More than friends

Hi there everyone.

I'll keep the background to my story brief.

Essentially I've been friends with a girl for a number of years and - after letting her know how I feel, and her taking the time to think about what she wants - we've recently agreed to go on a date, and to take it from there.

So I'm really happy, but I have a bit of a dilemma. See, she's not the typical girl - she doesn't enjoy all the trappings of relationships (e.g. hand holding, dinner dates, and calling dates "dates", etc.) and actively avoids all things "couple-y". This "date" is a big deal but I don't want her to feel uncomfortable and that I'm rushing into anything.

Incidentally, I feel the same way, and am happy to take things at a slower pace.

So my questions are:

1. What are some more relaxed ideas for a date?

2. What's the best way to ensure that the transition from friends to more-than-friends goes smoothly?

If you could give me your opinions I'd be most grateful.

Thanks

might sound corny but a date idea that has worked for me in the past is going ice skating. then you could get a couple hot dogs or whatever from the snack bar. not the pressure of the sit down dinner.

A relaxed date would be more acitivity-based, I think - the above advice with ice skating is a great example and is good for your situation. Bowling is fun and can be rather flirty, if you want to change the tone of your relationship. Or could be some beautiful walks with a lunch break, visit to some attraction, depending from your interests.
To keep it comfortable, pick up something that friends do as well, but now there will be just two of you. The trick is, that you want to move to being a couple, but don't want to do couple's things. How do you that she doesn't like it?

You should do something really fun apparently successful relationships have fun and are friends something fun like the poster above said skating or try something you both have not done before

There is nothing to INSURE anything. You give it your best shot and if it don't work it doesn't work. If things have to start off slow then there is no spark which is very neccessary to launch a romantic relationship. Relationships like this are more of a miss than a hit.

As stated above, do FUN stuff. Lots of opportunity to talk and laugh. Bowling and coffee is great.