it is much easier to “invent” a persona”.
“And the best thing is that you only have to spend 5 minutes with someone, so if you find you have little in common, you haven’t lost anything.”
What people are saying about Speed dating in Barcelona
Marta Perez tried speed dating for the first time this autumn. She says, “I was a bit sceptical at first, but after being single for quite a while, I decided to give it a go. The event was great. My initial fear disappeared after a few minutes, as everyone was in the same boat and it was all very relaxed, fun and informal.
I met 13 really nice, normal men, who seemed genuinely interested in meeting someone special. No one seemed “desperate” or “weird”! I found I did so much talking that I almost lost my voice the next day! I ticked five people, received four matches and received a total of seven ticks. Although love didn’t blossom that night, I made two very good friends, and had a brilliant confidence boost. I would definitely try it again.”
Longer working hours and the impersonality of living in a city can make finding that special someone difficult for the growing numbers of single 30 and 40-somethings. But with DateClub, it seems that five minutes really could change your life.
The next day, you log onto the DateClub website, and can see the profiles of everyone who was at the event the night before. You then electronically “tick” up to seven people that you would like to see again. If you tick them, and they also tick you, you have a “match”. You then receive each other’s email addresses, and the rest is up to you….. 
