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Romantic Valentine’s Day Ideas: Your Complete Guide

It may be Valentine’s Day, but red roses and restaurant reservations are NOT mandatory. And romance needn’t be expensive.

Thoughtfulness beats all when it comes to romance. Doing something you know your sweetheart will adore is a thousand times better than racking up the credit card bill for overpriced flowers on one day when everyone else is buying them too.

As Paul Oyer puts it so beautifully in his article How to Be a Better Valentine, Through Economics

“Start by asking yourself, “What do I want my partner to think upon receiving my Valentine’s present?”

Suppose you buy your significant other a dozen red roses or a box of chocolates. She is likely to think, “All right, he cares about me enough to buy the obvious present.” Sixty-four percent of men buy flowers on Valentine’s Day, so giving flowers signals that you are like two-thirds of men. This is roughly the equivalent of writing “hb” on your mate’s Facebook wall on her birthday: it shows that you remember, and that you are willing to spend approximately seven seconds conveying that fact.

So how do you say “Honey, I really care about you, and you are very special to me”? Put your resources where your mouth is. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but to credibly signal you really care, do something personal.”

Stay home, stay away from the crowds, spend some time together alone.

But whatever you do – acknowledge the day. It’s important you show your partner that you are thinking of them and that you appreciate them.

And then do it again every other day of the year as well.

Here is my Complete Guide to help give you some inspiration!

Chapter 1: Thoughtful, Non-Commercialized Gifts
Chapter 2: Date Ideas That Don’t Involve Restaurants
Chapter 3: Romantic Recipes
Chapter 4: Thrill Him
Chapter 5: Captivate Her

Chapter 1: Thoughtful, Non-Commercialized Valentine Gifts

Paying three times the price for red roses one day out of the year rubs me up the wrong way (that’s a little massage pun for you).

Some of these DIY options show you care, just because you put in a little bit of extra effort.

Free Punny Massage Printables (IOU a Massage)| Melt: Massage for Couples
Handmade Valentine’s Day Cards| Better Homes & Gardens
Classic Valentine Printables | Nest of Posies
How to Write a Love Letter | Art of Manliness
14 Romantic Gifts From Significant Others Who Really Pay Attention | Huffington Post
How to Make Any Gift Voucher a Romantic Present | Melt: Massage for Couples

Chapter 2: Date Ideas that Don’t Involve Restaurants

Like New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day is what we can commonly to refer to as “amateur night” – there’s something slightly uncomfortable and forced about sitting in a sea of tables-for-two on a set menu on Valentine’s night. Stay away from the crowds and do something at home or something completely different.

Give the Gift of Massage | Melt: Massage for Couples
50 Most Romantic Movies to Watch as a Couple | To Love, Honor & Vacuum
52 Ridiculously Romantic Date Ideas for any Couple | Melt: Massage for Couples
21 Date Ideas We Think You’ll Love | Marriage 365
Random Date Ideas Generator | $30 Date Night
What We Were Up to On Valentine’s Day | A Blog About Love
12 Secrets to the Perfect Picnic | Design Mom

Chapter 3: Romantic Recipes

Whether it’s a breakfast in bed or a three-course dinner at home, you’d be remiss to not make something utterly romantic and special for Valentine’s Day. We’ve rounded up some amazing recipes. If it’s dinner, make the effort to light some candles and dress up for the occasion. If you’re baking treats, package them in a beautiful tin and gift wrap them. Breakfast in bed? Serve alongside piping hot coffee, fresh OJ and pop a single flower on the tray too.

Dinners
Restaurant-inspired Crab Salad Recipe | I Am A Food Blog
Heart Shaped Pizza Recipe | I Am A Food Blog
Beetroot Gnocchi with Lemon Pesto Recipe | What’s Cooking Good Looking
Veggie Valentine’s Day Recipe Round Up | Love and Lemons

Romantic Treats/Desserts
Chocolate Heart Cake with Raspberry Buttercream | The Vanilla Bean Blog
Lemon Meringue French Toast | I Am A Food Blog
Raw Vegan Hazelnut Truffles Rolled in Goji Berries | What’s Cooking Good Looking
Rose Petal Dark Chocolate Bar | Pure Ella
(Edible) Valentine Confetti | Nest of Posies
The Laziest Valentine Cake Ever | 5 Second Rule

Romantic Breakfasts
Baked Almond Pancake with Strawberries and Citrus | The Year in Food
Blueberry Pomegranate Chia Breakfast Parfait | Pure Ella
Valentine’s Egg in a Basket | Reclaiming Provincial

Chapter 4: Thrill Him

Men. I find them really hard to buy for, especially if we try and overlay our own version of romance onto what we think they want.

