The messages in the inbox on Katie Sheppard's computer read, according to her, like 'a Richard Curtis script meets Cosmopolitan magazine'.
In her four years at online dating company Match, its 31-year-old head of marketing has built up a sizeable hat collection - the result of attending about 40 weddings between couples who had met on one of the brand's sites.
Even off-duty, Sheppard recently found herself accosted by three Match couples at a wedding, who wanted to share their stories after realising that she was 'the Match girl'.
Although not in the job description, Sheppard, who describes herself as a 'hopeless romantic', takes great pleasure in this aspect of her job. 'I find it inspiring speaking to couples all the time and hearing their stories,' she says, with a nod toward a series of framed photos of Match couples which adorn the walls of the company's London offices.
'One couple lived half a mile apart, their parents were friends and they even had the same local pub, but they had never met until joining Match,' adds Sheppard. 'Just nine months after their first date, they were engaged. They had their dream wedding in a castle and have now had their first child.'
Sheppard was promoted to head of marketing a year ago, after joining Match in 2007 as brand manager and head of PR. Her love of the brand is immediately evident as is her belief that getting the marketing right is everything. 'It is such a broad role and emotionally rich territory, I was absolutely sold,' she says. 'Marketing and consumer insight drives this product.'
As the stigma once associated with online dating dissipates, more people are turning to it to find love. Mintel estimates that the industry will be worth more than £150m by 2014.
The performance of Meetic, which bought Match's European operation in 2007, but is 27%-owned by US company Match, suggests that the downturn has not dampened consumers' willingness to invest in finding love. Its group revenues for the first nine months of 2009 were up 22.5% to £117.4m.
Indeed, the growing number of people joining dating websites has attracted plenty of entrants to this lucrative sector. Sheppard says there are more than 1400 sites in the UK alone. However, she believes that the scale of Match gives it an advantage over more-niche services, which range from dating for dog lovers to Star Trek enthusiasts.
'Members want to be confident that they are making the best choice available and that's where some of the smaller sites struggle,' she adds.
Nonetheless, tailoring products to suit different consumers is still critical. Match, which originated in the US in 1995 and launched in the UK 10 years ago, now has three brands: Match.com, Match Affinity and Dating Direct. Combined, they have a total of more than 10m registered users.
Dating Direct, bought by Meetic in 2007, offers members an 'irreverent and fun' approach to dating, while Match.com and Match Affinity have a similar customer base of individuals looking for long-lasting love. The key difference between the latter two is that Match Affinity offers more of a 'helping hand', using a comprehensive questionnaire to suggest potential partners.
Match Affinity was launched last year shortly after US dating behemoth eHarmony, which employs a similarly in-depth approach to finding the right partner, entered the UK. Affinity already accounts for 25% of Match's revenue, and Sheppard believes it can reach the size of Match.com. In support of that ambition, a Match Affinity campaign, 'Going the Distance', launched last month. It features real-life couple Mike and Alanna travelling across the UK on a motorbike and sidecar to find the secrets of long-lasting love.
The unscripted footage from the six-week journey has been used to produce three documentary-style TV spots, created by Mother. Webisodes are posted on a dedicated Facebook page.
In addition, says Sheppard, the campaign has created a surfeit of content related to the 'secrets of long-lasting love' that could be used in future marketing.
Given Match Affinity members' 'warts and all' approach to finding a relationship, Sheppard argues that the use of real-life couples is highly effective and will remain key to its strategy.
Maintaining an effective strategy will certainly be vital. After all, while Sheppard may dismiss some of the more 'special-interest' dating sites, eHarmony already has 1.5m users in the UK, while free dating site PlentyofFish attracts the most visitors per month, according to comScore.
Even the supermarkets are getting in on the act. Last week, Asda launched a dating site, insisting the shopping aisle is the best place to meet prospective partners.
Sheppard, however, is not fazed by competition from mass-market brands. 'Dating sites are about running a community and developing technology, which takes time. This is something we have been perfecting for 10 years,' she says.
In what is an overcrowded market, Sheppard cites customer service as also setting Match apart. The brand is, she claims, the only one to offer a 24-hour support helpline, dispensing wide-ranging advice from what to wear on a date to what to do if things go awry.
Innovation is key to Match's operations, as it explores how technology can create a richer experience for members. Match.com has iPad, iPhone and Android apps, but Sheppard says there are 'big plans in the mobile space, beyond apps'.
Sheppard's matchmaking is not confined to her day job. She is always encouraging those she knows to try the sites; her list of successes includes her best friend and cousin, leading to her nickname of Cilla.
In an attempt to 'switch off', Sheppard teaches a yoga class at the weekends. However, even here, the blur between life and work continues, as colleagues badger her to run lunchtime lessons.
With such clear satisfaction in her work, it is perhaps not surprising that Sheppard is not looking beyond Match right now. Her ambition is for it to become the most popular way to meet a partner, providing 'proof that the brand is culturally relevant'.
'I can't imagine not playing such an important part in other people's lives,' she adds. 'We have changed the way people meet, date and fall in love. I am really excited about what happens next.'
So, has Sheppard tried out Match for herself? 'Of course, and I've met some great people on there, too,' she replies coyly. 'But with Valentine's Day our busiest time of the year, my hands are full looking after 10m other people's love lives.'
Inside work
2001-2002: Account manager, Joslin Shaw
2002-2003: Account manager, Gnash Communications
2003-2004: Freelance PR and marketing consultant
2004-2007: Co-founder, Cherish PR
2007-present: Head of PR and brand manager, rising to head of marketing,
Match
Outside work
Lives: West London
Favourite brand: Guinness
Favourite film: Anything with a happy ending
Hobbies: Sailing, yoga