As crazy as it is, February is already upon us. January sped by in a string of not too gloomy days, and now here we sit, perched on the verge of Valentines Day. Thats right, in case youve somehow missed the boxes of conversation hearts lining grocery store shelves, here is your friendly reminder that Valentines Day is right around the corner.
If youre engaged and planning a wedding, Valentines Day can present a set of unique and conflicting problems. On the one hand, you probably want to celebrate your love now more than ever. You want to make it extra special. Why not, right? But on the other hand youre saving for a wedding, a honeymoon, a life together. Its hard to be romantic and practical at the same time.
Thats how people end up with blenders and gift certificates to home improvement stores. Perhaps those things are in your future, but for now, lets take a look at some ways that you can be romantic on a budget and make the most of your engaged Valentines Day.
Write a Love Letter
Let me be specific. Dont just write a love letter and hand it to your fiancé. Actually write and mail a love letter. Its great on lots of levels. For starters, putting your feelings on paper, whether done super eloquently, or a little clumsily, will always be appreciated.
Also, who doesnt love getting something in the mail that isnt an ad for a credit card? Lastly, its an inexpensive gesture, but a meaningful one. After all, in 20 years after lots of gifts have been lost or donated, the letter will remain.
Cook a Meal Together
For me, the kitchen is the heart of your home. I love spending time in it, and I love spending time in it with other people. You chop vegetables, drink wine, tell stories. Youre unplugged from your devices and the rest of the world, and you concentrate on making something.
If what you make is delicious you feel proud of what you accomplished together, and if you have a disaster and a charred main course, you also get a good story.You also end up with a romantic dinner without a big price tag, and you end up with a worthwhile experience rather than another
thing. Marie Kondo, anybody?
Frame a Picture
This is not a groundbreaking idea, but when you think about it, how often do you print pictures? All of your pictures are on your phone, right? And while you probably have thousands and thousands of pictures of you and your fiancé together, you probably have forgotten about most of them.
So dig deep into your digital files, find a gem of the two of you, print it, and frame it. You get to be reminded of a distant memory, and you get something to put on your wall too. And of course youll choose a photo where you look a-mazing, so its a win all around.
Talk About the First Time You Met
I turn every milestone dinner into my own version of 20 questions. Every anniversary, Valentines Day, or special dinner I use as an opportunity to interrogate my husband.
Do you remember when we first met? What was I wearing? When did you know you were in love? What did you notice about me? What has surprised you the most since weve been together? And so on and so on.
He always feels a little put on the spot, but it gets us talking, reminiscing, and even after 10 years together, it still helps us learn new things about each other. You can do this anywhere. Grab a cup of coffee at a coffee shop, or a casual drink at a bar. You could even return to the site of your first date.
The key to all of these ideas is that they focus on making memories and cherishing memories. What could be more important to think about as you approach your wedding day?
{Lindsey}