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Tag: cheap date ideas

If you’re looking for weekend date night inspiration that is inexpensive, fun, and memorable, then you’re in luck, because today’s Southern Newlywed couple is dishing up just that! Brandee and Rhett’s favorite way to reconnect is to simply lug their handmade coffee table (don’t miss the story behind it below!) out to their backyard and set up a picnic with whatever was already on their dinner menu. It’s an idea that couldn’t be easier to do on short notice, and I know we’re all excited to recreate this sweet evening with our own beaus–extra points for eating off of wedding china or following dinner with a fancy dessert!

Thank you so much to Carolynn Seibert for these sweet images!

By day: Brandee is an artist and Rhett is a realtor.
Where they live: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

How they met: Rhett and I met when I was a senior in high school and he was a junior is college. I didn’t think much of it until a mutual friend of ours told us separately that we needed to get to know each other, because she thought we would be a great fit. She even said that she could see us getting married! I thought she was crazy at first, but Rhett and I started hanging out, became friends, started dating, and three years later, we became husband and wife!

Their wedding: We were married on Rhett’s parents’ property in Covington, Louisiana on March 23, 2013, and it was the most dreamy day. They have huge fields and a massive red wooden barn, so we had the ceremony in the front field and the reception in the barn and back fields. Most people say rain on your wedding day is awful, but I would have to disagree. It rained on our wedding day, and it was still the most beautiful outdoor wedding in history, or at least, that’s what Rhett and I think! We had all of our closest family and friends there, and the day was filled with love, laughter, dancing, and tons of good food. The menu included fried chicken, a mashed potato bar, biscuits and gravy, cornbread, pies, and cobblers. It was a big, Southern, vintage barn wedding, and it was the best day of our lives!

Brandee and Rhett’s top five favorite date ideas:

1. Picnic in our backyard: Rhett and I love to set up a picnic area in our backyard and have dinner and dessert. His dad made us a beautiful coffee table out of the wood from our wedding backdrop, so I bring that table out to the backyard and fill it with food and flowers. We sometimes even do this for breakfast! It’s the perfect date, and we love that we can just step outside our house for it. On a newlywed budget, it’s nice to not have to drive somewhere and pay a lot of money at a restaurant.
2. Coffee date: Magpie Café is a precious coffee shop in our town that serves handmade pastries and food. They use all local ingredients and they have the best coffee in town.
3. Barnes and Noble: Sometimes, Rhett and I like to grab Starbucks and go sit in a Barnes and Noble to read the iSpy and Where’s Waldo books. You can read the books in the store, and all you pay for is coffee!
4. Local cuisine. Bistro Byrons is a local restaurant that serves authentic Louisiana food. Rhett and I love to go there for a more fancy date night.
5. Takeout in the park: We love getting Cane’s and bringing it to the park to eat, and then getting snowballs for dessert!

A little reminder: we’d love to hear from you! Our hope is to feature REAL couples in the South – your inspiring friend, super talented cousin, or neighbor with the cutest house – the kind of person everyone would love to “e-meet.” If that sounds like you or someone you know, take a peek at our Southern Newlywed submission page and shoot us an email!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Ashton Dreyer reply

    That coffee table is beautiful and the outdoor picnic idea is charming. What a great way to slow down and enjoy!

  2. avatar Laura reply

    I love these ideas! My husband and I like to look at the I Spy books at Barnes and Noble too :)

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Something about beautiful weather definitely sparks our creativity at the Southern Weddings office, and that creativity extends to planning fun activities for date night! We’re looking forward to hearing ideas from lots of amazing folks across the South this spring and summer, starting with today’s sweet couple, Hannah and Adam. These Georgia cuties have a soft spot for their college town of Athens, and I love the way their favorite dates incorporate trips to this special place. Make their ideas your own by subbing in the town where you and your beau met, got engaged, or tied the knot!

Thanks so much to Vic Bonvicini for these cute photos of Hannah and Adam’s “into the city” date!

Names: Adam and Hannah Kersh
By day: Adam is a musician and worship leader at North Point Ministries. Hannah is an Account Lead at See.Spark.Go., a public relations agency based in Athens, Georgia.
Where they live: Buford, Georgia, but we are moving back to Athens in May.

Their love story: We met in high school through a mutual friend (who actually told me I was going to marry Adam!). After that, we lived in the same city, but didn’t reconnect until six years later in October 2012. I was doing publicity and hosting media for a conference Adam was singing at, gave him my business card, and the rest is history! Eight months later, Adam proposed on top of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, and we got married in February 2014 at The Engine Room in Monroe, Georgia.

Hannah and Adam’s top five favorite date ideas:

1. Into the city: This is when we unplug the most. We intentionally take a night (usually for a special occasion) and head into Atlanta, cell phone-free. We pick a new restaurant that has rave reviews and eat a new-to-us meal. We’ve even been known to stay the night on the 62nd floor of the Westin!
2. Reliving our dating days in Athens: We love, love, love Athens! It’s home of the Dawgs, and it’s where our love story began. Some of our favorite memories were made in this city, and it’s fun to relive those early dating memories, like going to The Grill at midnight for a malt and feta fries, or thrifting at some of the city’s hidden gems.
3. UGA game days: No trip to Athens is complete without cheering on our Dawgs! We love Saturdays in the fall, but some of the cheapest dates we’ve been on have included (free) tennis matches and the Red and Black spring game. Of course, we end the day at one of our favorite Athens establishments, like The Last Resort, Five Bar, or Amici.
4. Morning date: Since Adam’s schedule requires him to work evenings for rehearsals and events, we love to make the most of our mornings. When we can, we wake up early, grab coffee at our favorite local spot (Pete’s Place), and head to the park or to Target. We love Target dates, though it usually ends up costing us more than we had bargained for!
5. At home date-night: When we’re tired from a crazy week but need some quality time together, we opt for an at-home date night. Usually, it includes chicken casserole or homemade pizza (or Chipotle if we’re REALLY not up for cooking) and a healthy dose of The Blacklist or a new-to-us Netflix movie. We enjoy having a night to just chill at home–no agenda, just each other.

