Your first message was successful and you’ve been messaging since. Now, you want to meet in person. How do you tackle this stage? Simply throwing it out there, and asking them for a date?
Yes! That’s precisely what you do! You can keep this simple and ask ‘Fancy meeting up sometime?’, or you can formally invite them on a date for coffee, drinks or a lovely meal. Either way, it doesn’t matter. The key thing is biting the bullet and asking. If you’ve built good rapport in your conversations online, you’re unlikely to get turned down. Even if this does happen, you’ll then know that this isn’t your Mr or Mrs ‘Right’.
It doesn’t matter whether the male or female suggests meeting. If either party feels it’s time for the first date, they should make the suggestion. You never know, they might want to ask, but are nervous you might say no. Once this is done, you’ll want to consider a suitable location for your first date.
You can be as creative as you like with this. You can choose anywhere from a snug café to a trendy bar, or posh restaurant. If you both agree, anything goes. A good option is to invite them to a get-together or event. No matter where you choose, you should both be happy with the location and feel relaxed there. This way, you can chat comfortably in a chilled atmosphere.
There are, however, some places that would not be suitable for a first date. For example, loud clubs, the cinema, or your place. Whilst it’s great fun cutting some shapes in a club, it’s not the best place for a conversation. And conversation is the key component of your first date. Chatting, learning more about one another and getting an idea of their personality. In this respect, the cinema is not ideal either as a couple of hours in silence isn’t great for your first encounter.
So, why then, is your place not recommended? This is simply for your protection. You might not like your potential match once you come to meet them in person. You also can’t be certain if they were honest with you online. The initial date should never be arranged in your home. Also, don’t agree to go to their place. You can never be sure what you will find when you get there. Even though you’ve been messaging and flirting, your potential match is a total stranger at this stage.