Find student catering…

Did you know that there are many restaurants dotted around the country run by catering and hospitality students? There is bound to be one in your local area and the cost will be significantly lower than average for the quality provided. Who says dinner dates have to break the bank?

Share ‘quiet nights in’…

An even better way to negotiate any dinner date expense is to turn your dining room into your very own eatery. Transform the place with table cloths, candles, cushions, draped pieces of fabric and anything else you can think of. Then plan a menu of both of your favourite foods – if you’re not a good cook then stick religiously to the recipe. To save even more money you could even ask your date to bring the wine.

Use public transport, never taxis…

A great way to save on dates (and in general) is to use public transport, avoiding the use of a car and especially taxis. This small saving in travel costs could cut a significant amount off the overall expense of the date.

Watch the sunset…

Why not embrace nature this winter and enjoy the beautiful outdoors? Winter is a gorgeous season – especially when it snows – and taking it in is completely free. Why not suggest a walk at sunset? Even the most expensive date wouldn’t be as romantic as this.

Get sporty…

Try out an activity with your date – walking, playing Frisbee, kite-flying, cycling – whatever takes your fancy. Not only is this also free, but it will keep you fit and warm in the cold weather.

Find amateur entertainment…

Theatre and other live entertainments don’t have to cost a fortune. Look for local venues and independent companies – there’s bound to be a lot of cheap but great quality events going on out there. Comedy is a particularly good thing to see with your date as laughing is a really great way to bring people closer together.

Whether you meet your dates on dating sites or at the local pub, your love life doesn’t have to be expensive. These six tips should have you dating on a very manageable budget from now on.

Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/perspective/5994560953/

Dancing

Dancing is and always has been the pastime of lovers. Through practising a sequence of moves together, you become intimately close, engaged in a language of movements, bonding on a deep level. This activity could even be used as a metaphor for relationships – working together, relying on each other and developing a mutual trust are essential for any couple, as well as for a dancing duo. For all of these reasons, dancing is a great hobby to start together and will definitely bring you closer.

Rock climbing

Rock climbing is probably the most communal individual sport. Climbing walls are hives of social activity, everyone helping each other work out problems on the rock. You also have to have a partner to climb – someone on the other end of the rope to catch you if you fall. Again, this brings to mind many metaphors for romantic relationships. Climbing with your partner will create a very deep bond of trust, as you really do have their life in your hands – the perfect hobby to start as a couple. It will also get you extremely fit.

Dynamic yoga

Trust is also a very important part of dynamic yoga. In this much more demanding strand of yoga, couples use each other’s bodies to form poses, sometimes in highly gymnastic ways. This could mean supporting someone in a headstand, or lifting them up and holding the position for many minutes. The physical contact and close reliance are brilliant for any couple to share.

Cooking

Why not start some cookery classes together? This hobby is lots of fun and will provide you with skills you’ll use your whole life. Whether you met as Nottingham singles or through friends, cooking is a wonderful way for couples to connect. Not only will you look forward to cooking, but you will want to enjoy the results together too.

Start a new hobby together and see your relationship grow!

Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/o_brien/188600821/

But just think how much longer writing the guest list would take if you could invite anyone – and I mean anyone – and they were guaranteed to turn up. If you had the option, which five celebrities would you choose as honorary guests at the top table? Here’s who I’d invite…

Pope Benedict XVI… to perform the ceremony

Who better to perform the marriage rites than the highest level of priest you could possibly get? German-born Benedict XVI became the 256th pope just five years ago and has already come over to the UK for a memorable visit. So, since he’s been over once, it won’t be difficult to persuade him back for the wedding. He might even bring his Popemobile along for comedy value. Most importantly, he’s bound to give great relationship advice and wisdom for the rest of your life together.

Delia Smith… to handle the catering

This renowned classic chef couldn’t be more perfect for a wedding caterer. Her delicious though traditional style would sit perfectly at a wedding. Plus, she’d be a great person to chat to and hear a few anecdotes from. Now all you need is to rope in Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey and Heston Blumenthal as her sous chefs!

