'Love Match Atlanta' takes a look at Black romance

“Love Match Atlanta” premiering on Bravo this Sunday, March 8th, is looking to change the debate on how dating in the modern era for young professionals, mainly Black women, looks.

The program delves into the lives professional matchmakers in Atlanta, each serving a demographic.

“Everyone wants love and everyone deserves,” is Shae Primus motto.

She is CEO of the Middle Class-Matchmaker. She’s a certified matchmaker specializing in connecting single, middle-class professionals. Primus requires her clients to meet with a trained psychologist to determine if they are mentally ready to tackle the dating scene.

Partners Kelli Fisher and Tana Gilmore of Matchmaking Duo have been making matches for more than 12 years, helping business women all over the country. They have recruiters all over the country, but their home base is Atlanta, and they are one of the most sought-after matchmaking services for Black Women in the US. Clients must participate in relationship coaching, image consulting and a professional photoshoot.

Joseph Dixon is the CEO/Founder/Matchmaker at RealBlackLove.com. As a straight man in the matchmaking industry, he brings a different perspective to the dating expertise field. He designed his own “Real Black Love” dating app in 2013, and it quickly grew to have nearly 500,000 members. He even met his girlfriend via his dating app. His clients are a collection of businessmen to professional athletes, and his services can cost up to $30,000 if you want to receive his Elite subscription.

Rounding out the matchmakers is Ming Clark, owner of Color Blind International. A dating experience gone south inspired her to switch careers and become a matchmaker herself. A year into her new endeavor, she met her husband and that union became the focus of the business by concentrating on interracial dating. Their services can cost up to $100,000.

These experts will appear in the new reality show “Love Match Atlanta.”

One of the hurdles they face is how to create reasonable expectations of their clientele to ensure a smooth experience.

“Tanner and I specialize in Black women. One of the challenges is the culture when you think about how Black women are raised. We are taught to get our education, which doesn’t translate into how good of a wife you are. While it’s great to be educated, we must ask what it means to be a girlfriend, and what it means to be in that role in a family,” were Kelli Fisher’s thoughts.

Tana Gilmore added, “I’m going to echo that. We were never taught relationship 101. Kelli and I did a college speaking tour a few years back, just teaching basic relationship skills in that space are the highest concentrations of singles.”

Primus wants to share “that we are also in a time where we are caught between the traditional and the modern.”

The experts all agree that part of the issue in today’s dating scene is that people fail to come as themselves but rather bring their titles first, making it hard to build the foundation for a friendship.

As the lone male in the group, Joseph Dixon shared that “87% of all men are married to Black Women. There are also plenty of Black men available for Black women; however, Black women are indeed more educated than their counterparts. So, the disparity in education creates an issue for Black men. Educated Black women want to date an educated Black man and it therefore constricts their dating pool.”

In light of recent internet comments, experts were asked if males are failing to exhibit attributes that bring out the feminine side in women.

“It has to be established, the purpose of the dating. A man searching for a wife will ask different questions and take a different approach vs. a man looking for a hookup,” Dixon explained.

“I would be offended if all you wanted from me is someone to cook and clean. The dating approach is different when you are dating in your 30’s and 40’s because you both established yourselves by that age,” Primus said.

The demographics that often get ignored or sent out to pasture are adults dating 40 and over. The matchmakers shared their approach for this growing group of singles.

“At this point in their lives, many have been married before and know what they want and don’t want,” Clark pointed out.

“For us, a lot of the time our clients have not been married. We’re talking 40, 45, etc. They can’t get it right for whatever reason. Technology has also changed the game. You used to be able to court longer but not if men feel you are holding back; he can move on quicker. So, women have to give a little,” Fisher informed.

Whether you are dating for fun or serious about finding your mate, these experts are ready to help you. You can catch them spreading love on May 8th on Bravo at 9 p.m.