Online Dating - Meeting Face-to-Face for the First Time

Dating online can be a fun way to meet new people and lots of online dating users find they enjoy the comfort and security of chatting with potential dates from the comfort of their own home. Me and my husband live miles apart but we met on an online dating site more than a year ago We are both strangers and yet that is exactly what we were. I still recall how awkward I felt, the first time I agreed to meet him in person. . During that time we have exchanged emails, text messages, and talked on the phone nearly every day. He knows everything about me and me about him. We shared everyday occurrences and life histories. Finally, after 6 weeks of getting to know one another we met. I was having mixed emotions! I had feelings of joy, excitement,and awkwardness.
I was a nervous wreck that night. I was worried that once we get in front of each other there will be a tremendous “let down” on his part. I worried myself over how I was to greet him. I felt as though we knew each other too well to offer him a simple handshake, but I wasn’t sure that I was up to anything more. Luckily, I had few friends who were with me that night while we were waiting for him at the airport. Think about it. Meeting someone in person you met on a dating site is vastly different than meeting someone in a bar or being introduced through friends. What makes it different is the fact that in case where you meet someone in the public or through a friend your first introduction to them is in person. You know little or nothing about this person until after you meet. We have not formed a strong bond yet. We all have heard stories about people who met favorably online but then were disappointed when they met for the first time in the real world. Sometimes, these stories can even be scary, although the reality is that truly bad experiences have happened to very few people.
Here are some tips and suggestions to ensure a safety first meeting, keep any disappointments to a minimum and help you plan how to achieve best results.

Managing your expectations

1. Make sure that you both really want to meet. If either of you feels reluctant, there is probably a good reason why you should hold off. Some experienced online daters suggest meeting right away to get it out of the way and make sure that the chemistry is there before wasting any more time. Others say wait until you are sure this is someone you want to get involved with. It really does depend on personal preference. If you choose to meet early on, it's a good idea to meet on a casual, friendship basis to ensure there is no pressure to act like a couple when you aren’t ready.The real reason actually in meeting in person is to see if you can continue your online relationship in the "real world".
2. Have a phone conversation, if you haven’t already, before you meet in person. Your first in-person conversation could be really awkward, but if you have already had lengthy conversations on the phone, things may go a whole lot smoother.
3. Discuss your first-meeting expectations before you meet. Talk about how you want to greet each other. Should you hug? Kiss? In my case, he wanted a long kiss but I said our country expects a Filipina to be conservative so we decided on just a smack. Good thing, my husband was so understanding.It’s a good idea to clear that up beforehand so the moment is wonderful instead of uncomfortable. Even with a plan in mind, it can be nerve-wracking to meet for the first time, so don’t expect every moment to be magic. It can be a bit uncomfortable and still turn out great, so go into the meeting with an open mind.Discussing the issue beforehand will ensure there are no hurt feelings and misunderstandings.
4. Plan activities in advance. You don’t want him to pack dress clothes when you plan to take him bike riding. And even more important than proper attire is interest. Bike riding may be your thing, but make sure he is truly interested before setting it up. Pick up on his cues and be flexible. If you are the visiting party, ask questions so that you aren’t the one stuck pedaling in stilettos. If you find yourself on the receiving end of pushy planning, consider it a warning that he could be controlling and inattentive.

Who pays

5. Meet in the middle and go Dutch. There is some debate about who should pay for the trip -- the person visiting or the person hosting the meeting. Generally, going Dutch is the appropriate protocol. Whenever practical, it’s a good idea to meet in the middle for a first meeting. That way you both pay your share of transportation costs getting there, you each make your own arrangements for lodging, if applicable, and you both feel like you have equal say in how you spend your time. But in our case, my husband informed me beforehand that he is the one who will pay with all our hotel,dining and entertainment expenses.
6. Be considerate with each other. Regardless of the plan and who pays for what major expenses, it is always in good taste to treat each other to various things. Budget so you can buy a little gift or souvenirs. Pay for ice-cream or drinks when he pays for the meal. Just try and make things go smoothly. Don’t resist when he offers to pay, making it too much about money. Enjoy being treated and enjoy picking up the tab as well.

