What is a fake date, and how can a fake date be romantic? But what about those fake relationships that are more common than you think!
How many times have you swiped past the bad puns on Tinder?
Are you sick of Pina Coladas and other cocktails your mother used to drink when she was dating?
What about those sunset strolls where you’re still finding beach sand by your doorstep to want to start your own island?
Or does your tummy lump over like lead at the thought of suffering those pity looks for being the only single person at a couple’s dinner party?
Well, have you ever considered fake dating as an alternative?
What is a fake date?
Fake dating is when there is a fake relationship between two people working towards a mutually beneficial goal.
It can be one date, a dozen dates, or a full-on fake relationship where they look, act, and react like any normal dating couple. From the outside, you’d think they were a real dating couple—but they’re only faking it because there is no emotional connection between them.
And this fake relationship lasts as long as the planned break-up. Kind of like any other normal relationship ending, right?
“Fake dating is your new hobby into dishonesty…”
Not to be confused with a blind date:
Technically, a blind date can be fake, but a blind date is where you are being tricked by family and friends into a date with a complete stranger.
Fake dating is your new hobby into dishonesty by tricking your family and friends by making out this date is real.
So why do it?
The most common reasons for having a fake date:
Besides back-peddling from the fake dating profiles filled with cliched dating disasters waiting to happen, there are countless of reasons why people consider going on a fake date. Here are the most common ones:
For weddings
To show up at a wedding with a plus one is the most common excuse. Having a fake date on hand is a great way to hide your seething jealousy over the newlyweds, while you wait for your divorce papers to come through. Or, you’ve been forever single, but you religiously add to the massive scrapbook encyclopedia library you keep under your bed detailing your perfect wedding—you just haven’t found the right groom to photoshop in yet.
Avoiding the Judgy Parents & Friends
The 2nd most common excuse is to avoid the parents’ wrath for being single, and because they’re worried about that secret scrapbook collection you’ve got going on. And you probably want to avoid your friend’s trying to set you up with another blind date, so having a fake date escort you to those family functions is handy.
To make your crush jealous
The next favourite excuse to fake date is to make your secret crush insanely jealous that they demand you drop this fake-dude so they can be your plus one forever and ever and ever… Can’t you just hear those wedding bells ring?
Debt made you do this
When a debt is to be paid, owed, or for avoiding the debt collectors, are common reasons for having a fake relationship.
The Legal Agreements
Another common reason is for rental agreements, you know those places that will only take working couples. There are the loan contracts, immigration agreements or a marriage of convenience all fit this category as a reason for wanting to fake a relationship.
The Bet Made Me Do It!
For a bet. Did you mind just tick over the endless possible scenarios on this one? I’m gonna let your imagination run, as I pen down those thoughts for a future book!
The status updates
More common than you think, but many will fake a relationship just to up their social media status that ends with a spectacular break-up in hope of finding Mr Right who will pass on his condolences in a comment on your post, that will give you the perfect opportunity to slide into his DM’s and start that connection!
The High School Reunion
My favourite, the High School reunion. Er, hello, who wouldn’t want to show up with Mr Perfect where you can say goodbye to the awkward-nerd-in-braces-where-highschool-was-hell to hello Miss Popular (who owns 20 cats and lives in her parents’ garage she calls the studio because there wasn’t any room left for her wedding scrapbook collections.) Wait, what?
Other names for fake dating:
Faking the phony relationship between two people is so common in the dating apps that they have other terms like:
Fating is where there is no commitment to a long-term relationship fading out to the friendzone. Or, it’s when you miss your chances of fate’s true love by being with someone you’re fake-dating because you didn’t want to be alone.
Pseudo-relationship is the same.
A Pseudo-date is when a couple is just trialling it out without having to commit to an actual real date.
