Single on Valentine's Day?

Single on Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on the 14th of February. It is a traditional day, when lovers express their love for each other by sending cards, flowers, chocolates or other presents. In this day and age couple are even sending cute Valentine's Day ecards along with presents to further expand the fun. But what do you do if you are single? Celebrate of course! Head out on the town with friends or alone to find a special someone. What better time is there to look for love than in February!

Over 85,000 singles are signed up to attend Fast Impression events in Australia alone and you don't even need to be a member to take part in First Impression events. February is the most romantic month with Valentine's Day and single Australian's are going to turn the heat up in a stylish bar in their state. Fast Impressions enables thousands of professional urban singles with busy lifestyles to meet each other and have a good time. Carolyn Clydesdale, Fast Impression's relationship and dating expert, says that "Stylish singles events and speed dating has become a highly popular, fashionable way for busy professional to meet new people. This year, it will be singles, not happy couples, who will be celebrating well into the night!" www.fastimpressions.com.au

Justin Parfitt is the founder of Fast Impressions, which creates successful stylish singles events in five continents. In Australia there are over 70 single events per month.

Why did you decide to create Fast Impressions?

Justin Parfitt: I was single in early 2002 when I started the business. It seemed to me that while online dating might work for some people, I just couldn't see it. You need to actually meet people to see if there's chemistry. And while I think the Internet is probably the single most important invention after the wheel, the British comedian Jack Dee summed it up best when he said "you're not surfing the net mate, you're sitting in your bedroom typing". Meeting a potential mate is probably the single most important quest a person engages in a lifetime, and I was convinced there was a better way to do it than sitting in front of your computer searching through profiles like you're trying to buy a second hand car. There have been quite a few people over the years that have launched singles events services of one type or another, but I didn't want to go to any of their events. The singles events I'd come across in the past always seemed rather unappealing middle of the road affairs with the drinks served in plastic glasses, the carpet smelling of beer and creepy guys with dodgy combovers lurking in the corners. I saw a gap in the market for a stylish, upmarket, invitation only singles events service where single professionals could meet one another in a sophisticated environment. It looks like other singles agreed because over the past 6 years Fast Impressions has grown to be the world's largest and most stylish speed dating and singles events service, with events in 6 countries.


What success have you seen from Fast Impressions?

Justin Parfitt: There have been over a thousand marriages around the world (that we've heard about!) and it's just an incredible feeling to know that they met through Fast Impressions. But the story that really took me by surprise happened during the filming of a documentary about modern dating. We're often approached by the media and asked if an event can be filmed, although we would never allow cameras into an event that people have paid to attend, we do sometimes put on free events for the cameras (in fact my wife and I are about to start shooting 'Love Inc.', a reality TV series all about our lives as we deal with growing the business in the US and Canada.). On this occasion we were getting ready to shoot and I asked the crew if they knew what speed dating was. Not only did they all know, the sound guy had been to a Fast Impressions event, and the cameraman had met his partner at a Fast Impressions event, and they'd had a baby! It's one thing to read about these stories when they come in by email, but to hear it from someone casually in conversation was really something.


Do you find that Valentine's Day increases your members and participates to Fast Impression events?

Justin Parfitt: V day is the biggest day of the year for us! Literally thousands of singles come to our V day events all over the country. In fact Fast Impressions held the Guinness World record for 'Biggest Speed Date' with over 2500 singles speed dating simultaneously in 19 cities throughout the world on Valentine's Day 2008.


Helen Havrilyn, 26 years old and Sarah Peterson, 31 years old both from Sydney have tried out Fast Impressions dating sites, they answered questions about dating and being single:
What convinced you to try out Fast Impressions?

Helen Havrilyn: A friend of mine had told me about FI speed dating and I was single at the time so thought I'd give it a go. I did a bit of research before booking and it seemed like a really relax and fun way to meet people without that 'desperate' vibe that some other dating companies gave off.


Have you now convinced others to try out Fast Impressions?

Helen Havrilyn: Yes! Two of my friends have gone on separate occasions and I went with another friend just last week!

Is there plenty of other singles at Fast Impressions around your age group?

Helen Havrilyn: I'm 24 and tend to find the women to be aged from 24-38 and men, 25-40. I have met quite a few men older than me, but it's the ones who are under say, thirty two (who there are plenty of!), that I usually click with.


What positive experiences have you had with Fast Impressions?

Helen Havrilyn: I met a guy at the first speed dating event I went to. He was lovely and we had a fabulous day bike riding for our first date! We saw each other a few times after that and even though it didn't work out with him, the experience was very confidence building. Speed dating teaches you how to start a conversation and flirt with a whole heap of men you might never normally speak to. By putting yourself out there in this situation, you realise it's not so hard to do in a more realistic setting.


What are your plans for Valentine's Day?

Helen Havrilyn: I'm getting a group of friends together for the Fast Impressions Valentine's Day party on the Friday night and on the Saturday I'm going for dinner with my best and single (girl) friend!


What is the best thing about being single?

Helen Havrilyn: You never feel guilty about having a perve on cute guys!!


What are you looking for in a partner?

Helen Havrilyn: Someone who's active, kind and has a cheeky sense of humour.


What is the most romantic thing someone has done for you?

Helen Havrilyn: Written and recorded me a song for our anniversary.

What convinced you to try out Fast Impressions?

Sarah Peterson: It was very professional and had a good website. It also has a lot of variety in the types of events.


Have you now convinced others to try out Fast Impressions?

Sarah Peterson: Yes definitely, not only was it great opportunity to meet guys easily but it also gives you confidence to chat to guys.


Is there plenty of other singles at Fast Impressions around your age group?

Sarah Peterson: Yes!


What positive experiences have you had with Fast Impressions?

Sarah Peterson: I have met handfuls of really nice guys and the events are relaxed and fun. It takes away the difficulties of meeting guys on a Saturday night. Your chances of meeting Mr Right are so much higher at these nights. The locations are always great too.


What are your plans for Valentine's Day?

Sarah Peterson: I'm heading to an event in Martin Place on Friday 6^th February - the biggest human art stunt to create a heart shape of single people. It's the ideal opportunity to meet people prior to Valentine's Day. On Valentine's Day I'll either be on a date if I've met anyone at the human art stunt, or I'll be partying with a bunch of girlfriends at the Fast Impressions Red Party.


What is the best thing about being single?

Sarah Peterson: Being able to do anything you want when you want.


What are you looking for in a partner?
Sarah Peterson: Friendship, fun and loyalty.


What is the most romantic thing someone has done for you?

Sarah Peterson: Taking me to a secluded beach with a picnic.


In the spirit of Valentine's Day we are also asking 'What is the most romantic thing you have done, or had done for you?' http://femail.com.au/blogIf you're stuck for ideas to spoil a loved one this Valentine's Day check out our Valentine's Day Gift Ideas https://www.female.com.au/gift-ideas-archive.htm

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