These tips are good to read now, even if you are not yet at this stage in your relationship, so you will know what to expect and will be prepared when that day comes. It is important to understand a little bit of russian custom, russian manners, and russian etiquette as well as a touch or russian supersition (it's more important than you think).
1. Dress Nice. This is your first date / meeting, you want to present yourself properly. You don't want to appear too showy so a tuxedo or 3 piece suit is probably not called for. You should dress business casual and carry a suit jacket with you. Do not wear old rags like tshirt or torn jeans. Your clothes should be neat and pressed. You should be freshly shaved and your hair should be in place. Overall, make sure to wear a smile!
2. Bring a gift. If you are meeting at her home a gift of wine, alcohol, or dessert such as cake is appropriate. Flowers are also always appreciated, no matter where you choose to meet. In russia men give the gift of flowers to women freely and give them to russian women often. There are a few rules of flower giving though- flowers must be given in groups of odd numbers. Flowers in even numbers are striclty reserved for funerals and it is considered a very bad omen to break with this russian tradition. The bad omen superstition of giving a russian woman flowers in an even number is so strong in russia and ukraine that most flower vendors will refuse to sell you flowers paired in such a way. Carnations are also usually considered a funeral flower and should be avoided. Additionally yellow flowers should also be avoided. While the yellow flower superstition / bad omen isn't as wide spread and adhered to as feircly as the even / odd number of flowers custom, in many parts of russia and other areas of the former soviet union yellow flowers are considered a symbol of infidelity or signify the end of an affair.
To really impress the beautiful russian woman you are greeting bring her a gift from your home country (it doesn't have to be expensive, a small trinket will due, but not something too touristy / cheap). Something that is unique to your country of origin, be it New Zealand, Canada, America, Australia or Europe. This is sure to impress your russian gal and her kinsmen as well as I promise you it will be something she will want to share with others.
3. The Dos and Don'ts of shaking hands. Introductions are important in Russian and Ukrainian society. You should not extend greetings or shake hands over the door way, you should enter first before this is begun. Shaking hands is important, and should be done with bare hands, but should primarily be done when meeting men. Unless your russian lady offers, shaking hands is considered masculine. Instead you should lightly kiss her cheeks, right, left and right again or vice versa. Kisses should be done in threes, but be gentle and light. No one wants a wet pucker.
4. Table Manners. Russian, Ukrainian and most former soviet cuisine is usually heavy in snacks / finger foods. A large reason for this being is it is considered good etiquette to take a bite of food between sips of liquor or other alcohol such as beer or wine. If at a restaurant and your pretty russian lady orders several items such as this she is not being greedy but keeping with tradition. It is also considered rude to not offer to share any finger foods / snacks you may have ordered for yourself.
If dining at the home of your russian bride or her family and friends be sure to accept all food and drink that is offered to you. To refuse is considered rude and disrespectful to your hosts. Generousity in hosting is highly stressed in russian and ukrainian culture, so it is important and essential to good russian etiquette that you allow them to do such.
As a dinner guest in a russian or ukrainian home be prepared to make toasts. Toasting does take on a traditional pattern you should be aware of- the host or hosts of the meal have the honor of making the first toast, which usually will be in honor of you, the guest. As the guest it is your duity to reciprocate the honor of the toast by making the second toast to your hosts. The third toast given is to be in celebration of the russian women present, you can toast your special russian girl, the women of the household, and / or female friends and colleagues at the gathering.
5. Saying goodbye. Leaving, like greeting, is done indoors before you exit and again never over the threshold. Be prepared to be kissed by your host one to three times as you depart. Also another kissing tip- never kiss your russian woman on her forehead. Like even numbers of flowers, the act of kissing a slav on his or her forehead is reserved for funerals.
A good semi- formal russian goodbye is "Do svidaniya!". Pronounced duh svee-dah-nee-ye, it literally means "Until the next meeting."
