Simple Summer Home Dates – Romance on a Budget Blog Series. Date idea number 1 – Italian night.
Italy is my favourite country in the world to visit. The food, the wine, the dreamy architecture, and vineyards. This date idea, hopefully, will be simple, affordable, romantic, classy, and fun.
Your Date, Your Rules: These ideas are just a starting point for your date night. Feel free to tweak, change, or totally make it your own. It’s all about what works best for you.
STEPS FOR THE ITALIAN DATE NIGHT IDEA
STEP 1 – Invitation
- Pick a time and date. Invite your significant other on said date, giving a few days’ notice since the promise of a date adds to the excitement.
- Specify the dress code: wear something nice in red, white, green, or black.
- Provide a start time.
STEP 2 – Planning
- Plan the menu. Here are some ideas for a simple and affordable Italian meal:
- Premade pizza bases with toppings, cheese, and tomato paste.
- Premade pasta or lasagne (no cooking needed, just heat the ready-made meal).
- Pre-made gnocchi or ravioli from the cold food section at the supermarket and pasta sauce.
- Premade garlic bread.
- Buy gelato from the frozen section of the supermarket.
- Italian salad: tomato, basil, and mozzarella cheese.
- Red wine or sparkling grape juice (for a non-alcoholic option).
- Note: consider dietary needs and food preferences.
- Buy the food.
- Set up the date.
- Set up two seats outside (where there is a nice view) with comfy pillows and blankets.
- Set the dining table with a candle and wine glasses.
- Tidy the house. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but dirty socks should not be in sight.
- Optional: pick a flower (free) and put it in a vase on the table.
- Limit interruptions.
- Ensure minimal interruptions during the date, if possible. Such as limit/remove phone time.
STEP 3 – The date
- Greet each other with a kiss on each cheek.
- Play romantic Italian dinner music (free through YouTube or Spotify, etc.).
- Pour the drinks (wine or sparking grape juice) and sit outside in the two seats set up. Relax and don’t rush. Enjoy each other’s company.
- Discuss the following questions:
- Your favourite memory of eating Italian food? And why was it your favourite memory? Who were you with?
- If you had to have a bath in pasta, what flavour would it be and why?
- A trait that you admire about your spouse/partner?
- What do you feel grateful for today?
- Smell the air: what do you smell right now?
- Once finished with drinks (don’t rush), it is dinner time. If you need to cook for a few minutes, set your spouse/partner up with a chair nearby and ask them to share a humorous story or special memory from this month.
- Eat dinner at the table with the candle lit.
- Discuss the following questions:
- Share your favourite date together and why.
- What is the most unusual pizza topping that you have tried? And why did you try it?
- What are your favourite flowers in summer?
- Dessert time: stroll around outside eating gelato or return to sit in the location outside in the two seats.
- End the date by telling your spouse/partner what you enjoyed about the date together.