Your Presentation

7. Be yourself. The only mistake you can make is misrepresenting yourself. When you finally meet, relax, be yourself and have a good time. Don't expect too much from the date - yes, you may be hoping that it could lead to something wonderful, as your date may be hoping too.
8. Dress to impress. However, it is just as important to dress for the occasion. Keep it casual if you are meeting in a casual environment, dress warm if it’s cold, wear comfortable shoes if you are doing something active and dress to kill if you are meeting for late night cocktails. You want your date to know that you care about attracting him without looking like you are trying too hard.How you look is very important, and you wish to look your best, so decide in advance what you wear to make the best impression.
9. Make sure you smell great. Wear a nice scent, but don’t overdo it. Your scent will leave a lasting impression, but you don’t want to give him a headache. Pack along a bit of dental floss, mouthwash and mints to ensure your mouth is always fresh.
10. Have a plan for breaking the ice. Because your first in-person conversation can feel strange, it may help to have some topics picked out ahead of time. Jot them down and even practice a few one-liners and ice-breakers on your way there.

Romantic ideas

11. Demonstrate your attentiveness. Ask questions of the other person after you have had your say. Be interesting but not domineering. Be polite, and talk about something you know interests the other person.Asking questions is a very good idea, but keep them as impersonal as possible, and of a general nature. You will get also to know the other person in this way. When you are asked questions, try to be honest, as this is not the situation to brag or boast. That will get you nowhere, except rejected. When you do talk, make a point of talking about your date as much as yourself - it's human nature to want to "self-promote", and by asking your date about their everyday life, it shows that you have an interest in them as a person, and not just someone who you may see as a bit of fun. And by letting them talk about themselves, you may just find you have a common interest, which will give you more things to talk about and help the date go well.
12. Discuss sexual relations, but only in a casual manner. This can be long or short term. If you understand the signals the other person is giving to you by their body language, or verbal implication.

Safety

13. Before it’s too late, make sure that the person you are going to meet is who you think he is. Ask him for a video so you aren’t unpleasantly shocked at how he speaks, moves, how tall he is, etc. Most of all, you are making sure he isn’t misrepresenting himself in any way. Even if it’s just giving you a misleading photo, it could be a clue that he isn’t entirely honest about who he is.
14. Send him a little something via snail mail to confirm that he lives where he says he lives. If he never mentions getting your correspondence, it could mean that he doesn’t live where he said he lived and that is a big red flag (or it could mean that he lives with another partner and it has been intercepted). The only good reason might be his own protective measure in not giving out his physical address to someone he's met online.
15. Go Google stalking. Pop his name and any other information (businesses, organizations, etc) into a search engine to confirm details he's given you about his life. He might be married for all you know.
16. Tell a friend who you are meeting, where you are meeting, when you are meeting, and what is the plan for the date and you will call her back.


I made sure I had no expectations for where the relationship would go beyond that meeting, decided to enjoy the experience of meeting someone new for the first time and not worried about what the future might hold.I made up my mind that I would not be disappointed in the person I was meeting, no matter what. If I did not hit it off, there are still the chance we could be friends and if not friends, at least I could have an interesting experience.One of the good things about online dating is it lets you get to know a person gradually, and this helps build confidence for when you do meet. And that's important - after all, everyone is just as special as each other, and by knowing that and seeing someone else acknowledge that too, you may just find that you and your online date have more in common in the offline world, and take that into a wonderful future together. The first time we met? Hmm...Like everything around us stands still and the air thickens. We are alone even in a room full of people.It is the most incredible experience I will ever have.No other feeling in the world comes close to it. It's as if whatever I was searching for is over. I felt completely fulfilled and at peace. I am not sure if anyone out there has ever had pre-cognitive dreams but I also dreamt of this person several times before I met him. I could only see his figure and I would recap it saying, "I always dream of this man but I don't know who he is..." Well I know now! I am married to him! Woo hoo!

•☆.•*´¨`*••♥ Good Vibes Everyone! ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•

Thoughts?

What did you feel when you met your soul mate for the first time? How did you stay safe? What is the best first date that you did? What did you talk about? How did you make your first meeting a great one?