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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!!

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If you’re not familiar with Stephanie Wilson, I have to warn you–don’t click over to her blog until you’re home from work, because it is a little bit addicting! Stephanie is the author of the newly released The Lipstick Gospel and blogger at Stephanie May Wilson, where she shares encouragement, stories, and advice. She radiates with joy and friendliness, and we were so happy when she and her husband, Carl, agreed to share their five favorite date ideas with us! My favorite thing about her ideas is that they’re so, so doable–they’re all inexpensive, fun, easy, and all around great ways to spend quality time together. We hope they inspire you to make some weekend plans with your beau!

Thanks so much to Kailey of Kaileyography for capturing Stephanie and Carl’s date in Nashville’s 12South neighborhood!

By day: Stephanie and Carl live in Nashville, where Stephanie is a full-time writer and Carl owns a branding and marketing company called Anthem Workshop.
How they met: About a year apart, Carl and I both decided to leave home and everything familiar behind to go on an 11-month mission trip to 11 countries around the world. When Carl got back, he moved to Georgia to work at the parent organization that puts on the trip. When I got back to the states a year later, I moved to Georgia to work there too. It took us about a month to start dating, but once we did, we quickly knew we’d met someone special.

Their wedding: It was at an old hotel in Marietta, Georgia–big and white and perfectly Southern, with a garden on the property. Our wedding was on July 5, and so we had our friends and family come in a few days before and celebrate the holiday weekend with us. Our rehearsal dinner was a big party that ended with an incredible fireworks display! It felt like the whole country was celebrating with us. Our wedding was outdoors in the garden, and it was a cool day (for Georgia in July). The reception felt like one big toast of champagne–bubbly and perfectly candlelit, under a canopy of twinkle lights, with a life band performing late into the night. It couldn’t have been better.

Stephanie and Carl’s top five favorite date ideas:

1. Being a tourist in your own city: We’ve noticed that locals rarely do the things a town is known for, so we started becoming a tourist in our own town. We look online for the top five things everyone should do when visiting, and we do those things! There are often really great walking tours, historical sites we never knew were there, and restaurants that we never knew about!
2. Fast, casual, and romantic: This may not be true for all newlyweds, but many newly married couples don’t have a lot of cash for expensive, elaborate dates. This can be daunting, and it has been for us. How do we make sure to go on dates when we’re trying to stick to a strict budget? Then we realized that the restaurant isn’t what makes dates special. It’s the time together, the uninterrupted conversation, the chance to sit at a table across from each other, enjoying a meal together. Now, our most frequent dates are to Chipotle, Noodles & Co., or even Chick Fil A. It may not sound romantic, but it really is. Carl holds my door for me, we’re extra sweet to each other, and we make it a date because we say it is! It doesn’t matter what kind of food you’re gathering over, as long as you’re spending that time together.
3. Man night: Carl is a big football fan, as am I, and something we’ve started doing together is what I affectionately call “man nights.” We go to a sports bar, drink beer together, and eat bar food while watching a game. It’s one of my favorite things to do together, because not only does Carl enjoy it, I do too. It’s such a fun, casual way to play and unwind together, and it’s a great excuse to eat really fantastic, greasy food.
4. Cooking together: I have to admit, Carl is a much better cook than I am. I’m not good in the kitchen, but I’m learning, so cooking has become one of our favorite things to do together. We decide what kind of food we want and then we make it together, with Carl teaching me tricks, tips, and the origins of the food or techniques we’re cooking with as we go. It’s an even better date with some great music in the background and a glass of wine to keep things festive.
5. As lazy as can be: My favorite thing about marriage is that you get to do together what you used to do alone. For most of us, our idea of true relaxation is curling up on the couch in our comfiest pair of sweats, ordering takeout, and indulging in a Netflix marathon. It’s not glamorous, but it’s decadent, especially after a long week. That is mine and Carl’s most frequent date, and the one we enjoy the most these days. The beauty of marriage is that you get to curl up together at the end of a long week, and that in your most unguarded, unfiltered moments, you get to be together. That’s the best date of all.

Thanks so much to Stephanie and Carl for sharing these fun date ideas with us! Keep up with them on Stephanie’s blog and Instagram and Carl’s 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 Jessica B reply

    My husband and I love spending time with friends, and it seems we always have something (or many things!) planned on a given weekend, on top of the usual household chores. A few weeks back I declared a moratorium, and we spent two days doing absolutely nothing. It was heavenly!! Afterwards, we declared that it would be a regular occurrence. Your last date suggestion reminded me of our experience, and so I wanted to voice my support of the idea! We highly recommend it. Thanks for these other great suggestions.

  2. avatar The Loveliest Things: I want to hear from you! reply

    […] If you are looking for a bit of lovely in the meantime, head on over to Southern Weddings! They did a feature of Carl and I today where we share our 5 favorite Nashville date ideas! […]

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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