How Long Should We Communicate before Meeting in Person?

After you connect with someone online, what is a reasonable time (days or emails) before you suggest that you meet in person for the first time?

The time frame to suggest a first meeting is going to be different for each person you communicate with. Things like how often you communicate, how deep your conversations are, your past relationships, and your comfort level with each other, are all going to play a factor in exactly when that right time comes. If you've been communicating with someone for at least a week and things seem to be going well, feel free to approach the topic of that first meeting when you feel comfortable.

At the same time, don't wait too long to ask someone out on a date either. If it has been a few months, then you are pursuing a pen-pal relationship, not a dating relationship. Funnily enough, the whole point of an online dating site is to meet offline. So, asking someone on a date somewhere in between the first few messages and the first month of messages is a happy medium to shoot for.

When you do arrange a date, we recommend meeting at a public place for coffee or an activity. Now, if you are long distance, a first date in person may take more time to figure out due to schedules and travel. Instead, we recommend setting up a time to video chat as soon as possible. This will help you get a better feel for the other person even before an in-person meeting.

Here are a few stories of CatholicMatch couples and how they met in person the first time.

1. Meeting after a few messages

2. Setting up a first date quickly

3. Meeting after five weeks

4. Skype dates right away

5. Meeting after one month

6. Phone calls were too awkward

7. A ten day first date

8. Postponing the first date...twice

Have more questions about online dating? Visit our FAQ center or shoot an email over to support@catholicmatch.com