Financial Mail
on Sunday
Natalie Graham

Bring on the brides

Karen Mooney, founder of Sara Eden Introductions, started London-based Sara Eden on her kitchen table 11 years ago. There are 10 full-time staff and five part-time staff - those who man the London office near Buckingham Palace. The agency attracts bout 80% of clients by word of mouth, and Mooney has files bulging with letters of recommendation. Two years ago she became vice-chairman of the Association of British Introduction Agencies

Sunday Times
Adam Luck and Emily Milich

Lonely heart Britain floods dating firms. This year Sara Eden has seen a 75% increase in business and has more than 2300 clients. "We do what families used to do 100 years ago," said Mooney. "You used your contacts to find a good match for your daughter, like in a Jane Austen book. People don't have to settle for Mr Second Best nowadays." Mooney said doctors form the largest professional group on her books. "They tend to log on to our site in their own time, 11pm to 3am," she said.

Harpers & Queen
Alice Robinson

The best introduction and marriage bureaux surveyed.

Director of Sara Eden, Karen Mooney, matches up successful and forward-thinking business types including a host of well-known personalities (although, understandably, she's the soul of discretion when it comes to revealing their names).

For Those in Search of Paradise
Karen Mooney sold just about everything she owned, and only had two months' mortgage repayment money in hand when she launched her introduction agency, Sara Eden. Initial publicity stressed Sara Eden's "Beautiful People" image. Anyone eyeing them up at a party would assume they were already fixed up. "We certainly do have clients that are very attractive indeed but you don't have to look like Kim Basinger or Tom Cruise to join." Sara Eden caters for the professional and managerial classes. Clients want a monogamous relationship, whether or not it leads to marriage. People who are "switched-on and efficient" in every other area leave intimate relationships to chance, she says. "We all get a bit soft in the head as far as our lovelives are concerned."