This past weekend the yenta-angel who introduced me to R was in L.A. for a visit.

Every time I’m around her, I feel guilty for not paying her great gift forward by setting up more lovely single people in my own life. Part of the reason I rarely play matchmaker is because it very rarely ends up as well as my own set-up did (that being as good as humanly possible aka with marriage). But the other reason is because it’s tricky, logistically speaking. How exactly should one bring two people together? What if they don’t know each other? What if they do? What if you want her to know it’s a set up, but not him? What if it’s the reverse. I can over-think reserved seat selection in a stadium seating movie theater (“orchestra”? center back?? behind a handi-capped seat???), so you can only imagine the mine field that is helping two people find lasting love.

If you’re anything like me (and please god say that you are…) then you might appreciate these helpful tips culled from the five friends who were on gchat when I decided on this topic! Here goes:

The Co-Email Intro

It goes something like this: Jim, meet Pam, Pam, meet Jim – As you guys know, you’re both friends of mine from different walks of life. I thought you’d have fun getting a drink together some time. Enjoy!

You’re in and you’re out. Let them deal with the rest of it. All you’re responsible for is saying, “I know you both. Maybe you should know each other.” It’s completely and totally out in the open. Of course, you probably want to clear Jim with Pam and Pam with Jim before sending the e-mail. Then they’ll want to Facebook each other before providing you with the go-ahead. They’ll each probably have 10 thousand questions about each other after the stalking, at which point you’ll decide it’s not worth doing this in the first place. So, you know what, maybe don’t even ask them for permission. Go guerilla set-up. If it works out, great. If it doesn’t, at least you didn’t have to deal with 10 thousand questions in the process.

The Group Hang

This is what this sounds like it is. You decide that you know two people who might hit it off. You invite those two people to a group function in which you will be present (birthday party, BBQ, private room Korea Town karaoke). You tell no one (except for everyone else present) that it’s happening. And then you Andy Cohen your way through the night (Watch What Happens! Come on people!). I like this idea because if you play it right you’re not at all culpable for what happens. No one even needs to know that the two people are there on purpose. If it goes horribly, you move on un-blamed. If it goes beautifully, you tell them it was all a set-up!

The “Be a Man” 

I have been on the receiving end of this move once, and I’ll admit it was flattering. Basically you tell a male friend that they should take your female or other male friend (we are equal opportunity matchmakers) out for a drink. You provide the friend’s e-mail address and a few brief detail to help guide the date. Then you implore your friend to make it happen. That friend (hopefully) sends an e-mail that goes something like this:

Hey Diane, Jessie suggested we get together for a drink. Apparently you also love cheesy L.A. Mexican restaurants. Maybe margaritas as El Coyote or Casablancas? Let me know what works. Love, Sam.

I’m not saying you need to write the e-mail for your friend, but do remember that he is a representative of your own tastes, so some light guidance could serve you well.

The Insta Set-Up

Guys I just came up with this one, and I’m really excited about it. Okay. You take a photo of yourself and the girl you’re hoping to set up doing something insanely fabulous. You post it to Instagram with the guy you’re trying to set her up w/ tagged. Now, here’s the genius part. You and the girl should be doing something that the guy loves. Example: @Schmidt Look! @CeCe + I just made it to the top of your favorite Malibu hike!

So now the guy knows what his potential date looks like, where he can reach her directly and that she likes the same things he likes. All he has to do is go: @CeCe @Jess Can I come next time? And you’re in.

Yes, I realize this is the most lame set-up construct of all time, but I bet a thousand dollars it’s the only one out of this list that you’re going to consider using. Alas, these are the times in which we live…

Now get to it. You never know whose entire life you could be responsible for making!