Cuffing:
Cuffing (as in handcuffing) is where you’re only tied up for a short time. This type of pseudo-relationship usually occurs around Christmas time, so singles don’t feel alone during the holiday season. They act like a normal couple, except it’s just like milk kept in the fridge that only has a short shelf life, which is the same for cuffing couples, and it’s generally over by Valentine’s Day.
This term may have to do with the fake-date movie Holiday in Handcuffs .
Catfishing/ Casting/ Fishing:
You know that term, ‘there’s plenty of fish in the sea‘? Well, in this category we’re reeling in the serial fake daters who’ve become fishermen casting their net wide across the dating sites to see what they can catch. They bait you by broadcasting the same blaze message to see who’ll respond from their ready-made library of things to say without saying your name.
The King Catfish variety is the ones who will say they are not married, but they are.
For those single fishermen casting, it’s just for hook-ups and those late-night booty calls that start with the text messages, “Hey, what are you up to?”
Ghosting:
Ghosting when it comes to dating is when you’ve been on a few dates and you think all is going well. Until they disappear off the face of the earth! They won’t return your texts, emails, calls etc… for no reason. It’s as if they didn’t exist. So your chances are they’re probably just another catfish and you saved yourself a tonne of heartache letting that one go.
Benching:
Benching is where you are the second choice of a date. Honestly, you are the afterthought that is easily forgotten when their prime choice of date shows up, that’s where you’ll get benched. The signs of a classic benching is when they’ll call you last minute for a date on their terms, never yours. Oh, and cancellations and excuses for piking out on a date with you are aplenty – so be prepared to hike it alone.
Rules to fake dating:
Once you’ve worked out your personal reasons for going on a fake date—do remember, you’ll be lying, or implying a lie to family and friends. But it’s also best to set out the ground rules.
It’s also recommended you learn some basics about your fake dating partner to avoid those awkward situations when in the company of others. So doing the groundwork helps simply by asking:
How long will you fake your date?
What about personal space in this fake relationship?
Where will you fake this date?
What about kissing in this fake relationship? Hand-holding, cold-weather snuggling, and other public shows of affection in this fake relationship?
Oh, and never, ever get attached.
Don’t worry, you’ll probably break all the rules later…
What about the fake date trope in romances
The fake date is one of those delicious romance tropes used countless times. It’s where the couple tries to maintain a fake romantic relationship while trying to put a lid on their own emotional attractions towards each other. They can be strangers or enemies who become friends to eventually find that happily ever after.
But most of all, you’ll probably get some cringe-worthy moments that are part of the fun and games in this kind of romance. No wonder it’s a popular trope, especially in the rom-com genre.
Take a fake date to the movies
Date night at the movies, well why not make cozy up to a fake fire by picking one of the movies or TV shows below that have a fake-date theme to their story.
In Farmer Wants a Wife it’s a reality show that is filled with fake dates, even a fake relationship! But so is the Bachelor, Bachelorette, and all those other reality romance shows that fill our screens with long-languishing looks and those first kisses that you’ll either love or loathe.
So from the classic list below that, I’m sure you’ve watched one or all, which was your favourite fake date moment?
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Honourable mentions go to:
❤️ Sex and the City is the series where Mr Big is continuously benching Carrie.
❤️ Bridesmaids the movie, where the heroine starts this story demonstrating the perfect benched-booty call with a catfisherman! Phew.
Looking for a page-flipping feel good fake date?
For a feel-good story try MUSTER IN THE DUST, where you’ll find an unlikely duo who agree to go on a quirky fake date for separate reasons—but will those separate agendas make or break them…
Go on, book a date with yourself by finding a comfy spot, stock up on some of your favourite snacks and slip into this story where everyone gets a feel-good win. Most of all… YOU.
**All still images relating to this post’s topic are via the talented & fabulous photographers at https://unsplash.com/ via CANVA.com Thanks guys.
| #MUSTERINTHEDUST | #unplannedparty | #avoidingthepityparty | #Escape2HEA ~ because everyone deserves an Escape from the drama in their day!
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