Had we, however, been in the early throes of dating, it would have been the perfect location to get those butterflies fluttering.  Now I’d say that a gig is a good second date choice, so let’s take a step back and think about that all important date numero uno.

We recently conducted a survey which showed that 98% of women prefer it when the gentleman suggests a venue.  Whilst this might be a bit unfair, gents, to get things off on the right foot (in other words to make your life easier) I’d recommend that you make the first suggestion.

Having played Cupid for some time now, I can safely say that going for dinner on a first date is risky business.  What cuisine do you go for?  How fancy should the place be?  What do you order when you are there?  What if you end up stuck, that’s right stuck, opposite a moron for 3 whole courses?  Dangerous territory, no?  By avoiding the suggestion of dinner on a first date you make the whole process a lot less painful.

If we look to our super little survey once more, we can tell you that 64% of girls and 63% of guys would much rather go for drinks on a first date.  In the Tree we have a policy of only sending people to independent bars where you can get nibbles, tapas or sharing platters.   If it looks like things are going well and you’re both a bit peckish then that’s the right time to grab some grub.

If coming up with a cool suggestion fills you with dread, then fear not, help is at hand.  We recently  met the founder of a wonderful website called The Great Date Guide.  Not only is Miss Mary completely lovely, but she’s really good at finding super things to do on dates.  Her site is so easy to use (even I can work it) and it should definitely be your first port of call when thinking up a smashing location.

Now as I’ve said, I think a gig is great for date two.  Other recommendations are art galleries, museums, walks in the park, boat trips(!), bowling, a visit to the zoo, going to see a show and frolicking in a fair-ground.  I think it’s really important that the second date is quite playful, with something fun going on in the background.  This allows you to see more of each other’s personality and stops your dating routine from feeling like a Q&A.

My point is that whether you are on date number one or one hundred, it’s crucial that you give it some thought.  After all, it’s likely that the person you’re meeting is pretty awesome, so they deserve a bit of effort don’t you think?