Everyone’s got a different idea of romance…

lets take Valentine’s Day for example. It’s around the corner (only a few weeks away) and it’s pimped out as the MOST romantic day of the year.

Whether you accept it or not, that is how most of us feel.

In a perfect world what would your partner do for you on Valentine’s Day? How do you want to be romanced?

Saying “I want him to sweep me off my feet” simply doesn’t cut it, you should be able to define what he/she needs to do to sweep you off your feet.

This romantic notion has got me thinking… This year $30 Date Night turns three years old. This means that for over three years, Emma and I have had a regular date night.
At first date night was about romance; making our relationship spark. Three years later and our focus moves to “Sharing New Experiences.”

You’ll agree that many of our date reviews are far from romantic – and rightly so I believe.
I believe there comes a point when there is only so much romance one can take.

At the beginning everything is romantic, but if you do dinner over and over each night, how romantic can you make your Valentine’s Day dinner when you’ve done it so many times before?

Now I’m not saying that I’m giving up on romance, and I certainly believe that in this year’s themed resolution of “Sharing New Experiences” Emma and I can find new romantic experiences which I’m excited about. I’m just wondering…

In a world where we’ve done it all before, what would make your heart tick? Or has your Valentine’s Day routine exhausted its romantic appeal?

Happy Australia Day to our fellow Aussies!

Let us know if you’ve found a better one on the interwebs in your travels!

As you know, we’re all about relationships with intent here at $30 Date Night. Break your usual routine and make your partner’s day by buying them a sweet little something to lift their spirits and let them know you’ve been thinking of them.

Here are seven great suggestions to get you started.

1. Their favourite sweet treat
What is their favourite chocolate bar? Or perhaps their favourite cake or slice? Do they love pretty cupcakes? Custard tarts? Either pick one up from the store or if you have the time, make it especially for them from scratch.

2. A bunch of seasonal flowers
Some pretty tulips or romantic roses, or even a hand-picked posy of wildflowers is the perfect ‘I was thinking of you’ gift. Pop them in a vase next to your bed and watch them smile each morning when they wake up to their beautiful fresh flowers.

3. A new album
Pop into a music shop and pick them up the latest CD from their favourite artist, or get onto iTunes and download it for them as a surprise. Better yet, make them a playlist or a mixtape of songs that remind you of them.

4. A book or magazine
Buy, beg, borrow or steal (no, don’t steal. That’s wrong and you know it.) a book that your sweetie has been meaning to read or you know they’ll adore. If the latest issue of their favourite magazine has just come out, pick it up for them on your way past the newsstand.

5. Something to make their life easier
Do they love apples? Get them one of those apple slicer things that cuts all the segments and cores the apple all at once. Do they love reading but always are leaving their books face down to keep their page? Pick them up a pretty little bookmark. Do they like to take their coffee with them to work every day? Get them a new thermos to keep it piping hot.

Figure out something that will enhance your partner’s daily ritual in a tiny, little way.

6. An actual, real-life photo
All those photos you have on your camera and on your computer and none of them have escaped digital clutches? Print and frame a beautiful photo of the two of you that they can keep next to the bed or on their desk.

7. Accessorize them!
Perhaps you’ve noticed they could do with a new scarf or mittens, or a pretty new pair of costume earrings or a bangle. If you see something that you think they’d like, pick it up especially for them.

Anyway, I was reminded of the days when he and I were first together. Being the vain creature that I am (well, if you’d seen my skin in those days you’d probably be on my side) I would wait until he was asleep to creep out and wash my make up off, then inevitably snap my eyes wide awake at some ridiculous hour of the morning and sneak again into the bathroom to touch up my face before slipping back into bed and reawaking a few hours later, supposedly “naturally gorgeous”. Ha.

How’s that for false advertising? The silly things we do. Anyone else guilty of the same? I’d wager money that there’s more than a handful of women out there who have done the same!

The divorce rate is insane, and divorces are easier and cheaper than ever to go through with.

Meanwhile, something like 40% of children are born out of wedlock, proving that we no longer need to be married to raise a family. In addition to that, the stigma of having children without marriage is long gone. Hell, you don’t even need a man to have a child anymore. You can do it on your own with enough money and courage.

What does this mean for the institute of marriage? Is it becoming unfashionable to be married?

I’m still collecting my thoughts on all this. The subject is huge, obviously. It’s a lot of sorting. I’m interested in everyone’s opinions on it. So please feel free to comment here.

Let’s start with this. If you’re married, why did you decide to get married? If you’re actively against marriage, why is that?

Plenty more posts to come in future weeks with musings about it… I’m fascinated with it at the moment.

If you’re thinking of Alphabet Dating, now’s a great time to start. You can check back in every week to get ideas, or just head straight over to $30 Date Night and see what’s doing over there that interests you.

A is for African Cuisine
Find a local African cafe that serves traditional food, eaten with your hands in true African style.

A is for Acrobatics
Attend a local circus or tumbling course together and learn something new!

A is for Airport
Head to the viewing area of your local airport and watch the planes come in. Take a picnic with you to make it even more special!

A is for Apple Picking
If it’s apple season, find a pick-your-own orchard where you can spend an afternoon among the fruit trees. Take your spoils home and bake apple pie together afterwards.

A is for Art Gallery
Take your date to see an art exhibition or to a gallery opening!

A is for Arcade
Cash your $30 into coins and be big kids again at a video game arcade with your sweetheart for date night!