Michael McIntyre… to make the speech

This comedian, with his roguish laugh, inherently posh voice and apologetic humour, would fit perfectly into the scene of a wedding. He even looks great in a tuxedo! Still a relatively new talent, McIntyre has swept on to the nation’s screens and into their hearts. He would be a brilliant addition to a wedding party and would no doubt make an appropriately cringe-worthy, hilarious and memorable speech.

Stevie Wonder… to entertain

Who better to provide the live music than American Motown legend Stevie Wonder? Just imagine: your first dance could be to the legendary romantic ballad ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’ sung live by the man himself. Such classics as ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’, ‘Sir Duke’, ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ and ‘Superstitious’ would all feature on the set list, as well as many other Wonder masterpieces. You could even get him to cover some wedding classics and 80s cheese – he probably does requests.

Fatboy Slim… to DJ

Stevie Wonder’s going to need to have a few breaks, and to fill up the gaps, why not arrange a live DJ set from Fatboy Slim? His unique electro/house style will contrast heavily with Stevie’s stints, moving the mood from romantic to party-crazy as your guests get steadily more inebriated and ready to lose themselves in the music.

Whether you’ve met through internet dating or randomly, you can dream of having celebrity legends at your wedding. Why not send the invitations to your top five anyway? Then, who knows, there’s a small chance they might turn up…

Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bensutherland/3971712547/

So, it’s time to shake off commitment-phobic attitudes and start reaping the benefits of a relationship. Here are some of those benefits…

Companionship

Relationships are a guarantee that (as the popular song by The Feeling suggests) you’ll ‘never be lonely’. It’s fantastic to know you will have that someone by your side through thick and thin. It’s someone to do the weekly shop with, go running with and cuddle up to in the evenings. This feeling of companionship is incredibly comforting, especially when the other parts of your life aren’t going so well.

Support

Whether you’ve met through online dating sites or through friends, you can always count on the support of your partner. In a relationship, you will always have someone on your side keeping you strong through any problems that life might throw at you. They’ll always back you up and say exactly the right things to get you smiling again.

Advice

With two heads comes twice as much knowledge and expertise. You can always count on your partner to give you useful advice, or at least provide a unique perspective on something. Also, you can give your advice back and help your partner out of their tricky situations. And who knows what enormous riddles you could solve if you put both of your heads together.

Intimacy

Relationships cross a new line of intimacy. Being with your partner every day, spending every available minute with them, incorporating them into your friendship groups and family circles, sharing a house, sharing a life – it’s the closest you’ll ever get to anyone. You finish each other’s sentences and predict each other’s every move. That deep-rooted unquestioning knowledge of each other is such a fantastic thing to have.

Economy

As well as all of the personal and emotional benefits, relationships are certainly healthy for the wallet. You get to half every bill – rent, food, household costs. Then there are tax breaks if you get married and the pension to share when you retire. On a practical basis, relationships are an incredibly savvy move.

Whether you’re in London dating or in Manchester dating, don’t fall for the modern ideals of anti-commitment. There are still many wonderful benefits of being in a relationship. Your partner is the best friend you’ll ever have, and they’ll support, guide and accompany you through life, not to mention save you a load of cash!

As 2010 draws to a close, how do you see yourself in 2011? Do you dream of a new beginning where old, unpleasant habits have been shrugged off? Here is a list of eleven slightly unconventional resolutions that are sure to put a positive spin on your new year…

1. Learn a language

I don’t mean you have to learn one fluently – that might be a little too ambitious. Just try learning enough to get by when you visit the country and, most importantly, learn enough to be polite. As a nation we really need to exert a bit more effort in this field – it’s insulting to assume everyone wants to speak in English.

2. Try one new recipe every week

This will add diversity to your diet and rapidly improve your skills as a chef.

3. Start cycling

Cycling is very fashionable at the moment: it’s good for the environment, saves you money and keeps you super fit. It’s a trend that’s definitely worth embracing.

