Too soon to meet their mates?

How long after you start dating someone new should you introduce them to your mates? They say timing is of the essence...but how soon is too soon?

Blokes, don't get me wrong. We all want to meet your mates. In fact we find it rather flattering when you introduce us to your chums as your new date, or even - gasp! - as your girlfriend. Give us an invitation to your weeknight work function and we'll get frocked up, coiffed down and well-heeled for the occasion (even though we've got a thousand deadlines, a credit card debt and we're overdue for our next Brazilian).

But what happens when it's the other way around? What if the girls introduce you to her friends as her "boyfriend"? What if she's eager to take him home to the folks, even after a few dates? What if they've merely exchanged numbers before she's thrusting her office Christmas party invite in his face with "plus one" highlighted in hot pink?

Oh yes, timing is everything when it comes to those initial dates. Yet so many of us still continue to get it horribly wrong. "My boyfriend invited me to his sister's 29th birthday party," laments one who fell head-first into the bad-timing trap. "Want to know the worst part? The party was the day after we first slept together. We had only been together two weeks and he was inviting me to come along to her sister's 'fairy princess' party. No joke! Urgh."

So is there ever a right time? Should you wait a few months and let things settle or jump straight in and risk the lot? The answers aren't clear, yet at a swanky bar on Saturday night, I overheard a scintillating conversation between two ladies that stopped me mid martini.
It went something along the lines of this: "I had to dump him," said the one. "Why?" asked the other, "he was such a nice guy!"

"Well to be honest," continued the first, "he refused to let me into his life. He never introduced me to his family, his friends, not even his cat. I felt like I was a complete accessory and would be thrust aside when it didn't match his particular outfit."

Ok, so she was being a tad overdramatic, but is being "introduced" to a new partner's significant others really that important? Well according to marketing executive J, in order to get the relationship to the next level, making introductions is top of the priority list. He recently decided to try his tactic and introduce his new girl to his mates without much warning, two days after they started dating.
"There's absolutely no harm in bringing your new date along with as your handbag," he claims. "As long as you feed them, never let them go thirsty (even for a second) and ensure you're attentive at all times. Hey, it's extremely daunting being face with a room filled with strangers. If you're putting them in the firing line, at least make them feel welcome."
Yet while you might think timing introductions to your friends is the hard part, think again. What if they're eager to meet your parents? Eek! You panic, fluster and begin to wonder; will mum and pop like your new date? Will they approve? Or shirk at your decision? You can't tell, but you sure don't want to mess this one up. My tip? Always tell them to bring a gift for the folks: a little food, flowers or a fancy bottle of chardy never goes astray.