Unless you work in events planning, chances are you’ll never put together a party as major as your wedding ever again. Woah, right? Of course, we don’t mean to scare you–wedding planning is great and it can be loads of fun! You get to pick out every detail all for yourselves and you get a day that’s all about celebrating your love. Still, we understand that after maybe a few months of planning, it can get overwhelming and sometimes even put a little stress on your relationship. It’s natural, don’t worry. You just need a little break and we’ve got a few suggestions for activities to do!
Here we’ve put together some date night (or day) ideas that don’t involve any sort of wedding planning and that won’t break the bank (we know that climbing expenses are a top stressor!). In each of these activities, we encourage you to have fun and let loose. You can get back to planning tomorrow, a little more refreshed and less stressed.
Movie Marathon
Key word: marathon. Pick a movie series with at least two sequels so that you can really get settled into and give you a cozy night in. Prepare your favorite munchy snacks (popcorn, chips, veggie crudités) and sinful drinks (hot chocolate or perhaps even a bottle of wine) and don’t get up except to take the quickest of bathroom breaks! Wear your comfiest loungewear and get ready to do some serious snuggling. Depending on what kind of movie series you pick, you’ll either have a lot of laughs, cry a lot, make a ton of commentary, or be intently focused. Whatever it is, you’ll be doing it together and hopefully having a lot of fun.
Our movie series suggestions: Star Wars (sequels before prequels!), The Lord of The Rings, The Land Before Time, The Godfather, Home Alone, Scream, and Toy Story.
Movie: Obvious Child | Produced by: Elisabeth Holm | GIF Source: Giphy.com
Board Game Night—Spiked
Key word: spiked. Pick your fave two-player board game (Scrabble, Boggle, Jenga, Catan, Pictionary…) and add alcohol! Since two-player games tend to move faster in rounds, there are more opportunities to penalize the losing party. If you don’t drink alcohol, board games are still a fun way to bond with your partner over some healthy competition. You get to know a lot about one another when strategy comes into play and you’ll find out if one of you is a sore loser or a gloating winner.
Tip: Replace alcoholic “penalties” with premium prizes for the winning partner (think luxury chocolates or a foot massage from the loser).
Indoor Wall Climbing
Indoor wall climbing might seem intimidating to those who haven’t tried it out before, but it is highly accessible to all and yet challenging at the same time. What you have in front of you is essentially a challenge and puzzle in one: you have to get to the top, but how? As a couples activity, it’s ideal because you need a partner to handle the belay line (the cable or rope that is directly attached to the climber’s harness) as you climb so you don’t fall. So yes, there’s a lot of trust involved here too!
Bonus: Aside from being fun, wall climbing is really quite the exercise so you’ll be too tired to even think of the wedding both while you’re there and even for a while after.
Wine, Beer, or Whiskey Tasting
Tasting flavors requires focused attention and the use of all of your senses combined. Whether you’re into beer, wine, or maybe whiskey as a couple, setting up a tasting session for alcohol is a ton of fun. You’ll be getting to know about one another’s tastes while you admire your chosen drink’s color, smell, and flavor.
Tip: You can book tastings at brewery’s or restaurants, but you can also set one up for yourselves at home. All you have to do is put in a little more effort into research so you can select your beverage range and cut out the hassle of having to leave the comfort of your home.
Movie: Very Valentine | Writer: Adriana Trigani | GIF Source: Giphy.com
A Visit to the Museum
What better way to get your mind off things than to immerse yourself in knowledge and beauty? You can pick any museum that caters to your particular fancy, but we recommend a trip to the National Museum of Natural History of the Philippines. Inside its beautiful, recently-refurbished structure, the museum displays flora and fauna unique to the Philippines. Walking the exhibits together with your partner is a great way to bond over a renewed appreciation of the beauty of the Philippines.
Climb A Mountain
This one is for the outdoorsy couples–nothing beats clean air and breathtaking views to get your mind off of things. Luckily, living in the Philippines means there are many options not too far away from Manila. Other than transport expenses to get there (bus fare or gas for your car), climbing a mountain really doesn’t break the bank. Mother nature is exceedingly generous, so remember to be kind in return: Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints. Enjoy!
Go For A Drive
Whether you are driving up to Tagaytay for an early breakfast or driving up to Antipolo to get a view of the Metro from afar, hopping into a car and taking a mini road trip can be a refreshing way to clear the mind. For this “mini road trip,” aim to leave Manila really early to avoid traffic (doing this on a holiday is ideal!). And what’s a road trip without tunes? Prepare a playlist that you and your partner can belt out to together. It doesn’t matter if you’re off key since no one can hear you anyway!
GIF Source: Giphy.com
If you give any of these date suggestions a try, share your stories with us in the comments. Better yet, if you have ideas to share with other overwhelmed couples, don’t hesitate! It’s easy to get caught up in planning, planning, planning. We all need to be reminded sometimes that although weddings are super important (like reaaaally important!), the very thing we’re celebrating at weddings is the love between two people which needs nurturing. Happy dating, couples!