Date Night: Setting the Mood

Both times I went to Georgia Brown's I loved it. Perhaps having my first date with my now hubby and getting engaged there the second time have something to do with it. But no, there's more to it than that. When you're looking for someplace to have a great date, there are three things that are essential: ambiance, food and service.

Ambiance

While there are times when food is enough, date night is not one of those times. Since meaningful communication is the lifeblood of a good relationship, why go to a restaurant where it's loud, smoky and cramped. The food may be phenomenal but that's not the ultimate goal when planning a successful date night. Lighting, mood and music are three things that good date night restaurants have in common. If you've never been there before, call ahead and ask the restaurant what type and volume level music they play. It should be low enough so you can hear your date, but romantic enough to set an intimate mood. While I hate restaurants that have their lights so low you think they're trying to hide what's on the plate, you don't want the lighting to be so glaring that you can barely keep your eyes on your date. Striking the right balance of lighting and music will help to set the right mood.

Service

One of the things that makes for a memorable date night is the service. They really are the little things that mean the most. From the way you're greeted at the door, to the number of times the server checks on your table, you'll be amazed how at ease your date will feel when the smallest details are attended to. When my husband planned his proposal, he made sure that we were positioned at the perfect spot, the music was timely and the service was excellent. The server was excellent, the hostess was in on the surprise and on the way out she even remembered to ask how everything went. Of course I was still too in shock to give her an intelligible answer and she just took my hand to see the ring. Not every date night will turn into the big night, but learning how to choose the right places to go is great practice.

Food

I know, you thought I'd never get to the food, seemingly the star of the evening. Food quality and taste is important, but one of the things that stands out the most to me during our visit to Georgia Brown's is the fact that I can't for the life of me remember what I ate. I know that it was good and that I enjoyed it, especially before the big question. But, what I remember the most is the mood that was set, the music that was playing and the love I felt. And that's what made it memorable, not to mention the big rock I walked out with (smile).