Here’s a secret: If a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, then a bouquet of bacon “roses” or a Man Sandwich will surely make him fall even more in love with you. I can practically guarantee it!

Chapter 5: Captivate Her

Women love romance. This doesn’t always mean over-the-top gestures. There are some things that will always go down very well – Lingerie, flowers (she’ll be more flattered if you pick her favorite flower rather than just standard roses… what did she have in her bridal bouquet? What was the first bouquet you ever bought her?), perfume, shoes… or just a deep, loving kiss (especially if her Love Language is Physical Touch)

What Women Want: Top Ten Romantic Gestures | The Telegraph
A Guide to Buying Lingerie for Your Girl | Complex
The Meanings of Flowers | The Language of Flowers
9 Facts About Kissing | Huffington Post

This is an evolving, crowd-sourced book. If you have a resource or chapter idea you’d like to see added, just Tweet or Facebook us and reference the “Valentine’s Day Guide” to make a suggestion. If you like the article, please remember to share it on social media!

January 29, 2016

Romantic Ideas

5 Simple Romantic Ideas for Your Relationship (Start Now)

Romance is one of those things we all wish we had a little more of in our lives. Often, we make the mistake of thinking that romantic gestures need to be big, grand, sweeping statements bursting with red roses and violins. They don’t. Incorporate some romance into your lives with these simple romantic ideas that will make your lover swoon.

Here are 5 simple romantic ideas that will make your relationship better instantly:

1. Give a back rub

It’s no secret that at Melt, we think back rubs are the bomb. A recent study entitled The Normal Bar found that there was one surprising thing ‘extremely happy’ couples had in common – 74% of them gave each other back massages! Yes, even we were pleasantly surprised by these findings!

As it turns out, the kind of attention you lavish on each other during a back rub can be a crucial ingredient for a fantastic relationship. Get more massages from your partner by learning how to rub them the right way. The more massages, the happier the couple. It’s practically guaranteed.

Massage increases your intimacy and trust, is a fantastic way to get closer together and show your partner some appreciation and you can make it a very romantic evening or just a bit of chilled out fun, depending on how you play it!

2. Plan an impromptu getaway

This is super important. It doesn’t have to be the holiday of a lifetime. Plan ahead and aim for a relaxed, romantic weekend getaway. Budget, say, $300. If you start now and put away $25 per week, you’ll be set to go in just a few months’ time!

Do the fun work now of deciding where you’d like to escape to with your sweetie. A city getaway in a nice hotel room? A remote log cabin in the woods? A beachside B&B? Pick somewhere that excites you both, so you have something to look forward to.

If you know your partner well and you think you can nail it without their input, keeping something like this a surprise is another way to make a big impact that they’ll love! Give them some anticipation by dropping hints a few weeks out and teasing them with information. They’ll be blown away.

3. Organise a clever date night

Something magical happens when you try new experiences together. It reignites the same chemistry as when you first started dating. And the feeling is even more heightened when there’s an element of anticipation, exploration, learning, fascination or achievement. When it comes to a date night, try organising something unusual and completely out of character for the two of you.

For something completely different try one of these date ideas:

Geocaching: This is like a global treasure hunt! Once you initiate yourself into the geocaching club, you’ll realise that there are caches hidden everywhere and you probably walk past a bunch of them every day! https://www.geocaching.com/play
Life Drawing: There are two takes on this saucy date idea. First, you could find a local Life Drawing session nearby you and pick up some sketch pads and pencils on your way there. Den and I did this one night in Sydney on the spur of the moment when we had some time to kill before a flight home and it was great. Our artistic skills leave a lot to be desired, but that didn’t stop us having an amazing date night with it. The second take is to be the model for each other at home! Take a look online at some basic life drawing tutorials and pick up any tips you can, then take some time at home to sketch each other over a platter of food and perhaps some wine.
Drive In for the New Millennium: Your own private outdoor cinema! Load up a movie to your laptop or tablet and set yourselves up outside after dark with a picnic blanket, large pillows and a host of snacks. Set everything up while your partner isn’t looking and surprise them with your little backyard makeover. Pick a movie you know they’ll love and relax together under the stars.

