Five Tips for Planning the Perfect Valentine's Day Date

by Jill Williams

Valentine's Day can be a stressful time especially if the burden of planning the big date falls on you. The high expectations for romance can make it seem like an almost overwhelming task but by following the 5 simple tips below you can plan a romantic date that will please even the toughest of critics.

In real estate the mantra is location, location, location. In planning a great Valentine's Day date your mantra is details, details, details.

Plan Well and Plan Early. Don't wait until the last minute. Decide what you want to do early and make any reservations or preparations well ahead of time. This is a very busy time of year for many popular date venues like restaurants, the theater, and concert halls. Many will sell-out early so by planning ahead you will ensure you get your first choice.

Know your Date. Plan with your date's personality in mind. If they are the outdoorsy type who hates to get dressed-up don't take them to a formal restaurant. Plan a hike and take along a special picnic lunch. You can go to your local specialty food store and buy a selection of meat, cheeses, and olives for a casual picnic. If they love hands-on activities, instead of taking them to see a play, find a fun class that you can take together. Your local community center or junior college may offer classes in cooking, ballroom dancing, or wine tasting. If they're the traditional type who loves to get dressed-up and go out to dinner surprise them by finding out from one of their friends what is the one restaurant they have been dying to try. However, while you want to keep your date's personality in mind you also want to be sure to pick something that you will also enjoy. After all the success of the date depends on the connection you make as well as the location you pick.

Appearance Matters. It's all about showing your date that you care. Now if you are going on a hike or playing a round of golf you don't want to wear a three-button suit and tie but do dress appropriate for the date. Has it been a while since you got a haircut? Could you use a shave? It's the little details that your date will notice and appreciate.

Be a Gentlemen. Do all those things you used to do when you were first dating but have let slide over time. Open the car door for your date, offer them your coat if they are cold, let them sit in the seat with the best "people watching" view at the restaurant.

It's the Thought that Counts. Now that you just shelled out all that money on great seats for the ballet or on a meal at the new hot restaurant in town, you may not have a lot of money to spend on a gift. Just remember that it really is the thought that counts. A well chosen card is something they will treasure and save as a memento of the occasion. Instead of just signing your name to a store-bought card add a personal note. Not a writer? Handwrite a romantic quote from a favorite author or poet or a line from "your song" on the inside of the card. (Be sure to cite the source of course!) Make the gifts personal. Instead of buying the traditional dozen roses find a special picture of the two of you and put it into a nice picture frame that they can put on their desk at work or on their nightstand at home.

So now that you are armed with these 5 tips go out there and start planning your date! Make this Valentine's Day one of your most memorable dates yet.

About the Author

Jill Williams writes articles on dating and matchmaking for online dating sites. www.MatchmakingMoms.com, www.MatchmakingFriends.com, www.MatchmakingKids.com