On the first season of Aziz Ansari’s Netflix comedy series Master of None, protagonist Dev decides to impress his love interest Rachel with a weekend away to Nashville – for their first date. For the most part this sounds like a recipe for disaster, but the weekend away ends up going swimmingly until, of course, it doesn’t.

That first weekend away has the potential to make or break a relationship. So, before you pop the question, “Would you like to go away next weekend?” it’s best to lay down some ground work. While Dev and Rachel ended up reconciling at the end of the episode and growing from the experience, it’s better to be prepared ahead of time so your first getaway together isn’t a total disaster.

Whether you’re headed for a summer camping trip, a weekend in Nashville or some much needed R&R at a beach house, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Go when the timing feels right.

There’s no right or wrong time to take that first short trip together, but going away for your first date isn’t exactly advised. Instead, you should have a few overnight sleepovers under your belt and hopefully have met some of their friends before you take that step. The point is you want to feel comfortable with this person before you commit to spending 48 hours straight with them.

Plan something you’ll both enjoy.

It may seem romantic to plan a “the perfect surprise trip” for your new beloved, but if you’ve just started dating, you might not yet have a crystal clear idea of what that looks like. I mean, your boyfriend or girlfriend takes a lot of long showers, so that must mean they’d love a weekend at a spa, right? Wrong. You may discover that the idea of spending time in a spa makes them cry with boredom or that they find a weekend off the grid in the middle of the woods more anxiety-inducing than romantic. Until you’ve really had a chance to get to know one another, collaborate on your weekend plans so you can come up with an experience you’ll both enjoy.

Sort out money beforehand.

To avoid any awkward moments while you’re away, have a frank discussion beforehand about who’s paying for what. Perhaps you’re going 50/50 on an Airbnb or one person insists on treating – whatever you decide, just make sure you’re clear on what’s happening before you head out.

Be clear about sexpectations.

If you haven’t been intimate together yet, a weekend away often comes with the implication of sex (alone time, romantic setting, high thread count sheets.) Whether you’ve slept together yet or not, have an open discussion about what you’re comfortable with before you go away.

Be open to discovering each other’s habits.

Maybe your partner snores or you have this “weird foot thing” that requires you travel with tubes of ointment – whatever it is, weekend trips have the tendency to bring out habits that you may not have noticed before during your previous sleepovers. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just means you’re really getting to know each other. If you still think they’re pretty darn awesome (foot thing and all) by the end of the weekend, learning about each other’s habits can help build intimacy and, hence, move the relationship forward.

Respect your partner’s privacy.

Even if you had a super steamy make-out session in the sauna together, that doesn’t mean your partner isn’t entitled to some privacy. Just because you’re away together doesn’t give you all-access to their life. If you need something from their overnight bag, ask first. Don’t use this as an opportunity to snoop through their stuff. You might find that giant vat of foot ointment they’re just not ready to talk to you about yet. Just saying.

Be accepting of imperfection.

Finally, let go of the idea that everything about your first trip together will be perfect. It won’t. You’re two human beings who have never gone away together. Between learning each other’s habits, logistics and travel details, there’s bound to be a few hiccups. Don’t sweat it! Not everything is going to be perfect and that’s OK. Try to have a sense of humor and go with the flow. Instead of focusing on everything that’s wrong or could go wrong, try to live in the moment and appreciate the time together for what it is: your first weekend away together.