Once you’ve realised how much fun it is, consider scheduling a regular date night in 2015. Date nights are such a treat for any couple. One that your relationship deserves!

Decide that from now on, regular date nights will be part of your lifestyle as a couple. Pick a day either every month, fortnight or week. Set a firm date ahead of time – is it the last Friday of every month? Is it every Wednesday? Is it every odd Saturday night?

Once decided, put it in your calendar for the rest of the year – now. With reminders and alerts. Scheduling it ahead of time is key. You now have a year of date nights locked in, and they are now an utmost priority.

Other things may come up to clash with your date night – do you really need to go to them? Really, really? If so, politely inform your partner as early as possible and reschedule them immediately to another suitable night. Both prioritizing your date nights and treating them like an important event on the calendar signals to your partner that they are important to you, and that you will make time in your schedule to honor them.

4. Say ‘Yes!’ more often

This is great for your relationship – and your life! I did a year of this once and I had such adventures! I learned to ride a motorcycle, I took spontaneous road trips, I flew in a hot air balloon… take this further and make an effort to say ‘yes!’ to your partner more often and watch your relationship blossom.

When your partner makes a proposition, an offer or a suggestion, just say yes. Don’t criticise. Don’t tell them it’s a silly idea. Don’t pout. Just say yes!

As a couple, when other people invite you places, just say yes! If you both have a sudden brainwave to go away take an epic holiday or drive all night until you get to Disneyland – say ‘yes!’ and jump in with two feet!

Life is so much better with more ‘yes!’ in it. You open yourself to more energy and momentum. More things get done. Fun things!

5. Kiss for longer

Passionate kissing often falls by the wayside in longterm relationships. But it has a host of health benefits, as well as the added advantage of keeping you more connected to your partner. Some studies have found that it’s the frequency of kissing, rather than the frequency of sex, that is an excellent indicator to relationship security. It’s just something happy couples do a lot of.

10 seconds is a good benchmark to start you off – this ensures you’re not just giving each other chaste pecks. If you have to get to your 10 second time limit, you’ll probably get a bit creative with your kisses.

You might have to start with timed 10 second (or so) kisses, but soon enough – if you make it a habit – it will feel very natural and spontaneous for you to indulge in a bit of a hallway makeout session together whenever the mood takes you.

January 4, 2015

Romantic Ideas

9 Small Romantic Things to Do For Your Man (Today)

Romance isn’t all red roses and stuffed teddy bears. In fact, many would argue that particular ideal of romance is outdated and a bit clichéd these days.

Real romance boils down to a few key points: extreme thoughtfulness, going out of your way to do something selfless and – if you really want to delve headfirst into a romantic experience – a good measure of impracticality.

All that said, there are ways to infuse some romance into your everyday life with very little effort.

Our list here today of romantic things to do for your boyfriend/husband/lover comprises of small gestures that will make him melt. Most of them require very little preparation – we guarantee you can execute more than a handful of these right away (and the great news is, you only need to do one!). Go ahead, sweep him off his feet. Make a mental note to try a new one each week or so to watch him smile.

1. Make him heart-shaped pancakes. Or eggs. Or bacon.
It’s a thoroughly silly way to start his day – his favorite breakfast with a cute romantic twist. What does he love to eat? Go out of your way to get up early and prepare it for him. If it’s pancakes or eggs, simply get yourself a heart-shaped mould you can pop into the frypan (cheap and available online with some advance planning).

If bacon has his heart, arrange the strips into a cute message or shape for him. Don’t forget his choice breakfast beverage – bonus points for picking up an artisan tea, single origin coffee or freshly squeezing the OJ.

2. Send a love note along to work with him
Secretly write a quick little love note and tuck it into his work satchel, his pocket or his wallet for him to find later on. It can be a silly poem (Roses are red/Grass is green/I want you in my bed/If you know what I mean) a funny sentiment (I love you with all my butt. I’d say my heart, but my butt is bigger) or simply something sweet that will make him smile (Thanks for being you, you’re amazing. I’m so lucky you’re my husband. I can’t wait to see you tonight.)