4. Seize the day

As Andy Dufresne famously says in Shawshank Redemption, “get busy living or get busy dying”. Make 2011 a year when you seize the day and get busy doing everything you always said you would. Get the tattoo you’ve always wanted to get. Travel to the place you always said you would visit.

5. Surprise your partner once a week

Next year, why not treat whoever you’re dating to a surprise a week, whether it’s a spontaneous gift or an adventure weekend away. This is bound to spice things up and bring you closer together.

6. Be more generous

Try to be more generous in everything you do. Organise at least one fundraising event in the next year or start volunteering in your local community.

7. Spend more time doing what you love

Nowadays, we tend to become entirely selfless. We are slaves to our jobs and can never squeeze in any time for ourselves. What you could do in 2011 is make sure you put aside some time to do what you love, whether that’s going to the theatre or going on a few more holidays.

8. Spend less time near the screen

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of television every so often. But a good resolution for 2011 could be to try to reduce the amount of time you spend near a screen – get out, socialise and embrace real life (rather than fictional life!).

9. Build up your confidence

As a great philosopher once said (or maybe it was Derren Brown), “courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it”. In 2011, try to bear this in mind when facing challenges. Deliberately attempt things that are outside your comfort zone and soon you will feel your confidence building in all areas of life.

10. Spend a week every month not drinking

Giving up alcohol is a bit of a clichéd New Year’s resolution. But a target of tea-totalling one week in a month is much more manageable, and you’ll be surprised at how much money you will save by doing this.

11. Make time for those you’re drifting apart from

Look at everyone in your life and work out which people you really aren’t spending enough time with. You and your partner might share perfect compatibility but don’t see enough of each other. There might be an old school friend you haven’t seen in a while. Make the effort now before you end up losing them.

Don’t make 2011 a year of broken promises. Try out just one of these eleven resolutions and you’ll be amazed at how much of a difference it could make to your daily life.

Dating over the winter months can be an intimidating prospect. Potential suitors retreat behind fluffy hats, puffy jackets and closed doors. The days get shorter, the temperatures get lower, and every couple you know starts to smugly parade their affection by having numerous ‘cosy nights-in’.

If you want to find someone special before Valentine’s Day, or even for the countdown on New Year’s Eve, all you need is a little self-motivation. Just because it’s winter, that doesn’t mean that everyone’s cosily cuddled up together. There will be many singles out there looking for a date, even through the snowdrifts. In fact, you are more likely to find singles out and about in winter because those will be the people who make the effort. Here are a few ideas for finding and attracting new matches as the summer waves a sorrowful goodbye…

Stand Out From the Crowd

A lot of people tend to neglect their appearance over this chilly period. Ancient, unfashionable jumpers are pulled up to eye level, hiding glum faces deprived of moisturiser and make-up. Men grow their facial hair to a comical length and pull hoods far over their heads. On top of this, everyone seems to choose the pastel autumnal pallet, matching their colour choices to the landscape, so everyone blends together in a rather depressing blur. The best way to attract at this time of year is to work against this general movement. Make an effort to wear bright colours, keep yourself preened and primed at all times, and splash out on a winter wardrobe to die for. Along with this, try to smile and keep positive. This way you will definitely have heads turning in your direction – who could ignore a radiant, colourful figure in a sepia scene?

Brave the Outdoors

Rather than finding excuses to stay at home, try to find as many ways as possible to get out of the house. Find a warm (but fashionable and brightly coloured) coat, a cheerful scarf and some practical shoes and you’re all set. Accept every invitation that comes your way, whether it’s through the post or on Facebook. You never know where you’re going to meet someone, so don’t miss any opportunities!

Get Festive

While the weather may be depressing, the festivities that winter rustles up are all rather exciting. Halloween is followed swiftly by Bonfire Night, and then begins the slow and exhilarating build-up to the magic of Christmas. These events can also be used as perfect excuses to go out more often, attend many a party and generally go a bit wild. If you throw yourself into the festivities this year, you might just find yourself entwined with someone under the mistletoe or swapping scary masks at that Halloween-themed night.

