This Is the #1 Most Surprising Dating Trend To Look for in 2025, According to a Celebrity Matchmaker

If you chat about the current dating scene with a single person, you might hear sentiments like, “I’m in the trenches” or “It’s hell out there.” Even with plenty of dating apps, many adults who are dating today share that it doesn't often yield good results. But celebrity matchmaker and relationship therapist Dr. Christie Kederian LMFT, tells Parade that might change in 2025.

Dating is what you make it, but there are also so many dating trends and toxic habits certain people get into—like ghosting or not communicating what they’re actually looking for—that can make it hard to find genuine connections. 

Luckily, Dr. Kederian shares a surprising 2025 dating trend to look out for this year, along with other dating trends she sees on the horizon—and they have us feeling optimistic!

Related: The One Thing You're Doing Wrong on Your Dating Profile, According to Relationship Experts

The #1 Most Surprising Dating Trend in 2025, According to a Celebrity Matchmaker

Dating apps (including niche options like dating apps for single parents or seniors) are currently one of the most prominent ways people meet potential partners. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey reported that more than half of adults under 30 (53%) have used dating apps or sites.

And while a lot of people find success that way, online dating can be a drag. So you may be happy to know that Dr. Kederian foresees a different trend springing up in 2025.

“One of the most surprising trends this year will be the rise—or should I say the return of—‘community-focused dating,’” the dating consultant and author of 10 Dates to Your Soulmate shares with Parade. “As more people seek deeper, more meaningful connections, there will be a shift towards dating that involves shared social and community activities.”

Examples of places she's referring to where more people are going to meet their significant other this year include volunteer events, church communities, neighborhood get-togethers and maybe even a “communal cooking class.”

“This trend moves away from the isolated, swipe-based dating apps and towards building connections in real-world settings,” Dr. Kederian shares.

Just looking at the data on people’s current dating habits, this is already unexpected. But Dr. Kederian also says it’s surprising “because it reintroduces the idea of dating within a broader social context, something that’s been missing in recent years.”

With this trend, dating becomes less about finding a partner, and more about finding a connection with someone “who share[s] your values and interests in a more natural, organic way.”

“It also adds a layer of support, as meeting someone through shared community activities can provide a built-in network of mutual friends and interests,” she explains.

Related: 12 Signs You're In a Situationship, According to Therapists

Other 2025 Dating Predictions

No one is saying to delete Tinder and Bumble or to block any cuties you have in your phone thanks to the apps. But ultimately, 2025 is all about purposeful connections, as people are truly tired of the rut dating apps have created.

“In 2025, I predict dating will become more intentional, with people seeking authentic connections rather than swiping mindlessly,” Dr. Kederian reiterates to Parade. “We're moving into a phase where emotional intelligence and vulnerability are the new ‘finance, 6'5", blue eyes,’ and daters will prioritize depth over the superficial thrill of matching.”

A man or woman with emotional intelligence who can be vulnerable with you? And vice-versa? Now that’s hot. This shift in dating habits is going to naturally change the immediacy of dating that comes with quickly swiping left and right, because “meaningful conversations and slower courtships” are so in this year.

Another trend that Dr. Kederian believes will be big in 2025 coincides with this intentional dating trend, and that’s caring about mental health.

“More people are going to therapy, working on themselves and bringing this self-awareness into their dating lives," she explains. "It’s exciting to see a generation of daters who are ready to prioritize healthy, fulfilling relationships over the traditional rush to couple up.”

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Source:

• Dr. Christie Kederian, LMFT, a relationship therapist, dating consultant, celebrity matchmaker and author of 10 Dates to Your Soulmate