The first meeting in real life can be a bit scary, even if you have spent hour’s chatting/phone/webcaming with the person you are going to meet. Once face to face with a person you may notice many things about the person that a camera didn’t accurately capture. Along with the physical details chemistry comes into play, flirting online or on the phone is very different than being in close proximity and you may find that even if your phone/chat conversations reached extremely personal levels, in person, you may feel a little shy.

• Safety:

   Be sure to meet in a safe place, public is best so that others around if you need help. Tell a friend or family member where and when you are meeting the person, and any information about them that they might need in case of emergency.
   Separate modes of transportation are a must for a first meeting, knowing that you can leave at anytime is a good safety tactic as well as a more comfortable position to be in. Many people feel that it’s deceitful to have a friend call in the middle of your date with a fake emergency that will give you an excuse to exit early without being rude: it may not be the pleasant thing to do but in many cases it can save you both from embarrassment while at the same time being a nice way for someone to check on you and make sure that you’re not feeling uncomfortable.
   Pay attention to your instincts, if at any time you feel that the meeting is not going well you are not obligated to stay, leave if for any reason you begin to question your safety. Many people feel as though taking precautions is unnecessary if they have spent a long time getting to know a person online, however, these precautions are important to your safety and should not be overlooked.

• Where to go?

   By the time you meet in person in all likelihood you will have spent a good deal of time talking and will already know many things about each other. This can sometimes be awkward when coupled with the intimidating fact of being face to face.

• A movie is an excellent icebreaker as long as the theatre is reasonably filled with people. The dark theatre may raise some red flags but generally speaking a theatre is far too public a place for your friend to try anything funny while still being intimate enough to be romantic. The theatre gives you a chance to be close, perhaps even hold hands or kiss with the distraction of the screen eliminating the more awkward moments. Seeing a movie together can also be a great conversation piece afterward as you have now both experienced similar emotions and responses and can discuss your opinions after the film.
• Dining out can be a tell-all for you and your date as many bad habits are revealed when eating in a public place. Keep the date casual, you will probably already feel nervous about the meeting and adding a layer of formality will not make it any easier. Don’t try to dazzle your date by choosing a restaurant that you believe says something about the person you are, pick together and make sure that the food isn’t the kind that will give either of you any tummy trouble: you don’t want to spend your date in the restroom.
• Museums and galleries can make wonderful first meeting locations as long as both people have an interest in the exhibit; no one wants to be bored on their first date!
• Another option many people are happy with is meeting with friends. While this can cut into the privacy of a one on one a person’s friends reflect a lot of who they are. With a group of people the situation can feel a lot more relaxed and in many cases people feel more comfortable taking that first step with others they trust close by. You and your date can always excuse yourselves later if you are feeling comfortable enough that you no longer need the company and having a friend meet your date face to face is an excellent safety precaution.

• Honesty-Be Yourself!

   Remember that one of the keys to a successful relationship is honesty; you don’t want to start out by pretending to be someone you’re not. Everyone wants to impress their date, its part of an age old courting process, just don’t forget that the two of you arrived at this meeting because of all the things you have already shared. Always be yourself and trust that if your date for some reason doesn’t like who you truly are it never would have worked out in the long run. In all likelihood you have decided to meet because the two of you are already so fond of each other-trust that.

• Winning the Heart of your Date:

• Remember the things you have already talked about, any issues that are ongoing in the life of your date are good things to ask about. Show concern for anything problematic unless you feel that it may cast an unhappy shadow over your date.
• Bring up your dates interests to show that you are a good listener and that you’re willing to share the conversational topics.
• Don’t forget to include yourself in the conversation! Some people are eager to hear all about their date and remain too quiet, while this can be appealing if your date is very chatty it causes more problems in the end. You want your date to get to know you so try to overcome that shyness and speak out, always keep in mind you wouldn’t be here if the two of you didn’t already have some things in common.
• Be polite but don’t lie. As a general rule good manners are an attractive feature however, don’t do or say anything that is far outside of your normal behavior. The last thing you want is to walk away from your date giving them a false impression of how you normally act.
• Know where you’re going and don’t be late. When a person arrives late it can start the entire date off with a bad feeling; not only do you feel badly about not being on time but your date is now wondering whether or not you really like them. Be a little early if you can, don’t worry about seeming too eager if your date sees that you made a special effort to be there it will flatter them,  and at this point in the relationship hopefully neither of you will be playing the “who likes who more” game with each other.
• Bring photos of children, pets or anything you may have already spoken about with your date that’s important to you; though it may not come up during the date f it’s nice to have them in case you need an ice breaker and it allows your date to see things that you have only spoken about.
• Gifts: Traditional gifts such as flowers for a lady can be very sweet but mind that you don’t spend to excess. At this point in your relationship you most likely know a lot about what the other person likes and also how they feel about the subject, just keep in mind that elaborate gifts can make some people uncomfortable.
• Plan for a short date with a long date in mind: No one wants to get roped into spending hours with a person they are not getting on well with however neither do you want to have to cut the date short because you haven’t thought ahead. Since you might need to keep the date public it’s good to have an idea of things to suggest should you both be enjoying yourselves enough that you don’t want your date to end.
• Clean up your home! Again honesty is the best policy so don’t try to hide who you really are but do at least tidy up your home even if you believe that there’s no chance your date might end up seeing it. You never know, maybe you’ll need a rain coat or maybe you’ll both decide to have a late night drink, either way you don’t want to have to make excuses for you sloppy residence.
• Before you leave for your date make sure that you feel comfortable, and try to keep in mind that your date is most likely feeling everything you are.

• The Physical Ending:

   When the initial date is ending how comfortable you are with how to proceed will depend on a great number of variables. Always keep in mind that no matter how long you have spent talking online you are under no obligation to begin a physical relationship, never feel pressured. If you choose to stay later than you originally planned make sure to tell your safety contact where you’re going and how long you expect to be, it may seem silly but if your date really cares about you they will understand and agree that your safety is important. Have fun and see that chemistry through always keeping in mind that there will be plenty of time to get to know each other physically if your relationship continues. Trust your instincts whatever you decide.

• The Date is over…Now What?

   Many people toil over when it’s too soon to call, one of the great things about meeting online is email…while calling too soon may feel a little over eager a quick email letting the person know that you had fun, a light endearing message or just a note confirming that the person is in your thoughts is a great way to make contact right after your date wit out the pressure of the phone call and it lets your date choose how they would like to respond.

• Last Words of Advice

   There are millions of people who want to find a person to share their life with and if you’ve come this far you and your date are probably already close to each other in many ways. Physical attraction can be a funny instinct, try not to be discouraged if this date is very different from your past ones. We have entered a new era in dating where the mental attraction can now lead the physical and for some people it’s a strange transition from “normal” dating. Personally I have found it to be a wonderful evolution in matchmaking and have been lucky enough to find someone I will spend my life with. Always be truthful, always be yourself because the person sitting across the table from you already likes you, maybe loves you, for who you are.