Embrace the Season

There are many activities that can only be enjoyed in winter and it would be a shame to miss out on them. Why not try an outdoor ice rink or even fly away to the Alps for a bit of snowboarding? You’ll be surprised how many people you can meet through these kinds of hobbies. Plus, this way you really will be making the most of the winter.

If you follow this advice, your dating life will be as bountiful and varied as at any other point of the year. Whether you’re in Birmingham dating or in London dating, don’t be a recluse this winter.

Photo: Winter Stare…

Camping

There are few men who like adventure on the top of the mountains or admiring the sunset in the mountains. There they don’t have internet, e-mail or TV where they can see a football game. If you love nature the beach is perfect. Sunset, beer, love and return to civilization. This is far more interesting for men.

Opera

If you must choose what to do on weekends, never choose the opera. Culture is always important but men don’t like places where they spend a lot of money on tickets and they can’t even understand the concert’s language. If you like cultural activities, choose ballet. He can see there women with a beautiful body and also admire the dance show.

Shopping

Which is the picture that men have on shopping? You follow her through each store while she tries a lot of T-shirts, skirts, dresses or shoes while you try to convince her that she doesn’t look fat in that clothes. If you like to try clothes, don’t take him to the mall. You’d better ask him to clean the house than go with you.

Relationship workshops

All men try to avoid the mistakes done in a relationship but few are willing to listen other’s advice on that. It’s complicated enough for them to maintain the relationship freshness so having the patience to stay and listen different “specialists” opinion is really impossible. If you want to talk intimate things with him you’d better do this at home, together.

With World Cup mania in full swing despite England’s dismal performance, those in serious relationships with a ticket to the finals in South Africa may be wondering if this is the time to pop the question. What could be more romantic than a proposal during a well-earned victory over the other team, right? Wrong.

Searching online for ‘dating UK‘, you can find some interesting advice on proposals. Forums and dating sites related to engagements and marriage go wild on this topic and most fall on the do-not-do-it-in-any-circumstances side of the debate. Why?

The most articulate reason: “Most brides would prefer that magical moment to be between just the two of you. After all, you’ve got the rest of your lives to tell other people about your marriage but you’ve only got one engagement moment.”

This pretty much sums it up. The decision to get married is a serious one. More importantly, it is one made between two people, not two people and a crowd. A half-time proposal in the stands with World Cup fans means that you have the entire international community partaking in what most women want to be an intimate moment. While this seems like a thrilling way to commemorate how you two met, it is a potentially dangerous way to propose.

We are often fed images of women uttering a startled “yes!” to their men, but there are also some videos of women politely – or not so politely – saying “no“.

1. Watch a game together at home, just the two of you, and propose at the right moment during the game.
2. Propose after the game at a nice restaurant.
3. Play the sport you two love and propose while playing – it will be original yet personal.
4. Propose outside your team’s stadium.

The key is to remember that most women want their proposals to be private – that way they can cry, scream, jump up and down, clap their hands or giggle mercilessly at will.

For us English, we may be safe from sport-related proposals for the time being thanks to Fabio Capello and his team. On the other hand, maybe a ring would be just the thing to cheer your partner up…

It’s all very well to be dating several people at one time when it’s the first few dates, it’s all very casual and you’re still getting to know them. But where does it begin to look a bit like cheating? The beginning patch of a relationship can be a very murky area in this day and age. It’s not like at school where after much whispering and giggling from friends a boy came up and asked a girl to be their girlfriend. It really was that simple: the beginning of a relationship in under five minutes. Now, relationships in the adult world can take weeks, months or even years to start properly, after many dates, doubts and wonderings. There isn’t just one question and one answer, there are several roundabout conversations. So, along this foggy path, what constitutes as cheating and how can you avoid causing hurtful misunderstandings? Here are a few things to consider…

Is there a difference of opinion?

Think about your relationship so far: what has been said, what has been promised and what terms have been used. How do they introduce you to other people and how do they talk about the future, using ‘we’ or ‘I’? Dating can be complicated by couples who may want different things from each other. You may have overlooked the fact that your partner is a step ahead of you – think about how they would react if they found out that you’re seeing someone else.

