It’s almost that time of year when Cupid draws back his bow and fires it in the direction of canoodling couples and loved up lads and ladies. Of course, it’s a good thing the little cherub has a pair of wings to fly around as there’s no way he’s taking that bow and arrow on a plane in this day and age.

Valentine’s Day is nearly upon as, with the flood of cards, chocolates and other little trinkets designed to help you show your love for your significant other, or perhaps to try and woo an unsuspecting object of your affection. Of course, it wasn’t always a day for Hallmark to revel in a spike in sales and the cuddly toy market to experience a welcome post-Christmas surge.

According to Christian and Roman history, there were a number of different St Valentines, although two of the most prominent from Roman times seem to fit the profile of the hopeless romantic whose crusades for love were to ultimately lead to their demise. The St Valentine who lived at the time of Emperor Claudius II, was said to be a priest who secretly married young couples after the emperor had outlawed marriage for young men, believing it would make them better soldiers. Needless to say, when Claudius found out about Valentine’s clandestine couplings, he ordered him to be executed. Another legend contends that a jailed Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter who came to visit him and wrote her letters, which he signed off as ‘from your Valentine’.

The origins of Valentine’s Day aren’t all steeped in doomed love and if you’re single or the sort of person who dreads the annual festival of commercially-induced affection, you may have ancestors who experienced the Pagan version of the mid-February shindig – Lupercalia. This involved sacrificing animals such as goats and dogs, smear their blood each other, feasting to excess and running around naked whipping people with the skins of the dead animals. And you felt bad for scoffing that entire heart-shaped box of chocolates and polishing off the Prosecco. Romance was not high on the agenda as men would draw the names of women in a crude matchmaking lottery – no swiping left here folks.

Nowadays, you may not run the risk of getting slapped with the charred hide of a dead goat, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t pitfalls out there for those seeking love at this time of year. Internet scammers ramp up the romantic scams as Valentine’s Day approaches and last year the FBI reported that well over $200m was being lost every year due to scammers who target single people in the run up to February 14. Millions of spam emails are sent out, purporting to be from single women, wanting to meet single men and asking for money for transport costs to arrange meet-up.

However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a scam or someone asking you for money for you to be skeptical. With the explosion in online dating websites and apps lately, most people on the look out for love feel they are guaranteed to find that perfect match online. However, the course of true love does not always run smooth and this is especially true for those looking for a long-term partner through digital dating.

For a start, the odds seem to be stacked against men as there are a lot more of them on dating sites than there are women. Another area to be wary of is profiling. Complex algorithms may help you hone in on people you have a lot in common with, but it won’t tell you much more than and you’ll only know if you’re truly compatible if you have a face-to-face meeting and securing one of those is the tricky part.

The margin for error is also pretty slim in the world of online dating, meaning if you are one of a dozen men messaging one woman, even the slightest indiscretion can see you tossed aside. Online dating can be ruthless and a tough place to catch a break if you are young and single.

Finding love in your later years can be difficult too. Even with experience, finding the right match is far from guaranteed and particularly if people have been with the same person for a long period time, they will struggle to get back onto a dating which is maybe unrecognisable from their younger days.

That is why many more people, young and old, are turning to professional matchmaking services to find love and companionship. The profession itself is a rapidly growing with one British matchmaking company reporting that they received almost 300 applications for a job they advertised last year. Many matchmaking services vary in terms of the profile of their clientele and the number and scope of introductions they arrange for you. However, one of the main advantages matchmaking has over online dating is the personal touch. When you sign up, you have a one-on-one interview with a matchmaker who can tease out the most interesting and appealing parts of your character and use this to shape your profile. The matchmaker will also have met personally with the people you’ll be introduced to and that human interaction is vital in assessing compatibility.

Typically, matchmakers report that around three-quarters of their clients will have had a relationship of three months or more as a result of their matches, so the success rate is much higher than the constant swiping and relationships stand a better chance of lasting too.

The Casting is one such matchmaking service which promise discretion, compatibility and all done with that personal touch. They have a twin approach of headhunting potential matches and inviting interested singles to sign up is designed to ensure the right people get paired together.

You will have a discreet and personalised sign up interview, designed to paint a comprehensive picture of your character and The Casting will then conduct an extensive process of selection to ensure you are paired with a suitable partner for introduction.

Kerensa Robertson is the woman behind The Casting and she believes her own track record in success and relationships perfectly places her to fire Cupid’s bow.

“The question of success is one of the first questions I’m asked, and I’ve had many during my seven years in the business. This includes a CFO of a global brand who, five years down the line, is still recommending me! I gauge success in the reaction to the introductions I create as much as the speed of successful relationships commencing and continuing,” says Kerensa.

Kerensa is a firm believer in true love as well and that’s why she employs a range of methods, pulling together a number of different contacts and resources to find her clients the matches that are right for them.

“When I first start looking for potential candidates, I consult my special black book of contacts, networks and collaborations. For a man looking for marriage and children for a first time it can even mean finding inventive ways of ‘shopping’ for potential suitors – I’ve stopped suitably attractive ladies in various places, asking if they’re single and giving them my business card!” she says.

Tapping into old contacts, finding people in the street and bars, Kerensa will go to any lengths to find the right candidate

“ It’s about being inventive to whet people’s appetites and sometimes by bringing a little mystery and intrigue! Many people like to think they can bring a little love into peoples’ lives so are very happy to help!

Each candidate has unique requirements and I contract for an initial six months with a 6/8 minimum introduction. One exceptional ex-medic I’m working with has already had over 10 meetings with a few promising second and third meetings which, given his location and international schedule, is very positive, hence he has recommended me to friends. I always describe working with me as a journey, and feedback about each introduction is absolutely crucial to ensuring success”

Remember, dating should be fun! So, if you’re currently single and want to chat about how to move your love life forward, then maybe you need a little cupid’s touch! Contact Kerry directly here

The Casting is currently conducting a search for a bespoke search for an absolutely stunning international lady looking to meet partners open to marriage and children very quickly! She’s exceptional and manages to have achieved a great corporate career without losing her femininity – a challenge for some high-flying females. This particular lady flies into London and I arrange a few dates each time to ensure her trip is viable. It’s a bit like a bespoke speed dating experience but allows us both to really collaborate and move forwards with the feedback from each meeting.

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