Talking Too Much is a Turn Off on a First Date

And breathe… seriously, breathe and don’t cut your date off. Breathing is, well, essential to living, and gives your date a chance to share parts of themselves, too. While we covered not monopolizing the conversation in an earlier tip, keep in mind that on top of allowing your date to share the stage, you also don’t want to interrupt or cut them off either. The only thing worse than not letting someone have a voice, is shutting them down mid-sentence. Although you may have something to say and want to make sure you do so before you lose your thought, take a breather, a bite of your filet mignon, a sip of your wine—whatever it takes to make sure you don’t silence your date.

-Estelle
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Estelle is the president/owner of Estelle Matchmaking, LLC a boutique matchmaking service for selective singles in the NYC area (including Westchester and Fairfield Counties) and South Florida.

How to Ruin A First Date

Maybe it’s been raining for the last week or the Dow just dropped to an all time low, keep the negative talk out of the equation. If it means searching deep inside your soul to find light topics that don’t focus on whatever might be ailing society at the moment, do it. Try listening to “happy” music on the way to your date to uplift your spirits. You don’t want to bring down the conversation, and negative topics are the first way to kill a mood and a date that may have been going swimmingly otherwise.
-Estelle
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Estelle is the president/owner of Estelle Matchmaking, LLC a boutique matchmaking service for selective singles in the NYC area (including Westchester and Fairfield Counties) and South Florida.

Make A Great First Impression On a Date

Be yourself. Yes, easier said than done, but if you have a strong sense of self, once you get over your nerves, you should be able to settle into your actual and true personality. Don’t try to be someone else or make jokes that are inappropriate, because even a stranger can tell when someone is putting on pretenses. Sure, jokes are fine, but make them jokes that you, the person you are, would tell. There’s no worse injustice than not being you.

How to Handle a Goodnight Kiss on the First Date

The chemistry is there, the connection has been made, dinner was amazing and you’ve walked and laughed for hours afterward, now it’s time to say “good night,” so what next? Proceed with caution, that's what.

Although things may be sailing along, you don’t want to push your welcome or rock all the good progress you’ve made during your date. A way to avoid coming on too strong and making it seem like your intentions are more physical than they are, is not trying to kiss your date. Even if the moonlight is perfect and the moment seems right, do not lean in for a smooch on the lips. Kissing on the cheek when you say goodbye is completely acceptable; anything beyond that is a “no-no.” People hold their personal space in the highest regard, overstepping those boundaries is no way to end a date that was great.

One Bit of Crucial Dating Advice

Do not, under any circumstance, forget your wallet. Before you leave for your date double check to make sure you have your wallet. Nothing is more embarrassing than the check arriving, you reaching to pay, but coming back with an empty palm.

While you may think you’d be able to remedy the situation by calling a friend to swing by your place and grab your wallet for you, that’s usually the stuff of romantic comedies and life isn’t so ideal. Honestly, this mistake could be an unforgivable one and guarantee that you never see that particular date again—no matter how great it may have gone up until that point.

Make Time for Dessert on Your Dinner Date

Once the dinner is over, don’t rush your date out the door. Dessert is the sweetest part after all! Be courteous enough to realize that perhaps your date may want to end the meal with dessert and/or coffee, so make sure you put that option out there. Proper meals don’t end at the entrée and another course is more time to get to know the person sitting across from you.

-Estelle
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Estelle is the president/owner of Estelle Matchmaking, LLC a boutique matchmaking service for selective singles in the NYC area (including Westchester and Fairfield Counties) and South Florida.

Risky Discussion Topics: Politics, Religion, Finances and Sex

They say you can’t argue politics and religion, and it’s true. Politics, religion as well as finances and sex fall under “risky” topics especially if this is your first time going out. Depending on where you and your date fall on the spectrum of these matters, you just might be setting yourself up for a debate of which you were not prepared.

To avoid such pickles, steer clear of discussions that are one-way tickets to controversy. You don’t want to force your date to throw down their napkin dramatically and head for the door, because you thought it might be interesting to talk about your thoughts on the GOP and they didn’t agree with you on Rick Perry’s policies.

-Estelle
Get daily dating tips from Estelle in your email in box - Subscribe
Estelle is the president/owner of Estelle Matchmaking, LLC a boutique matchmaking service for selective singles in the NYC area (including Westchester and Fairfield Counties) and South Florida.