When it comes to your first date, you want everything to go smoothly and according to plan. Here are some top tips to make sure you both have a great time!

Tip 1: You could do the typical thing, and have a meal in a restaurant for your first date. However, if you do that, and later you find out that can't stand your date, you will have to wait until the end of the meal before you can make a graceful departure, and that may be a couple of hours away! Besides which, it can be expensive, and remember that you have to tip! Instead, consider choosing a coffee date at a Starbucks or similar coffee cafe. It won't last long, and if you find you don't get on with your date, it won't be long before you can find the door.

Tip 2: Why not do something more adventurous on a first date? A fun activity like ten-pin bowling or a visit to a theme park is far more likely to be enjoyed by both of you than a cup of coffee, and even if you don't like each other, you should enjoy the activity! Do try to look for something that you'll both enjoy, though. Ice skating may be fine if you're both keen to do it, and have about the same level of skill; otherwise, give it a miss.

Tip 3: If you must do the typical dinner-date for your first date, at least try not to make it somewhere really expensive, where you'll be frowned at by snooty waiters for any little slip that you make. It should be obvious that you should also not go for a meal at a cheap fast-food restaurant! Try to go for somewhere cosy and comfortable. You only need somewhere that's priced at around the '10/US$20 per head mark. You could even go to a pub; there are plenty of inns that have a very cosy, intimate atmosphere, and you can get some nice, cheap meals at these places for about half the price of a restaurant meal.

Tip 4: Your choice of clothing for your first date should be in-keeping with the activity you intend to do. Within the bounds of being appropriate, try to dress reasonably smartly, and be well-groomed and washed. Clothing is more important for men; affluent dress will certainly impress. For women, make-up is more important; men don't know a great deal about clothes, especially ladies' clothes, and as long as what you wear looks good superficially, that is all you need to worry about, except of course, don't dress too provocatively unless you're looking for action.

Tip 5: Don't do something that you are not both comfortable doing! If you do something just to please him/her on your first date, you won't enjoy it. This will come across in your body language, if nothing else. You'll be very bored!

Tip 6: Do something that will involve the two of you talking, at least for some of the time. A visit to the cinema is no good at all; a theatre visit could work out, because there's an intermission. For a first date, you want to get to know them! How are you going to do that, if you don't do any talking?