A is for Audience
Become part of the audience for a fun live TV show. Apply online – it’s usually free – and go see behind the scenes at a TV studio. If you go for a game show you may even win some money!

A is for Automobile
Take a cruise in your automobile with your sweetie by your side.

A is for getting Arty
This is a great at-home date if you can’t leave the house because you have children. Pick up some paper, professional graphite pencils and take a quick online tutorial on how to draw. Then have your partner pose for you while you sketch an arty image of them. Take turns posing! You may even convince them to let you practice your life drawing if you’re lucky!

Got any more dates beginning with A for us?

Says the website: “BIG DATE night… you’ve artfully applied the most delectable shade of lipstick and your lips are full, supple, downright beckoning. You’ve practiced your pucker in the mirror for hours. You’re as prepared as a (slightly naughty) Girl Scout for that all-important goodnight kiss…except, sniff-sniff…just when the heck did that onion-and-garlic-marinated sardine wearing a sweaty gym sock happen to crawl into your mouth and take a siesta?! (Ding dong) Yikes! There’s your hunk-of-the-month delivery! Argh, what are you to do now, Ms. Stinky Breath?”

Pop a Make-Out Mint of course! Far more stylish than your average roll of mentos, discreet and fun all at once. I’m carrying them everywhere.

Happy pashing, lovers!

We’ve waned from our usual Wednesday night date night, which means some weeks go by with us forgetting to schedule a date night… and while we’ve had lots of quality time spent together, that’s really not what it’s all about.

It’s served to really reinforce to us again that if you don’t have a schedule and structures in place, date night will never happen. It’s too easy for us to fall off the wagon and end up in front of the TV every night (the fact that Den gave me the entire Sex and the City Box Set for my birthday also hasn’t helped matters any!).

So.

We’re getting back on the date night horse. (It’s a fancy horse, too!) We’re recommitting to date night with each other again. And if you’ve forgotten all about your own date nights too, we recommend you do the same.

Remember the rules?

1. Pick a night every week.
That is your night together. Don’t schedule anything over the top of it. If you absolutely have to, then you can negotiate in advance with your partner to move it to another day for that week only.

Wednesday is our date night.

2. Take it in turns to organise.
It is no fun for one person to continually be the instigator of date night every time. If you’re stuck for ides, guess what? We’ve done the hard work for you. If you head to $30 Date Night and set up an account, you can even save a list of the date ideas you love the sound of so that you can refer to it when it’s your week to organise the date.

3. Mix it up.
Humans are creatures of habit. If you don’t consciously choose to do new, fun things with your partner every week then you will end up at the same favourite restaurants (think about how many times you go to the same place to eat out, or order takeaway from the same Thai food shop…) or doing the same, comfortable activities again and again.

You may love doing those things, but your relationship will not thank you for it. Remember, it’s been proven that doing new things together as a couple sparks the same hormones as when you first fell in love! Bring back the butterflies by doing something fresh and different every week!

And remember, it doesn’t matter if you have kids, or your budget is tight, there are ways around all those things and that is essentially what $30 Date Night is all about. Don’t make excuses. Don’t wiggle your way out of it. Just do it.

Who’s with us?

Of course being a guy, Den automatically went “Well, what do I get you? A ream of A4?”

No, Den. No you don’t.

Here’s a list of paper-anniversary gift ideas for all you people out there who are about as creative as my husband and need a little inspiration.

Paper Anniversary Gift Ideas (aka 1st Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas)

1. Books – Make it a special book. Whether it’s a beautiful coffee table book on a subject your partner loves, or a heavy cookbook (assuming they are a gourmand who loves to be in the kitchen) or an early edition copy of one of their favourite-ever novels, this is a beautiful present they can keep forever. Remember to write them a happy anniversary message in the front.

2. A Notebook – If your spouse is the type to always be having creative ideas, or writing notes, lists or poetry, then a beautiful journal that they can keep their private thoughts in is a lovely present to give.

3. Framed photo of the two of you – Photos are printed on paper, right? It still fits the theme! Find a favourite or even call your wedding photographer and organise a surprise print of one of your wedding photos that you can have mounted and framed for your sweetie.

4. Tickets – Your partner’s favourite band is touring this year? Or a musical they’ve been dying to see is coming up? Whether it’s concert, orchestra, opera, ballet or comedy, splash out on tickets for two as a great first paper anniversary present.

5. Voucher – Again, this fits with the paper theme but you can still make it nice. Get them a voucher to spend in their favourite shop, or a voucher for an amazing experience you know they’ll love, a day spa, or even a fancy restaurant.

6. Magazine Subscription – Not everyone wants to splash out too much on their anniversary – this is good news if it’s your paper anniversary (not so much when you get to diamonds!). Find out what your partner’s favourite magazine is (hint: check their stash of back issues for what they seem to read a lot of) and get your love a subscription to that title.

7. Tattslotto Ticket – You can look at this two ways – it could be the crappiest anniversary present ever or assuming lady luck is on your side, it could be the BEST ANNIVERSARY PRESENT EVER. “What did your wife get you for your anniversary?” “Oh, not much… only 10 MILLION DOLLARS!”

8. Wedding Vows – Have your wedding vows printed out nicely – either by a graphic designer, or hand-calligraphy and framed. If not your vows, then a special poem or reading that was done at your wedding or the lyrics to a song you included in your ceremony.

Anyone else got any lovely ideas for Paper Wedding Anniversary Presents? Do you do the traditional presents or ignore it altogether and go straight for the jewelry? (I wouldn’t blame you if you did!)