Meeting your partner’s family might be one of the hardest rites you might need to go through in any relationship. It is very complicated, especially if you are planning to take your long-term relationship a step further to probably marriage. One main reason why it is often not easy to meet those family members is simply the fear of making a wrong impression.

Sadly, first encounters are rarely an accurate representation of a person. Yet, people tend to conclude about your character and/or identity based on this first impression. It means that when you do decide to go and meet with your partner’s family for the first time, you need to try and be your best self in simple yet effective ways.

Get as Much Information as You Can on Your Partner’s Family

Please note that we’re not suggesting you stalk your partner’s family on social media, no. The best way to prepare for the meeting with your partner’s family is to get to know as much as you can about them. The best source of this information is your partner. Before going for the meetup, try to get your partner to tell you as much as they can about their family. Your partner’s perspective on their family helps determine how best you can behave when you do meet the family. Knowing the family dynamics will help you decide on how best to blend in with the family.

The best way to tackle this is to target individual family members. Doing this will help you to easily identify people with similar interests and opinions. These people will be easy to get along with so that it should be a breeze for you to kickstart the fitting in process. Do not be shy to ask as much as you want. It shows your partner you care about the relationship. It will also help your partner to balance the relationship and their family.

Dress for the Occasion

The saying that goes, you are what you wear, is essential, especially when you meet up with your partner’s family. When it comes to the fashion part of the meeting, the goal is to wear something that will help you to fit in. Besides, dressing perfectly will boost your confidence. One thing you would not want is to stand out a little too much. There is no specific dress code, especially for family meetings, but depending on the event of the meetup, you can try to keep to the theme. If you are going to dinner, try to dress formally, but not too serious. It will give quite a good impression. If it is just a barbeque,  you can go all out and wear your jeans or shorts.

Get a Gift for Your Partner’s Family

Nothing says polite like giving people you are meeting for the first time a gift. It will help to ease up the tension that might be there since you are meeting for the first time. The perfect gift does not have to be expensive; you can keep it simple. You do not need to splurge: a bunch of flowers will do, or even better, a bottle of wine. Make sure you present the gift just as you arrive. It will boost your confidence and help ease your nerves.

first encounter with family of your partner

Try to Interact with as Many People as You Can

Most people tend to stay close to their partner when they go to family meetings. It might seem like a good idea, but to the family members, it will only come off as an anti-social trait. It means that you have to try to talk to as many family members as you can. The easiest way to get to interact with them is by offering to help out with some of the tasks. Try not to stay glued to your phone; you have to balance between your phone and the relationships you are building.

Prepare for the Meeting of Your Partner’s Family

Meeting new people is not easy. The fact that you have no prior knowledge about your partner’s family before the meeting means that when you meet up, there is going to be a lot of small talks. Most families use short discussions to determine and make assumptions about you. It means that there might be talks on politics, dressing, and even food. Preparing for this will help ease the pressure and also calm your nerves a bit. During these discussions, you should be truthful and confident, but it is essential to try as much as you can not to come off as a cocky or offensive person. If you feel that the small talk is starting to drift into areas that you might be a little uncomfortable, it is ok to let the family know about it.

Do Not Try Too Hard

It is probably the most useful piece of advice. There could be an urge to put up a fake persona, and most people fall for it. The problem with this, in most cases, is that it will come off to the family if you are trying a little too hard. That is one thing you do not want. Try to be as natural as possible. Trust us: it will go pretty well.

If you ever think it is time for your family to meet your partner, be sure that you’re both on the same page because it’s a pretty serious step. Don’t yet have that special person for it? Well, whether you are a man seeking women or a man seeking men (or whoever you are), online dating’s greatest gift, Wickedlist, brings you flawless matchmaking services wherever you are in the US! Sign up for free now and find that perfect partner with a few clicks!