Make it or Break it?
Are you in a new relationship and planning your first romantic break? Candlelit dinners and walks along the beach sound like the perfect escape. But arguments and stress are not something you anticipate during your holiday.
However, according to a new study, the first holiday away with a new partner breaks over a third of relationships.
Elect Club Classic, personal introductions agency for over 40s, quizzed a focus group of women and found that 34% of relationships ended after the first trip away.
The most popular reasons for ending a relationship after a first holiday with a partner was not having anything in common as well as bad habits. 57% of the women surveyed revealed that they had ran out of things to talk about with their partner. A further 54% agreed that bad habits were reason enough for them to call time on their relationship.
Many women confess to being caught up in the whirlwind and 63% wish they hadn’t been as hasty on going on holiday until later in their relationship.
The remaining 37% agreed they were pleased they took the break and saw their partner’s true colours.
Sue Sherring, managing director of Elect Club Classic has put together her tips for making sure the first holiday away is a success.
1. Destination
The most important thing is that you agree on the destination. The key is looking for somewhere you’ll both enjoy – so if you love good restaurants and your partner enjoys sightseeing find somewhere that offers you both of these.
Take into account the time it will take to get there. Nothing is more stressful than hours at airports waiting for delayed flights, connections missed and your holiday left in tatters. A short flight to Europe is ideal with a couple of hours on the plane and no connections to worry about.
2. Length of the break
This may be the first time you’ve been with your partner 24/7 so think about keeping the holiday short just in case you decide they’re not the one for you.
A city break is perfect – if you don’t get on there’s plenty to see and do, and if you decide the person you’re holidaying with is the love of your live, then you get to spend time in a fabulous city and experience it together.
3. Relax
Once you’re there, relax and enjoy your break. If you’re uptight and on edge it’ll show and neither you nor your partner will enjoy the romantic getaway. Instead make the most of the destination and the experiences you’ll share.
4. Don’t expect perfection
We all want that first break to be absolutely perfect, but in reality, it never is. No doubt there will be things that annoy you about your partner, the destination or hotel may not be up to scratch and you may feel self-conscious, but if you accept there may be hiccups along the way, then you can relax and enjoy.
One woman who took part said: “I went on a two week sunshine holiday with a bloke I’d been seeing about three months. Never again. He spent the entire 14 days complaining that it was too hot, drank too much and didn’t show the slightest bit of interest in getting know me. I knew within 24 hours that the holiday was going to be the longest two weeks of my life.”
Another added: “Me and my partner went on a three day city break which was ideal – long enough to decide he really wasn’t the one for me but not so long that I was wishing the time away. We still had an okay time – I’m just relieved we didn’t book a longer break.”
Sue Sherring, managing director of Elect Club Classic said: “The first holiday away is the tipping point for many relationships. It’ll probably be the first time you’ve been with your new partner 24/7 for any length of time. You’ll be exposed to their bad habits and will, no doubt, find many things that annoy you about them.
“Some couples see only minor problems and learn to live with them. Others will discover as a deal breaker and will call time on the relationship.
“Think carefully before you agree to go away with a new partner. And if you do decided to jet off think about where you go – a weekend city break is certainly a better option than two weeks in the sun if you decide you hate each other.”