Date night is a cultural institution, and one of the most nerve-wracking things you could ever think to plan – particularly if the date is a first date. The dating world has changed completely with the advent of online dating apps, but success stories have simply gotten wilder – with a chance encounter on a fitness app leading to a long-distance first date and even a child for one international couple.
When planning a first date, luxury is often the first word to come to mind. Your date deserves the world; how do you give it to them on a plate?
A Romantic Dinner…
When it comes to a night of romantic luxury – whether with a partner of many years or on the first of (hopefully many) dates, there is no better alternative than to sweep them off their feet with a glorious candlelit dinner. It is a dating arrangement for the ages, and deeply popular for a reason. The frisson that can build over the table, over good conversation, and over a sumptuous three-course meal is unrivalled, to say the least.
But picking the right restaurant to suit your tastes, and indeed the mood can be enough to make you want to call the whole thing off altogether. To make things easier, banner specialists instantprint conducted some research on which cuisine types were the most popular in the UK.
They uncovered that Chinese cuisine received the highest average monthly searches of the lot. Italian was a relatively close second, though, and Indian was not far behind – three tantalising options with vibrant food to spark vibrant conversation. Though if you want to pull out all the stops, there can be no substitute for the classically romantic French-style bistro.
…and Drinks
But dinner is but one part of a much longer evening, which could well stretch out before you if your date goes well enough. It is key to plan past dinner and to have a number of options ready to go depending on the mood and energy levels of your date.
The best choice to continue your date is often a second venue for drinks – and potentially some dancing, if you play your cards right. If you’ve spent your time cosying up over a luxury candlelit dinner, your next venue should up the ante for luxury; choose a well-regarded cocktail bar, where you can rely on expertly crafted drinks to guide you through the rest of your evening. The higher up the cocktail bar, the better! Every city has at least one rooftop venue, and city landscapes can be the perfect backdrop for getting acquainted.
The Little Things Make the Biggest Difference
Of course, romantic gestures are not all about the grandiose. It is often the little things that have the biggest impact on the feel of a date, so make sure to spend some time getting those little things down. Start with flowers; you should pre-arrange to collect a bouquet from your local florist, containing some of your date’s favourite flowers and hues.
