Share Your Approach/Strategy for the Romance Scenario

I gave the Romance scenario a go and enjoyed it, setting in place a process for playing it.
I am sure there are many ways to attempt this scenario.


I don't see this scenario as a challenge to get through as quickly as possible.
I am quite the opposite. I want to stretch it out and make it as rich and deep and enjoyable as possible.

I also see these scenarios as ways to enjoy my Master Save.
I am in the process of creating a master save of all my favorite sims with NPC makeovers, favorite homes, and community lots. I can start up new sims in a world that feels more like the Sims 2 with sims that feel like they have lived in this world before you started the save. There are backstories with evidence in the world that it is all true. There are established social networks and relationships.

So this was sort of a test run to see what it is like to play sims other than the ones that I have set up in this save.
My process for the Romance scenario is more of a trial period to find out if these two are going to fix their relationship, or go their separate ways.

Phase 1: Total Avoidance
I tried to have my sim couple, Joel and Rain, interact and found it to be something best avoided.
Interacting was just making it worse. So I decide on:
-No social interactions
-Separate sleeping spaces
-Jumping between Friend of The World, Serial Romantic, and Wellness aspirations (with the goal of earning the Great Story Teller and Beguiling reward traits)
-Focusing on careers and hobbies and the charisma skill
-Meeting new sims and pursuing friendship and romantic interests
-Inviting those new friends over so the other sim can meet them too.

Phase 2: Friendship
Now that they have had a cooling off period and have made new friends and found other romantic interest, they can begin repairing their friendship. The Great Story Teller trait and gift giving should help.
-Attempt social interactions that work
-Give gifts
-Also pick the most interesting romantic interest to focus on.
Weed out the poor matches to find the best one or two possible love interests.
-Avoid advancing any relationships to the point where they trigger one of the end game conditions.

Phase 3: Romance (The Second Chance)
Now that our broken up sims can be civil to each other, I want to give them the best chance to reconcile.
So I am sending them on a vacation to rekindle the romantic relationship.
-Have fun doing activities together
-Earn sentiments
-Tell those great stories
-Give gifts
-Attempt romantic interactions, especially beguiling socials.
-Do your best not to trigger the end game scenario for now.

Phase 4: The Endgame
You should have a good feel for what you want to do by now and you need to choose which scenario end game
condition you want to pursue.
-Take a look at career, traits, looks, relationship levels, or whatever other factors you use to decide chemistry and attraction.
-Reflect back on past game-play and who you liked playing most.
-Make a choice and pursue the endgame.

It is very clear to me that Chemistry and Attraction game play is needed to aid this scenario.
I have had those mods a while back and wish I had them now.

This was my first attempt at this scenario and I will most likely refine it to be better.
I hope to get more ideas from what you all post here. :)

I will post pictures showing my time in this scenario.