3. Have flowers delivered
Men hardly ever gets bouquets delivered at work. Guess what? They love it just as much as we do. They pretend not to, but trust me. Who wouldn’t feel special to see a gorgeous bunch of blooms turn up and know someone loves them enough to send it? It’s one of the most romantic things to do for a person – crazy impractical, extremely thoughtful and nothing in it for you at all. If flowers really aren’t his thing, send a dozen manly cupcakes (bourbon soaked, perhaps?) or find somewhere that delivers bacon roses!

4. Buy his favourite chocolate bar and a magazine
If you’re at the grocery store, pick up a treat you know he loves and leave it at home for him when he walks in the door. I like to procure my husband’s favorite chocolate bar and place it on top of a car magazine. Maybe it’s a six-pack of an artisan beer and a copy of GQ, maybe it’s a box of cookies and a DIY periodical. Whatever it is, make sure you give him some alone time to take a break and enjoy it.

5. Give him a foot rub in front of the TV
Has he been on his feet all day? Been training hard with his sports team? I bet he’d love a foot rub. The great thing about giving a foot massage is that you can do it in front of his favorite TV show without much fanfare. Wait until he’s had a shower and is nice and clean, then settle yourself on the couch with some massage oil or even a decadent foot cream and treat his toes to a little loving. Alternate between full hand, comforting pressure and getting into the nitty-gritty spots with your thumbs and fingers. Watch his face to get an idea of what he likes – and then do more of it! Don’t forget his calves, he’ll go nuts for it.

6. Set him up to watch the game
Is his team playing? Do a little groundwork and set him up to watch it in style. Pick up some of his team flags, stock up on snacks (peanuts, hot dogs, popcorn, whatever his poison) and consider arranging a delivery of hot wings or pizza for half time. Invite a couple of his buddies over if you think he’ll like that, and then either make yourself scarce or, if you love sports too, sit with him and cheer them on.

7. Dress up for him
Men are visual creatures with specific tastes. When was the last time you donned some sexy lingerie to get his heart racing? Rustle up your lingerie sets or buy yourself something new that you know he’ll like. If you’re not sure, take him shopping with you to get his opinion on what he wants to see you in. Then get home, put it on and strut around the house in it for as long as you can before he can’t contain himself any longer.

8. Whisk him on a fun date night
Text him ahead of time and tell him you’d like to take him on a date tonight. Think of something creative you know he’d love to do – a competitive night at the bowling alley with some fried food, a few rounds of pool at a dive bar or to the video game arcade to be big kids.

9. Three course meal by candlelight
Make a special dinner full of his most-loved dishes and serve it by candlelight for a romantic twist on the regular weeknight dinner at home. If you’re feeling extra amorous, write up a little menu, get out the crystal wine glasses and really set the scene. Don a slinky dress and some lipstick. Serve three courses to the strains of his favourite chilled playlist and enjoy a little night in for two.

October 9, 2014

Date Ideas

52 Ridiculously Romantic Date Ideas for Any Couple

Who says the romance has to die after the honeymoon phase? (Well, all the experts do but what do they know anyhow?)

If you’re serious about your relationship, chances are you already know how important date night is for long-term couples.

What you might not know is that there are certain rules to successful date nights that don’t involve eating the same old Thai green curry followed by a movie week after week.

What you’re aiming for with any good date night is novelty. Trying new things is good for you as a couple!

With just a little bit of effort, you can seriously up the ante on the romance factor in your date nights. Try organizing just one of these amazing romantic date ideas for date night this week and watch your sweetie melt.

We’ve compiled this mega-list of romantic date ideas so you’ll never run out of inspiration. This is an entire year’s worth of date ideas, and every single one of them, done right, is devastatingly swoon-worthy.

1. Cook a 3-Course Meal

Go all out one night at home and plan a three-course menu for dinner full of your partner’s favourite foods. Print up a menu card for your sweetie, set the table with candles and flowers and play soft music in the background. Get dressed up. Consider a waltz around the living room after dessert.

2. Have a Picnic

Pack a picnic basket with yummy deli treats. Think gourmet dips, artisan breads, beautiful cheeses and a bottle of wine. Find a secluded spot in a park, spread out a blanket and laze around together for the afternoon. Take a book or a magazine and some tunes. Chat. Roll around on the grass.

3. Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Rent an old wooden rowboat from a nearby boathouse. Float around together on the waterway, feeding the ducks. Pack a thermos of coffee or tea and some scones. Bonus points for rummaging up a parasol.