Thanks so much for sharing, Hannah and Adam! Keep up with Hannah on her blog.

A little reminder: we’d love to hear from you! Our hope is to feature REAL couples in the South – not just folks who write blogs (though we love them, too!), but also your inspiring friend, super talented cousin, or neighbor with the cutest house – the kind of person everyone would love to “e-meet.” If that sounds like you or someone you know, take a peek at our Southern Newlywed submission page and shoot us an email!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
1 Comment
  1. avatar etrah and aaron reply

    What a beautiful story..and a sincere couple

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One of the biggest reasons we included a Date Nights series in Southern Newlywed is that we know continuing to date your spouse can be challenging. When work days are long and your calendars are full, taking the time to reconnect may not come easily, but we believe it is so, so important, and we want to give you plenty of ideas! Especially after this week of shoots, where we worked with at least three expectant mamas per shoot, I’m excited to introduce Olivia, blogger at To The Heights, and an old friend of mine from college! She and her husband, David, welcomed their first little one recently, and I love the sincere and honest way she shares about their lives on her blog. I was curious to hear how she and David have prioritized their relationship by dating even after their baby was born, and I hope y’all love their creative ideas as much as I do!

Thanks so much to Kristin Bivins of Captured Moments Photography for tagging along to photograph one of their favorite dates!

Names: David and Olivia Spears
By day: David is a nurse aid at our hospital and is attending nursing school full time. I stay at home with our ten-month-old son, George, while managing a health and wellness website and cultivating my own blog.
Where they live: Owensboro, Kentucky

Their love story: Dave and I first met when we were 16. Mutual friends introduced us at a youth conference, and we became casual, instant messaging (how old are we?!) friends. Our friendship (and my crush on him) grew over the course of the next four years, and while I never thought he was into me or that we would ever get together, he finally asked me out, four years after that first conference. I was shocked and thrilled and entirely in love from the get-go!
Their wedding: I had always dreamed of a cozy, romantic, Christmas wedding, so we set our date for December 29th. We were married at our local cathedral, and my bridesmaids’ long cranberry dresses popped against the church’s beautiful Christmas decorations. Accents of gold and cream carried over into our reception, complete with a hot chocolate bar, Christmas trees and lights, and draping fabric. There is really nothing quite like your wedding day. All the beautiful traditions, decorations, and special touches you spend your time and energy dreaming up are brought to life when all the people you love are under one roof. Being surrounded by beauty and love is a wonderful way to begin a marriage!

What are your five favorite date ideas, and why? Our favorite dates have changed a bit since welcoming our little guy nearly a year ago. We’ve had to be more flexible and creative with our date ideas, but they just keep getting better and better as we cherish these moments alone!

1. Antique shopping: Dave and I absolutely love character items. Much of our furniture is thrifted, and we have a blast finding diamonds in the rough. We have several antique shops in town, and we have so much fun strolling through them on Saturday afternoons and seeing who can find the coolest pieces. Oftentimes, we end up purchasing an item for our home that we then repurpose together!
2. A drive around: This is one of our favorite ways to spend time together. During the afternoon, often on Sundays after church, we pick up lattes from our favorite coffee shop and just drive around together. We let ourselves get lost in the country and in conversation. We listen to music, roll the windows down, and explore our city.
3. Takeout and a movie: Sometimes, we decide to have a date night at the last minute, when it’s too late to call in a sitter. I will give George a bath and put him to bed while Dave runs out to pick up takeout from one of our favorite restaurants. Once the baby is asleep, we sneak out to the living room, put away our phones and computers, eat dinner on the floor, and watch a movie. It sounds so simple, and maybe even “boring,” but it helps us reconnect after a long day of working and parenting.
4. Pizza by the river: Another kid-friendly date we employ! If we are short on time for a date and can’t be away from the baby for very long, we get dinner together at a local pizza joint by the river. We love eating outside and watching families play at the park, couples stroll hand in hand by the water, and joggers rush by in groups. Then, we will mosey down to the waterfront and watch the sunset with full bellies.
5. Drinks and dreaming: Dave and I are big dreamers and goal-setters. There’s not much that gets us more excited than planning our future and determining our dreams. We love to encourage and push one another as we strive to grow in all facets of our life. Each month, we bring a notebook to our favorite bar and discuss our goals over beer and wine. We take time to evaluate the past month and look forward to the next. We discuss deep heart stuff and pray for and with one another. We set goals and remind ourselves of our priorities. We cheer one another on and dream together.

Thank you so much, Olivia! Keep up with Olivia, David, and George on Olivia’s blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

A little reminder: we’d love to hear from you! Our hope is to feature REAL couples in the South – not just folks who write blogs (though we love them, too!), but also your inspiring friend, super talented cousin, or neighbor with the cutest house – the kind of person everyone would love to “e-meet.” If that sounds like you or someone you know, take a peek at our Southern Newlywed submission page and shoot us an email!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Anne reply

    Love Owensboro! We moved there two years ago and we love it!

  2. avatar Emily reply

    Love these ideas! Though I WISH my husband were as into finding diamonds in the rough as David – we do almost everything together, but it is the rare day I can get him to accompany me to the flea market!!

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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