When you first start dating someone, you may be worried about how to keep conversation going, especially over a dinner date. One solution? A double date. When you go out with another couple, you have more people to interact with, which might alleviate potential awkwardness. If you've never been on a double date and are wondering are double dates a good idea, well, I think they are.
BTW, you could make it more than a "double," too. Feel free to invite more than just one couple, especially if you want it to feel like a larger group setting for a more casual vibe. Dating with other couples can potentially allow you to feel more relaxed, and less like you're the sole focus of the date itself. I know for me personally, I enjoy not being the center of attention when I date in a bigger group setting. Plus, if you're with other people you know on the date, you may let your personality shine through even more just by being surrounded by familiar faces.
So here are the five reasons I love going on double and group dates.
If you're still getting to know each other and you're worried about awkward lulls in the convo, a double date could relieve that pressure. By having another couple to participate in conversation, the focus is less so on you and your partner to keep things interesting. This is especially stress-relieving if the second couple involved comes from your friend group, opposed to your date's friend group.
If you bring a friend and their SO along for a double date, you can nudge your buddy's leg underneath the table at an opportune moment to chat about the date by the bathrooms. Getting to freak out about something cute your date said to you to a friend is much more fun IRL than over text, so enjoy having the friendly pair of ears around to listen.
If you and your partner have been dating a long time, a double date is a fun way to switch up your time together. Whether the double date is with your SO's friends, yours, or mutual friends of you both, spending time with other couples can shake up your regular date night. And if you're a more social couple who usually spends time together in large groups of people, the more intimate setting of a double date is still a fun way to do something different.
Early on in the dating process, going on a double date with your partner with a couple that they know and you don't can help you learn more about that person. Talking to your SO's friends can give you insight to memories only they have of your partner, and you'll have a more well-rounded understanding of who they are as a person. Plus, if they're inviting you out with their friends, it's a sign that they see you fitting into other aspects of their life. Definitely a positive!
Not feeling your date? Tired and don't want to look like a party pooper? If the couple on the double date is from your friend group, and you're not entirely comfortable telling your own date why you want to GTFO, send a few quick texts (or agree upon a plan by the bathroom) to your friend describing the excuse you want to use to leave. This way, if your date insists you stay, you can maybe find some reason why it's necessary you have to go – and your friend will back you up. Even if the double date turns sour, you can always go home with your friend for a movie night or sitting next to each other on a couch, meme-surfing. Either way, you'll have a new experience with each other on which to look back.
