Is romance dead? You’d think so, considering many guys don’t know the sweet ways to ask a girl out. In a dating culture littered with snaps, swipes and SMS chats, asking someone out requires less effort than ever. But why not give yourself an edge with that girl you’re into and surprise her with a unique approach?
If you're still at the stage where you haven't narrowed things down, be sure to try some of our favorite places to meet single girls that work for just about any city.
Here are 7 sweet ways to ask a girl out that are way more enticing than the average pickup line.
Sweet Ways to Ask a Girl Out
Okay, so you got a woman's number and you're close enough to almost be friends. Or maybe she gave you her number and now the ball's in your court. What do you do? You ask her out, of course!
When you invite a girl on a date, there are plenty of ways to sweeten the deal. The goal is to let her know not only that you’re interested, but that you’re worth her time as well.
Say it with a card
Greeting cards were designed to make people feel special. And they do.
Receiving a card from someone who clearly thinks you’re worth the effort warms your heart. Also, it’s becoming increasingly rare, which makes it even more valuable. Even on special occasions, you’re more likely to get a text or an e-card than a greeting card. So when someone takes time to write on a card selected just for you, it’s kind of a big deal. There are a few key things you need to know about asking a girl out over text as well, but nothing you can't handle.
It’s a nice surprise for a girl to receive a pretty envelope with her name on it. She’ll love opening it to find a thoughtful card containing handwritten sentiments.
Choose a card that’s personal to her. If she loves to laugh, pick out a funny card. If she’s into pugs, get her a card with a smashed-face cutie on display. If she’s obsessed with nature, grab the most scenic card on the shelf. She’ll appreciate not only the card itself, but also the personal touch.
Your note should show interest without going over the top. Consider a card like subtly asking her if she's into you without looking needy. For example, thank her for something she recently did for you or use it as an icebreaker to invite her to an event. Holidays and birthdays are great excuses to send a card, so think of something appropriate to personalize the note.
If you don’t have her number yet, write your phone number in it and invite her to call you. This gives her the chance to make contact on her terms. If you give her the card in person, you can watch her expression as she opens it and gauge your chances from there.
When mulling over sweet ways to ask a girl out, this one’s definitely a keeper — literally. She’ll always have a memento to remind her of the first time you asked her out.
Give a little gift
Gift giving is a great way to tell a girl you’d like to take her out but it can also be a pretty cheesy way to ask a girl out if you do it wrong. It doesn’t need to be anything extravagant, just a thoughtful item to make her smile. For instance, a coffee or her favorite snack will totally do the trick.
Pair the gift with a message that’s short and sweet. You could simply say you hope she’s having a good day or you were thinking of her. That could be enough to get her to ask you out. Then add that, if she’s not busy later, you’d love to grab a drink or a bite.
A little gift with a date invite lets a girl know she’s worth a little extra. It’s one of the sweet ways to ask a girl out that’s not difficult, yet really makes an impression.
Share an event page
Social media makes sharing events super easy. If you are friends with her on any platform, simply send the link to her along with why you’re sending it. If you don’t have her on social media and you can’t show her the event on your phone, print out an article or clip the calendar section in the local paper. Circle, highlight or make little comments with arrows to notate the best of your findings. You can hand the paper to her or put it in an envelope for her to read later.
Let her know you were looking into going to these events. Ask if she’d want to join for any of them. Or say you thought of her when you saw a certain event listed, and offer to take her to it.
This approach shows that you’re thinking of her and what she’d like to do. Plus, you’re bringing it up in a very cute way and with all the details right on the page. It also sends a clear message that you desire her company.
The event page invite is one of the sweet ways to ask a girl out that isn’t very common. Its uniqueness, thoughtfulness and personalization will definitely make your offer stand out.
With an approach like this, you don't have to really worry about how long to wait to ask a girl out. You can move forward as soon as you find an even that makes sense.
Play actual games
A little fun goes a long way when it comes to dating. A game may seem like a silly way to ask a girl out, but it’s fun. If she’s already having fun with you, she’ll probably imagine that a date will be pretty enjoyable, too.
The idea here is to throw a date invite into a playful situation.
A friendly wager or challenge goes a long way. This approach opens a lot of doors: mini-golf, bowling or even laser tag. Choose an activity where you can play together or against each other to encourage flirty banter. If you choose to make a wager, it can be something simple like if you win, you take her for ice cream; if she wins, she takes you for a coffee.
This one may require more boldness than other sweet ways to ask a girl out, but it’s worth it.
Save the date
This one is admittedly a little cheesy. But it’s cute, fun and refreshing, easily making it onto the list of sweet ways to ask a girl out.
Grab a calendar. Any calendar will do. You don’t need to break the bank; they sell them at the dollar store, or you could print one out. You could even draw your own with magic markers if you so desire.
Circle one date or several and write your name and a time on the corresponding calendar square. Put a sticky note on the edge of the page so it’s bookmarked. On the sticky note, write something cute that pertains to the activity, like a sweet message telling her you’d love to take her to dinner. Ask her to let you know if the date or any of the dates you circled work for her. Or note for her to call and confirm and leave your number.
The sticky note should be sticking out just enough for her to know to turn to the page you’ve marked. Leave it for her or hand it to her and walk away. She’ll have to at least give you credit for creativity.
Borrow a quote
Reading, repeating, tweeting, posting, sharing and re-sharing quotes is something of a pastime these days. Whether she’s into inspirational messages or snarky zingers, a good quote is something your girl will likely appreciate. It’s also one of the sweet ways to ask a girl out that’s simple, yet thoughtful.
Find a quote you think she’ll enjoy, based on what you know about her. You could use a saying that reflects her personality, experiences or perspective. Or write a verse from a song she likes or a quote from her favorite public figure.
The quote should be something that you can link to a date invitation. Use the saying as the lead-in and follow it up by asking her out on the bottom.
Have a sincere conversation
Girls love a good communicator. Honesty and authenticity are not always on full display at the beginning of a dating venture. Therefore, having a sincere conversation during which you disclose your interest may pleasantly surprise and impress a girl. It might just be enough to get you to ask out a waitress or a girl you just met.
It’s best done in person so she can get a good feel for your tone and you for her reaction. It can be tempting to leave it to texting, but that isn’t nearly as special. Actually looking a girl in the eyes and saying you would like to spend more time with her is so gentlemanly, it’s likely to sweep her off her feet.
It may be the simplest of the sweet ways to ask a girl out, yet so many guys find it difficult. Telling a girl how you feel does require a decent amount of courage, but it’s often very effective.
Even if she tells you she doesn’t feel the same way, there are benefits to having an honest conversation. Learning how to communicate feelings is an important skill to hone. Also, overcoming rejection and getting back out there anyway will increase your boldness and strengthen your character.
Asking her out in a way that's sweet and somewhat unique is usually enough to make you stand out. It beats just standing there and hoping she'll get the hint. But it's also much more subtle than just asking her to come over with no context. With all these sweet ways to ask a girl out, there’s no reason to just fall back on a boring pickup line. Choose a different approach, and you’ll be ahead of the dating game.