10 Guaranteed Ways to Impress Your Future In-Laws

Assuming you have better luck than Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents, fostering a good relationship with your future in-laws shouldn't be that hard. Though there are a few things you can do to give yourself a boost. Here, 10 ways to make them fall in love with you, pronto.

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Photo: Archive Photos/Stringer

1. Treat your fiancé with respect.

Any parent is going to have a hard time liking you if you're dissing their son or daughter. Even if your guy's OK with you teasing him about his terrible cooking skills, the in-laws might not laugh with you-at least not until you're all chummy.

2. Dress up.

Now, no one's telling you to start a Kardashian beauty routine, but looking sloppy can send an inaccurate message as it implies that you're indifferent. Save the sweats for a Scandal marathon, not brunch with his parents.

3. Take interest in their hobbies.

No need to fake that you're a die-hard Mets fan if watching baseball puts you to sleep. Instead, seek out a hobby that you're able to participate in, like gardening or running, and give it your best shot. Who knows? You may just sign up for a 5K together. Kudos if you learn something completely new, love it, and have your in-laws to thank for it.

4. Encourage a tête-à-tête.

Unless you hit it off from the start, hanging out with a MIL solo can be awkward, at first. What will you talk about? Fortunately, spending time one-on-one can help you be yourself and talk about things that matter, even if it's the unconditional love for your pug, Motsey. Note: Don't forget to spend time with FIL and your fiancé's siblings.

5. Speak courteously to the waiter.

Politeness and good manners can go a long way. Treating everyone kindly shows that you're not just putting on a show and that you're a genuinely nice person.

6. Bring over your signature dish (and share the recipe).

We've all heard the idiom, "A way to a man's heart is through his stomach." The same tactic works for, well, pretty much everyone.

7. Don't be afraid to voice your opinion.

Of course, you want to be liked, but that doesn't mean your values should fall by the wayside. It's completely OK to have a difference of opinion as long as you don't get all worked up trying to convince everyone that your way of thinking is right and they have it all wrong. Chances are, your in-laws will respect your commitment to things that matter to you.

8. Invite your MIL to an outing with your own mom.

Say you and your mom love to get manicures together. Including your future MIL sends a signal that you think of her more than just your fiancé's mom.

9. Ask for advice.

Parents may not have all the answers but they do have interesting perspectives. Remember, you don't have to take their advice, yet showing that you are interested in your in-laws' point of view will score you major brownie points.

10. Try the fruitcake, even if you don't like fruitcake.

It's important to be open-minded when it comes to adjusting to your new family. Whether its tasting new foods or acting like a champ on a camping trip (even though you're a full-blooded city gal)-put your happy face on for things that matter to your partner and his family.

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