4. The Drive-in Movies

A classic romantic date idea for two. Find a drive in movie theatre and head to watch a feature movie together in your car. Wash your windscreen so you can see clearly. Take your date for burgers and milkshakes first… Two straws, one shake. Natch.

5. Massage Your Date

It’s no secret we think this is an amazing romantic date night. Treat your sweetie to a decadent, pampering massage at home. Light candles, pick up some quality massage oil and rub them up in the most delicious way.

6. Take a Bath Together

Dress up your bathroom ready for a romantic night (be sure to remove all traces of kids’ toys). Put out fresh towels, draw a steamy bubble bath and sink into the warm water together with a bottle of sparkling wine and gentle romantic music. Candles are a must. Wash each other’s backs; perhaps treat each other to a foot rub. Towel dry and anoint each other with a decadent moisturiser when you’re done.

7. The Star Gazing Date

Gazing at the stars together is one of those truly romantic date ideas ideal for any dreamy couple. Take a drive away from city lights and equip yourself with a torch and a constellation map of the night sky, available from Sky Maps for free. Search the heavens for constellations, all from a blanket on the bonnet of your car.

8. Farmer’s Market

Spend a leisurely morning hand-in-hand, soaking up sunshine and produce at your local farmer’s market. Order organic coffees, tuck into a hot bacon and egg roll and stock up on some produce to cook an amazing weekend lunch for two, or perhaps a picnic.

9. Striptease

Turn down the lights and get your sexy on for your lucky sweetheart. Think lingerie, stockings, heels and a few well-chosen layers to peel off one at a time. For the men, break out your best pair of boxer briefs and leave the black socks off! Put on a seductive song and treat your partner to a private peep show.

10. Skinny Dipping

A deserted pool or lake, moonlight rippling on the water, a balmy summer’s night… dare to dip naked together, there’s nothing quite like the kiss of cool water on exposed flesh.

11. Cook Dinner Together

Get messy together in the kitchen as you tackle a recipe you’ve never tried before. Open a bottle of wine, put on your favourite tunes and dance around while you whip up a gourmet feast. Feed each other from the pot. Eat together by candlelight before getting back in there to do the washing up.

12. Outdoor Makeout Session

Make like teenagers and head outdoors for a hot and heavy pashing (that’s Aussie for ‘making out’) session under the stars. Find a secluded park, a dark beach or maybe just a blanket in your own backyard.

13. Midnight Picnic

Pack a picnic to enjoy together at midnight in the middle of summer – one of our favorite romantic date ideas. This could involve a cheese plate and dessert wine, chocolate cake and a thermos of hot tea or go all out with your favourite midnight snack foods like mac and cheese.

14. Nature Walk

Stroll hand in hand through the beauty of nature. Such a wholesome, ideal way spend an afternoon – it doesn’t matter if it’s a warm sunny day, or the middle of winter. Simply dress appropriately, pack some snacks and breathe in your surroundings on a scenic walking trail. Don’t forget to stop and marvel at all the miraculous wonders along the way.

15. Go Parking

Take a night drive to the local Lover’s Lane or lookout area. Jump into the backseat of the car together and fool around a little.

16. Reminisce with Home Movies

Record some memories. Take a video camera to your favourite meaningful places – where you first met, had your first date, the doorstep of the first tiny apartment you moved into together and film each other, documentary style, as you reminisce about those moments in time that were so very special. Store them to watch later.

17. Salsa Class

Sign up for a salsa class and learn the art of this sexy Latin street dancing. Get close, get sweaty, gyrate. Be sure to practice your new moves back home in the privacy of your living room afterwards where you can really get steamy.

18. Tango Class

More intense than salsa, a tango class is nothing but pure romance on legs. Think full body contact and deep eye gazes.

19. Watch the Sunrise

Wake your date up before dawn and sneak out of the house to enjoy the miracle of a sunrise huddled together in a blanket, followed by a hot breakfast.

20. Memory Lane

All those photos in your albums and you probably haven’t looked at them in years. Sit down for a night on memory lane, featuring your life together.

21. Fireworks

When is the next fireworks night near you? Find out and go with a blanket and a night picnic for a nice change from the TV. Lie flat on your backs to watch as the waterfalls of colour rain over you.

22. Live Jazz Music

Enjoy some great live music at a local jazz club. There’s something very romantic about a table for two, dimmed lights and the sound of a deep double bass and saxophone crooning in the background. Classic romance.

