a very engaged valentines

this is the first valentines day that i will have as an engaged woman, which is both exciting and strange. i've never actually been one to be overly excited about valentine's, but when you're engaged... you want to be able to take a break from wedding planning, celebrate your love for each other & the new season of life you two are entering into. the problem is, when you're trying to plan a wedding (on a budget), valentine's day can be an especially not-so-happy-for-your-wallet occasion!

i know it's kind of cheesy, but these are some budget-friendly ideas for those trying to save money for a valentine's date (the sad thing is, we have the extra hurdle of being semi-long distance, but hey, these might work for you).


1. enjoying the view

go on a scenic ride (if you have bikes) or drive nearby and pack a picnic lunch/midnight snack! not the most original date, but definitely romantic and relaxing. be sure to bring a blanket! if you even have a telescope for stargazing, i envy you.


2. make something together

whether or not you're getting engaged, use this valentine's day to start (and/or finish) a project together! if you're engaged, build/paint/fix something for your new home together. how fun would that be!? (and much more meaningful/affordable than two tickets to disneyland...though i do love me some disneyland)


3. a savory affair

decide on an all-time favorite or a new recipe you both want to try. make a grocery list and go shopping for the ingredients together... then go home and cook it! use the dinner time to take turns affirming one another and sharing the things you appreciate about the other (don't let wedding planning suck your happiness away).


4. the silver screen

instead of paying $24+ for a movie for two, try looking for a drive-in in your area. they're not as common as movie theaters, but if you can find one, go for it! and you might get lucky and pay something like $6 for a double feature!  load up on snacks, pillows and blankets. if you have a truck, park backwards and sit in the back.


5.  picture perfect

i may be biased because i'm a photographer, but i love going out on my free time with mutually minded friends on a photo excursion.  go out with your loved one and bring cameras (disposable works fine too!). you can do a scavenger of sorts with different categories, or simply pick a scenic area to shoot away. make prints of all your shots that day and put it into a scrapbook (if you're the scrapbooking kind...i'm not).


6. thrift shop melody

make a date out of thrift-shopping! (or going to a flea market if you have one nearby) you can give yourselves price limits and see who gets the best stuff, or find an old record together to listen/dance to later (you can pair this with date #3).


7. open house

for the engaged couple (that doesn't already live together), looking for your future home can be one of the most exciting parts of the engagement period. make a date out of checking out apartments or even furniture shopping at IKEA (since, let's face it, you're on a budget).



some other ideas:

- going fruit picking at a local orchard/farm
-  local theater productions
- movie-at-home marathon
- take each other on a tour of your childhoods (favorite places to go, schools, etc.)
- good ol' coffee shop + board games


(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 )