According to a Survey of Women - No Need to Be Prince Charming 

The question of how to woo women has haunted men since the dawn of time. But now the answer is clear, thanks to recent research. Do women want to be romanced by Prince Charming? Surprisingly, the answer is no. 

Always a Chance for Romance

A  nationwide survey of women conducted by International Communications Research offers new hope for the nation's legion of couch potatoes: 80 percent of women say they could be romanced by a man who is less than perfect. 

While no man is a flawless Casanova, romance is not entirely foreign to men. In fact, 91% - exactly the same percentage as women - feel romance is important in a relationship. 

What Women Want

What makes women happy? According to the survey, when it comes to romance, actions speak louder than words. When asked how they would like the men in their lives to add romance to their relationships, the top answer women gave was for him to send her flowers unexpectedly (41 percent). Other popular romantic gestures included cooking dinner for two, writing her a love song or poem and watching a romantic movie together. A small percent said they would even like to be fed grapes. 

Women and Romance Survey Results 

The results below offer trends on women and romance. Percentages tally the top answers provided by women, unless otherwise noted. The independent survey of 1,000 women and men was conducted in April 2000 by International Communications Research for the Society of American Florists. 

Q. How important is romance to a relationship? 

The same percentage of men and women agree that romance is important to a relationship. 

Men 91 % 
Women 91 % 

Q. Could you be romanced by a man who is less than perfect? 

80 percent of women surveyed agreed that they could be romanced by a man who is less than perfect. 

Q. What would you like your significant other to do to add romance to your life? 

When it comes to romance, women would like the men in their lives to: 

41 % Send her flowers unexpectedly 
32 % Cook dinner for two 
10 % Write her a poem or love song 
8 % Watch a romantic movie together 
2 % Feed her grapes 

Q. Do you agree that flowers continue to be a universal sign of romance? 

88 percent of women surveyed named flowers a universal sign of romance. 

Q. Which is or would be your favorite time to receive flowers? 

Women prefer to receive flowers: 

74 % No special reason at all 
15 % On a dating or marriage anniversary 
4 % Before an evening out to say "I can't wait" 
2 % After an evening out to say "Thank you" 
1 % At the door as you go out for the evening 

Source:  Society of American Florists