23. Dessert Only Date

This is one of those romantic date ideas that you can’t get enough of. Eat dinner at home as per usual, then head to a fancy, cozy restaurant and order dessert only. The decadence of sugar, chocolate and spoon-feeding each other will whip you into a romance frenzy. And it’s friendly on the budget too.

24. Holiday House

Seek out friends or family members who have a holiday house or live in a different location and ask for a loaner house or a house swap for the weekend. Perhaps your city pad can provide a great getaway for your beachside friends and vice versa? Spend the weekend together in a completely new space. Eat good food, have intense conversations and laze around in bed.

25. Private Outdoor Cinema

Set up your own outdoor cinema in the backyard with a laptop, a picnic blanket, some oversized cushions and a warm summer night. Complete it with all the usual movie snacks – popcorn, red vines, chocolate… perhaps even add wine (because why not?)

26. Backyard Tent Fantasy

Rig up an old sheet or a mosquito net in the backyard and create a mini harem tent for two. Add oversized pillows, soft blankets, candles and fairy lights, platters of fruit and cheese and romantic music. Spend the night under the stars. Sleep there if you feel so inclined.

27. Foot Rub

Treat your partner to a decadent foot massage at home. Start by letting them soak their feet in warm water while you bring them a hot tea or cheeky glass of wine. Once those tootsies are clean and soft, use lotion or oil to send your partner to heaven with a detailed foot massage and watch them melt.

28. Day Spa at Home

Set aside an afternoon for some day spa style pampering at home. Put whale songs on, don fluffy robes and drink herbal tea while you play therapist to each other. Think body scrubs, hair treatments, mud masks and mini massages. Complete the experience with a fruit plate or a paleo lunch.

29. Breakfast in Bed

Slip out from between the sheets early one weekend and go prepare a lovely breakfast to serve to your beau/beauette in bed. Do something a little more special than the every day breakfast. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, French toast, fresh strawberries… all excellent options. Include coffee (or tea), OJ and a flower on the tray. Extra brownie points for bringing their favorite morning paper or periodical.

30. Read to Each Other

Select your favorite literature or poetry book from your shelf and spend a night curled up on the couch reading passages you love to each other. Some of the greatest love stories and most stirring passages will sound amazing from your partner’s lips.

31. A Night in Italy

Fly your sweetie’s imagination right to Naples with a special Italian-themed night for two, a bellissima alternative to a normal dinner at home. Start with the menu; think making homemade pizzas together while a romantic accordion track plays in the background, or sampling pasta sauce right from the pot to the sounds of Pavarotti. After your candlelit Italian feast, sit down to a foreign movie. Some Italian-themed classics include: Roman Holiday. Life is Beautiful or the more modern Under the Tuscan Sun.

32. A Night in India

Described as the most romantic country in Asia, exotic India is certainly an apt choice for a themed dinner at home. Make velvety butter chicken from scratch (or order in from your local) paired with crisp naan bread and mango lassi (spike this with rum if your heart desires). Spread a sari out on your dining table, string some pink lamps up and feast to the meditative strains of a sitar. Screen Bollywood classic post-dinner, or a movie set in India – Life of Pi comes to mind.

33. Amusement Park

Find a vintage amusement park and spend a night winning oversized toys at the ring toss, sharing sticky cotton candy and snuggling on the ferris wheel for a throwback to old school romance. Make sure to squeal and hold each other tight on the rollercoasters.

34. Walk the Beach

Next time you find yourself by the seaside, take the time to slip off your shoes and walk the shoreline hand in hand. Collect shells, etch your initials into the sand and dream of far off horizons. Sunset optional.

35. A Night at the Opera

Organize tickets to the opera for a night out with a difference. Go all out and get really dressed up – the opera is one of the last places you can wear long gloves and an evening gown, after all – and sit to enjoy one of the classics. Romantic choices include Madame Butterfly, The Marriage of Figaro and Carmen.

36. Write a Song Together

If you happen to have a guitar or a piano around the house, try writing a love song together one night. Tinker with a melody, come up with a catchy chorus and some verses then perform it together as a duet. Who cares if you can’t sing?

37. Outdoor Cinema

There’s nothing quite like watching a movie under the stars from a picnic blanket. Many local parks now have outdoor cinemas throughout the warmer months. Take your own snacks and oversized pillows and snuggle together through some romantic cinema.

