newlywed date ideas.

PC: Camitakesphotos.com

Hi everyone!

I'm excited to try something new on the blog today!

I first started blogging to share our proposal story.

Then it transformed into a wedding blog, where I wrote about planning our big day.

And now it's a place where I document all things newlywed. 

From graduating college, Zak being accepted into medical school, moving across the country, finding a job, transitioning from Ms. to Mrs., and settling into our little life here in the Midwest and everything else in between-

it's been a dream and I love looking back at all the posts and remembering the little details.

Marriage is the best.

And so I thought I'll start writing about tips, tricks and pieces of advice that have worked for us-

A.) so that I can remember them in the future and 

B.) help anyone else out who may be in a similar situation! 

So today is about "newlywed" date ideas that Zak and I have tried out! And when I say "newlywed" I really mean a couple {dating, engaged or married} who's watching what they spend AKA broke. Because lets face it, if you didn't live in a ghetto apartment and penny pinch during your first year of marriage, were ya really a newlywed?!

If you didn't, you are one lucky duck!

Anywho here's a list of date ideas that we've tried-

yep every single one! 

{We've been together for 6 years!}

And we guarantee they're fun & inexpensive. 

:)

Hope you like!

{Click "read more" to see them all}!

-Picnic in the park: Snag some take-out or pack a lunch. And hey go at sunset too, it'll be extra pretty. All ya need is a blanket, some grub and your honey!

- Bookworm Date: Nothing is better than a good book and your love. Awe how sweet! Take turns reading out loud. You can thank me later!

- Sleepover in the living room: Pick a movie. Get your pillows. Grab your blankets. And be kids again building a fort and sleeping in the living room. 

Our sleepovers always start with take-out. 

- Bucket list date: Write down your hopes and dreams together. Where do you want to travel, what do you want to see, what have you always wanted to do? Jot them down. Dreaming together is fun. 

- Movie/Netflix marathon: Self explanatory. Here are our favs: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Office, Lost... and the list can go on and on and on. 

Snacks are a must!

- Dollar theatre dates: Just google the place and go!

- Cook together: Go get one of the cookbooks you got at your bridal shower, pick a recipe, go to the store together and then prepare the meal. It's better with two cooks in the kitchen, I promise. 

These. Were. Heavenly. 

- Dinner party date: group dates are always a blast. Invite your friends, have everyone bring a dish to share and play some games. Catch Phrase anyone?

- Bookstore date: we love slowly browsing through bookstores, grabbing a few good ones and then finding a corner to flip through the pages. 

- Frozen yogurt date: Mmm sounds good doesn't it?

Ice cream, frozen yogurt. Same thing?

- Hot chocolate date: Go to your local coffee shop, order some hot chocolates and sit and talk for a while. Outside of your home. Outside of distractions. This was one of Zak and I's first dates. We sat and talked for three hours- until they were closing and kicked us out. Oh to be 18 again!

- Walks in a historic neighborhood date: I've always had a thing for looking at beautiful homes. It's something my mom and I used to do, and now it's fun to walk around historic districts with Zak and Rom and talk about our future dream home. 

I told ya neighborhoods are pretty. 

- Adventure downtown date: wherever you live go venture downtown! Walk the streets, window shop the stores and then share a treat from a cafe you've never tried.

Farmers market date: wake up and go! You don't even have to buy anything- the atmosphere alone will make it the perfect place to walk and talk hand in hand.

- Memorial date: guarantee there's a place where you live that has some type of cool memorial that you've never checked out- so go! It's free. 

-Historic monuments date- see above. ^^

- Youtube date: okay maybe not a date, but certainly something to do! We can entertain ourselves for hours on that dang website. I mean, Jimmy Fallon's channel? I say no more. 

-Running date- Ha! On the rare occasion we have this type of date, we never regret it- and you won't either!

Run somewhere cool. It'll motivate ya more to go. 

- Board game date: play checkers. This may sound lame, but try it before you knock it! This summer we played every single morning. Being 12-year-olds again can be fun, I promise. 

- Have a ritzy dinner, at home date: Grab all your fancy wedding gifts, set the table, light some candles and make a special meal for you two lovebirds. 

- One on one date: Burn some calories, laugh at yourself and go play some basketball together. 

-Tennis match date- You can find cheap rackets and balls at Wal Mart. Google some free courts in your area and viola! Your afternoon is set!

I suck at tennis.

- Pottery Barn date: or any nice home store for that matter. We used to walk around these stores and dream about our big house, what our kitchen would be like, etc etc etc. Who doesn't like playing house?!

- Hiking date: This is something we used to do, but Nebraska doesn't have mountains. Yep you heard me right. Literally no mountains. So we go for walks, but hikes are much more fun! Go!

- Driving range date: Find the cheapest golf course. Borrow some clubs from family or friends and share a bucket of balls. I promise this one will probably make you laugh really hard. 

-Zoo date: Check online for free zoo days and schedule a day date! Who doesn't love animals?!

That zoo right there is rated the best zoo in the country!

Ikea date: this was like our top fav thing to do in Phoenix. Sadly there is no Ikea in Nebraska. No shocker there. We used to grab the .50 cent ice cream cones and go walk about the displays picking out our favorite designs. You won't regret this one!

So here you have 27 new date night ideas that will cost ya close to nothing, but leave you with the biggest smile. 

Let me know if you have fun/cheap ideas below!

Thanks for reading!

xoxo