Double Dating

So if you read any of my old blogs, you know I'm engaged. You probably have gathered that by now if you're new to this new consolidated blog cause I talk about Easy all the time. I love that man with an undying passion. That will be the how I start I wedding vows. "First of all, I love you with an undying passion." Except it will be said matter-of-factly, not romantically. It will be legend-waitforit-dary.

Image via cheezburger.com

Something new that Easy has brought into my life besides constantly saying things like "undying passion" is the double date. We met at the wedding of his friend to a girl I grew up with. We've been on a couple double dates with them which has been fun. We hang out with a couple down in St. Louis when we're there. Most couples we meet and get along well with have invited us out for a couples' only thing, it's just a matter of finding the time to make it happen. We've even got a double date later today with a friend of his and his girlfriend (who is designing our wedding invitations). I'm hoping we go rock climbing, but we'll see what happens.

I'm surprised that I haven't done more double dating or even hanging out with other couple in a just-couples kind of way before. With the exception of an 18th birthday celebration and prom in high school, most of the time I spent with my significant other and other couples was in a bigger group setting.

There are all sorts of ways a double date could go.

Image via Cartoon Stock

Image via Cartoon Stock

Our double dates have mostly been just hanging out like we would if all our friends were there, but with less concern about PDA. Oh yeah, if you didn't know, the PDA gets pretty serious on a double date.

Image via Cartoon Stock. It's like this but times 2!

If you're going to double date, here are some things you should think about that I've learned in my time double dating:

1. If You're Going To Dinner, Talk About Prices Ahead of Time!
Seriously, Easy and I have been embarrassed to be out with a couple and have them ask 100 times how much something costs. I get that people are on a budget, but we would've chosen a different restaurant if we'd known it was that big of a deal. Also, they were terrible tippers and we can't stand not leaving a tip so we came up out the pocket more than expected to make up for their mess.

2. Plan And End-Time Ahead of Time
There's nothing worse than wearing out your welcome. Oh wait, yes there is. Wearing out your welcome times two! Even if you're hanging out with friends you always hang out with, if it's an official "double date", set an official end time so you don't have to have an awkward, we'd-like-to-have-sex-can-you-leave-now, conversation.

3. Know Your Audience
Don't assume that all your normal date behavior is acceptable on a double date. I know you're on a date with your sweetie, but you have a very captive audience in front of you. Remember not to make jokes they've never heard before that they may find appropriate. You know, stuff about group sex, dead bodies, liposuction, politics, and religion. Typically taboo stuff may ruin someone else's good date and then you become "that weird couple they double dated with once".

4. Don't Assume There Will Be A Second Date
Dating couples is like dating a new person. You have to match personalities and see if there is real compatibility there. I know it sounds crazy, but you have to treat the double date like a real date, it's just your couple dating their couple. Even if these are your best friends and y'all hang out in big groups all the time, don't assume there will be a second double date. Have a conversation about it afterwards that has no pressure. You wouldn't want the fact that you and your SO might not be dating-compatible with your good friends to ruin your friendship outside of activities like rom-coms, brunch, and couples-only camping trips, now would you?

And now, I'm taking a turn in this post. I like to talk about politics, so I will find the thinnest of connections to talk about it here. I'm going to matchup people who I think would make either good or terrible double daters.

Barack & Michelle Obama with Joe & Jill Biden: Good Date Both Jill and Michelle have a background in education/health while Joe and Barack can discuss politics and crack jokes. I think they'd be down for a second date.

Rick & Anita Perry with George W. & Laura Bush: Terrible Date These two camps do not get along! Laura is very active in politics, whereas Anita cares more about nursing. And there's no love between W. and Richard. This date would be terse and un-fun.

Donald & Melania Trump with Todd &a Sarah Palin: Awkward How many people can you put in a room who care so little about making sense before critical mass is reached? I think a double date with these four would find out. They could bond over their general hatred for people who don't get how great they are. But they'd spend a lot of time pretending to understand each other without actually communicating.

Okay, enough faux politics.

Do you double date? What types of couples do you and your significant other spend time around?