The first few dates you go on with someone are your opportunity to find out whether a potential partner is a good match for you.
With our handy tips, you should turn up to your date feeling confident and prepared.
- Choose a good location
If you’re the one that initiated the date, you will probably need to suggest a venue. For a first date, simply meeting for a coffee or other drink is usually a safe choice.
Meeting in a more formal setting can add an extra layer of anxiety that might not be helpful at this early juncture.
If you and your date are foodies though, a restaurant could also be a good date venue.
Just make sure you check your date is happy and willing to eat at your suggested restaurant. Taking a vegetarian to a steakhouse can dampen the mood somewhat.
Research from business card specialist instantprint found that the most popular cuisines in the UK are Chinese, Italian and Indian. Of course, you may want to skip any garlicky numbers on this occasion.
- Prepare conversation topics
It doesn’t hurt to come to a date with an idea of the things you want to talk about. Be careful not to bring up sensitive topics on the first date though.
Try to remember what the person has told you.
If you continue dating, getting their anecdotes muddled with ones you heard from someone else is a situation you might want to avoid.
- Listen and speak in equal amounts
It’s easy to get carried away and talk too much if you’re really into a conversation! It’s great that you’re having such a good time. But try and make a conscious effort to give the other person an equal amount of airtime.
- Dress confidently
It’s not usually about bringing out your fanciest clothes when you’re in the early stages of dating, but it is important to make an effort.
Wearing smart-casual, well-fitting clothes can do a lot for your first impression. As Forbes points out, people form an impression of you within the first 30 seconds of meeting you, based on your self-presentation.
Clothes that fit well can make all the difference.
- Be honest
It may seem obvious, but always be honest when you are conversing with your date. If you make something up and a relationship develops, you can be almost certain they’ll find out sooner or later.
Honesty is a sign of emotional maturity.
A recent survey from Match of singles on the dating scene found one interesting result: more people are looking for emotional maturity (83%) than physical attractiveness (78%) in a partner.
- Give thoughtful compliments
If you like them and the date is going well, don’t be afraid to give them a genuine compliment. Whether it’s an accessory they’re wearing or their conversational skill, they’ll appreciate you letting them know you noticed.
- Follow up afterward
If your date went well, it’s a good idea to send them a message thanking them for a great time.
Not only is this good etiquette, but it also paves the way for you to see them again, if that’s something you both want. Understandably, the build-up to a first date can be daunting.
It may be the start of something more, or it may simply be a conversation with a new person that doesn’t develop further.
Either way, these tips can set you in good stead for a first date you both enjoy.