What is your motive?

Be honest with yourself about why you’re still calling that old flame, or still giving out your phone number. You may be deceiving yourself and know full well that you shouldn’t be doing it. Then why? Is it because you’re not ready for commitment and need more time? Or is it because you want to see how they react to the situation to test their affection for you? The sooner you realise why you’re seeing other people, the sooner you’ll be able to answer the question ‘am I cheating?’.

Are you being deliberately secretive?

Everyone likes to keep their options open and imagine an alternative universe where the tennis club instructor would make an amazing father, or the hot new receptionist at work is secretly interested in you. But if you’re hiding something from your partner, forgetting to mention the tennis instructor’s name, or the receptionist’s name, then this is a little worrying. If you’re deliberately concealing things then it means that your partner wouldn’t like to hear what you have to hide.

How would you react?

Reverse the situation. You find her in Costa with her ex. You find him out to lunch with his receptionist. How would you react? This will certainly clear your mind to the nature of the relationship and how you feel about your partner. It’s only fair to treat him as you expect him to treat you.

Birmingham dating, New York dating- wherever you are in the UK, in the US, or in the world, be honest and direct. If you’re asking the question ‘am I cheating?’ then it’s probably time to have a very serious conversation with your partner about the nature of your relationship. This will clear up any uncertainties immediately.

Manchester: a large and diverse city often referred to as ‘the London of the North’ where it always rains and yet people are determined to venture outside and face the weather. Its depth of culture is remarkable, with a heavy populace of sports fans and facilities, a lively and innovative music scene and fascinating museums, galleries and architecture. With so much culture and history to absorb and such a wide variety of places to explore, Manchester is also the perfect dating destination. If you’re new to the city and don’t know where to start, or just want a few new dating tips about your home town, this brief guide will take you through all of Manchester’s dating possibilities…

The city is full of opportunities for meeting people. A huge student population means that the nightlife is friendly and lively with every type of club and bar dotted around the centre. Sound Control, Mint Lounge, Sub Space and The Factory are just a few of the many popular nightclubs. If you want to avoid a student crowd, there are also bars and clubs for over 25s, such as Cuba Café in the northern quarter, which is hugely popular and even holds salsa classes. If clubbing is not for you, do not despair, there are plenty of other ways to meet your dream date, all you need to do is be proactive. Get yourself out and about: cafes, parks, supermarkets are all good places to meet people and you could even visit a Dating website.

When you’ve found someone special to share Manchester with, there are an overwhelming amount of activities to choose from. Starting with the conventional choice of dinner dates, the city is blessed with the world of food. ‘The Curry Mile’ in Rusholme houses the finest collection of curry houses in Europe and the Chinatown here more than matches up to its London equivalent. With 300 establishments to choose from, there is certain to be a perfect restaurant out there for you!

If you are thinking of being a bit more adventurous and feel like investing in tickets to see a show, a band or a comedian, Manchester will not disappoint. The MEN arena is a renowned venue which welcomes world famous artists onto its stage all year, but there are many other great gig locations such as the Roadhouse and Manchester Apollo. Many theatres are dotted around the centre as well, with shows ranging from classical – such as Varekai – Cirque de Soleil currently showing at the Trafford Centre- to experimental – such as the stage version of George Orwell’s totalitarian nightmare 1984 which is on running at the Royal Exchange Theatre.

For a more scenic experience, a walk around the city or even a guided tour could make a magical date. The history of Manchester’s cotton trade is engrained through its red-bricked Victorian architecture and this combined with its many parks and the seven surface rivers which weave through the city and its wider county could make for a truly picturesque and romantic date. The many museums, tourist landmarks and galleries are places you could also drop into, and many of these locations are free, such as Manchester Art Gallery.

So, Manchester dating opportunities are too many to count. Whether it’s a walk by the river, learning a bit of your city’s heritage at a museum or seeing that new and unmissable play, you’re bound to find a bit of romance.