The Speed Dating Event Helping Sexy Singles Connect IRL
Ditch the swipe
By Lauren Payne | 14th February 2024There’s no debating that the world of dating has changed significantly over the years. With dating apps being the most common way people search for l-o-v-e nowadays, it can be hard to truly know what you’re in for when you find a ‘match’, which is why Ellen Chandler, Maddi Keenan, and Greta Sedl decided to ditch the swipe and dive headfirst into the world of speed dating.
“After one too many *questionable* dates, we realised it might be better to devote an hour and a half of our time to speed dating rather, than experience another first date with a stranger from a dating app,” co-founder Ellen explains.
“At worst, you get a beer, chat to some new people, and cross nine singles off your list of potential matches. At best, you meet someone worth going on an actual date with!”
After sharing their own dating horror stories and discovering there was a lack of contemporary, accessible speed dating events for them to attend in Brisbane, Call Me Back was born.
Call Me Back aims to break the stigma around the concept of speed dating by providing guests with a fresh, light-hearted dating experience. By encouraging people to get off the apps and meet in person, Call Me Back hopes to provide young singles with a less stressful approach to dating.
So, how does a Call Me Back event work?
Participants (also referred to as callers) arrive at Sea Legs Brewing Co, the home of Call Me Back since its inception, and receive a drink on arrival. Once everyone’s taken a seat, Ellen, Maddi, and Greta will kick of the event and provide everyone with a score card where you’ll fill out the name of each ‘date’ you have throughout the night and can specify whether the person is your vibe, or if maybe they’re not for you.
The event begins with five ‘dates’ where you’ll be able to meet five of your fellow callers, before taking a break and ending the evening with an additional four ‘dates’. Then, the following morning, you’ll receive a message from the Call Me Back team listing your matches and their contact information so you can take the reins.
“We’re big believers in dating being a fun and low-pressure experience,” Ellen says.
“We pride ourselves on the relaxed, fun, and intimate vibe [of Call Me Back] and the community we’ve created both online and in the flesh at our events.”
If you’re reading this and are still unsure about whether speed dating may be the way to go, you’ll be pleased to know the Call Me Back team regularly receive messages from previous participants letting them know they’ve found wonderful matches at an event:
“We love love and are thrilled to hear we’ve helped people connect,” Ellen explains.
“Most recently we had a caller message us after they attended one of our events saying thank you and telling us they’re now in a meaningful relationship with someone they met at Call Me Back.”
“We’ve also had repeat callers return to our events and regale us with stories of high-quality dates they’ve been on with their matches.”
So, if you’re thinking it’s time to dip your toes into the world of speed dating and attending Call Me Back, you’ll be pleased to know that the team have quite a lot of exciting events planned for 2024. With queer speed dating and friendship speed dating events on the horizon, as well as collaborations with a slew of local venues, Call Me Back is set to help more and more Brisbane locals find meaningful connections.
To stay up to date, you can follow Call Me Back on Instagram. You never know, your next relationship could be just a five-minute date away!
