Men, since you are usually the ones to ask a woman out on and plan a first date, this article is geared to you. We know that, when it comes to dating, there’s a lot of pressure on you – and that women, for the most part, don’t understand this. We’re on your side!
You’ve already managed to: start up a conversation with a unique-but-not-creepy opening line; maintain an interesting conversation long enough to get her number; and conquered the stress of asking her out on a first date. Now what?
It’s time for you to wow her and impress her with a first date that’s fun, normal, and, yet, a little unique. Time to get creative, inspired, and confident about your date-planning skills!
The best first dates are when you know a little about who this person is. We suggest that, before you even ask her out, you: communicate with her through the dating app or site for at least one full day; ask for her number and text her immediately with something clever; and show your interest by asking a question or continuing with the conversation you were having online; then talk on the phone. See if you like the sound of each other’s voices. If it seems like you’re both still interested after that, go ahead and ask her out on a date.
If, however, you meet her in a more traditional way, it’s always good to ask her about what she likes to do and/or places she wants to go. Then, if you sense mutual interest, get her number, text or call her, and suggest doing one of the things she mentioned in person. Maybe it’s taking your dogs to a dog park together; maybe it’s checking out the arcade dive bar, or maybe it’s going to a certain event like a street fair or museum over the weekend.
A lot of serial daters are becoming non-committal and will most likely ask to do just drinks for the first date. This is seen as a defense mechanism because if they don’t like the person, they can escape after one drink. If you were to go this route, suggest an awesome place for drinks like a rooftop, brewery, tiki bar, or a swanky speakeasy.
If you’re more of a dinner guy, do some research before you suggest a place. Pro tip: pick a place either on her side of town or between you – and please avoid chain restaurants. You can suggest a new restaurant, ask her what favorite foods are and find a cool place or some combination of both.
If you did want to plan something other than dinner, try wine/beer tasting, a fair or farmers market, or a food truck rodeo. While it might seem like a good idea to go hiking or take in a comedy show, a first date is an optimal time to talk and get to know one another. You also may want to have a few options prepared in case your first suggestion misses the mark.
The bottom line is that women are attracted to men who take the lead in planning fun dates. The more creative and considerate you are, the more interesting you’ll appear – and, chances are, the more interested in you she’ll be.