38. Dance Under the Moonlight

Take your favorite playlist of songs to dance to, grab your sweetie and head outside to dance barefoot in the moonlight together. Organise some wine and and a dessert picnic to really up the romance ante.

39. Play in the Rain

Next time it’s raining, instead of huddling indoors to stay dry – get out there in it! Don your rain-boots and coat (or don’t) and go splash in puddles together. Kissing in the rain has been romantic ever since… well, forever. Dry each other off and make hot cocoa afterwards.

40. Treasure Hunt

Send your sweetie on a romantic treasure hunt – pick up some trinkets (they don’t have to be expensive… think of your partner’s favorite chocolate bar, the latest copy of a magazine they love, write cute love notes, a gift voucher for a store) and hide them all over your house or garden, then deliver your partner some clues to help them find everything.
Bonus points for theming it. For example, have them find everything they would need for a relaxing soak in a hot bath – salts, chilled music, a good book, a rubber duck, loose rose petals – and then leave them to it in the bathroom afterwards.

41. Camp in the Backyard

Sleep overnight in your backyard together. Beg, borrow or dig out your camping equipment, or create a magical makeshift tent with some old sheets and string. Light a drum fire, roast marshmallows, tell ghost stories and don’t go back inside if you can help it! Cook breakfast on the BBQ the next morning.

42. Loungeroom Floor Picnic

The dining table is overrated. Set up everything you need for a picnic in your very own living room one night for dinner with a twist. Pack it all into a basket, light some candles and kick off your shoes. Perfect for the colder months.

43. Relive Your First Date

Retrace your steps as a couple and recreate your very first date. Surprise your partner by whisking them back in time. What year was it? What music were you listening to (playlist) then? Did you pick them up or meet them there? Do you remember what you ordered? What you were wearing? What you talked about?

44. Pretend You’re Meeting for the First Time

Have your partner get dressed up and go to a bar alone. You’re going to meet them there, with a twist – pretend you’re meeting for the very first time. Be yourselves; or come up with entirely new personalities. Choose your own adventure. Maybe even go home with them that night…!

45. Get Super Dressed Up for Dinner

Whether it’s dinner at home or you make reservations for a fancy restaurant, break out of your usual routine by getting really dressed up for the occasion. If you possibly can, get ready at separate locations to help enhance the anticipation.

46. Dinner and Dancing

Do you love to dance? Indulge in one of the classic romantic date ideas with a dinner-and-dancing night. Find a good venue – jazz clubs are a great choice, or your local dance school may hold weekend social nights where everyone is invited to take the floor. Get all Fred and Ginger!

47. Check into a Hotel

Save up your pennies and spend a night at a hotel together for a change of scenery. You don’t have to stray too far from home. Order room service, don fluffy robes, have a drink in the hotel bar. It’s one fantasy night away from your everyday life.

48. Play Pool in a Seedy Pub

It doesn’t look like the makings of a passionate night at first glance, but actually this low-key date idea has so many opportunities for romance. Find a seedy pub and commandeer the pool table. Order some drinks and challenge each other to a few rounds of pool. Place saucy bets on the outcome. Not good at pool? No worries, have your sweetie show you exactly how to handle the cue. Put your favorite songs on the jukebox. Flirt outrageously.

49. Have Cocktails in a Gorgeous Bar

Find the fanciest bar in town and head there for some exotic cocktails. Take to a lounge in a dark corner or sit right at the bar for some interaction with the bartender.

50. Stage a Photoshoot

Make some new memories together – take a camera with a self-timer and a tripod, get yourselves dressed nice and have a little photoshoot together. Pick a garden, beach or urban location you like. Have other people snap you together too. Do a few selfies. Frame your favorites!

51. Sketch Each Other

Spend a night at home with a blank sketchpad and graphite pencils, sketching each other in the name of art. Even if you aren’t necessarily great at drawing, look up some tutorials online and give it a go! It can be abstract. It can be bad. If you’re feeling espeically frisky, get all Titanic and sketch each other naked.

52. Go Fruit Picking

A dreamy afternoon wandering fruit orchards in the dappled sunlight? Yes, please! Whatever the season, there will be fruit ripe for the picking somewhere. Many orchards will let you in to pick your own apples, strawberries, oranges. Once you’ve selected the ripest, juiciest fruits (and quite possibly fed a few to each other along the way) head home and whip them up into some sort of pie or dessert concoction.

September 30, 2014