HOW TO DO DATE NIGHT AT HOME.

This coming weekend, Marc and I will be celebrating our very first wedding anniversary. 365 days since we tied the knot at our dream wedding venue, The Saddleworth Hotel. An entire year of being husband and wife.

And so of course, it only makes sense that we’ll be celebrating!

Due to the current situation, there’ll be no eating out at our favourite restaurant or sipping cocktails (mocktails for me) in a swanky bar. But you know what? There’s absolutely no reason why we can’t have the most incredible first wedding anniversary in the comfort of our beautiful home.

Which brings me onto the topic of this blog post - enjoying date night at home.

Date nights are an important part of any great relationship as they allow us to focus solely on ourselves and our other halves - even if only for a few hours. The majority of us rarely get that time due to other commitments, so it’s particularly important that for special occasions in particular, we make the effort.

Below I’ve outlined my top tips for enjoying date night at home, which is exactly what we will be doing this weekend. I hope you enjoy!

1. Order food in

Marc and I don’t order takeaways all that much, but this weekend, we have arranged to get food delivered from our favourite Italian restaurant, Sorella. When it’s a special occasion and you’re celebrating, the last thing you want to be doing is cooking for half the night - you just want somebody else to do it for you. So, if you’re doing date night at home, be sure to get food ordered in! The options are endless when it comes to restaurants that deliver these days, so you’re sure to be spoiled for choice.

2. Switch your phone off

Instagram and social media in general can be a major distraction, and I know that for me especially, keeping an eye on my phone is quite important. I’m always writing down blog post ideas in the notes section of the phone and my mum and I text a lot throughout the day - but when it’s date night, it’s just so important to have that clean break from your phone. Even if you just leave it on the worktop for a couple of hours, taking that break will make such a difference to your evening. I firmly believe that when you’re spending quality time with another person, you should stay off your phone.

3. Watch a good film or series

Marc and I love our psychological thrillers, but we’ve seen pretty much every decent one ever made at this point, so we’ve started watching lots of series’ instead. We absolutely loved Big Little Lies and we’re currently hooked on The Affair, which is on Sky Atlantic.

I love when you start watching something and it’s so good you just have to watch another episode, and another and another. Binge-worthy TV is a must for a date night spent at home.

4. Get some new lingerie

As I’m pregnant, It’s been a while since I purchased any new sexy lingerie. My size hasn’t actually changed up top or on my bottom half, which is handy as I haven’t had to buy any maternity underwear. However, the sexy lingerie that id normally wear for a romantic night in just isn’t as comfortable/obviously doesn’t look the same as it did pre-pregnancy.

For those of you that aren’t pregnant, though, a gorgeous new set of underwear is sure to make your cosy night in more fun! I love Boux Avenue for lingerie - the sizing is great and there are always so many fab styles to choose from. I can’t wait to have a big lingerie shopping spree when baby has arrived!

5. Enjoy a bottle of something nice

Whether you drink alcohol or you don’t, sipping on something lovely is essential when indulging in the perfect at-home date night.

I absolutely love a good Aperol Spritz, but whilst I’m pregnant, I’ve been turning to alcohol-free alternatives, instead. And you know what? They’re fab! My friend Steph bought me a bottle from Aecorn and it teams up perfectly with zero alcohol Prosecco for a fun, fabulous and pregnancy-friendly alternative to Aperol.

6. Glam up (if it makes you feel good!)

Pyjamas and a messy bun is perfectly acceptable - of course it is! But if you do feel like getting dressed up and doing your makeup, do it! Your other half will absolutely appreciate you making the effort to look gorgeous, so don’t feel silly for popping on a slinky little black dress and heels - that extra bit of effort will always go a long way.

I really hope you all enjoyed this blog post & that you're spending lots of quality time with your other half whilst at home!

Until next time, lovelies!

Lots of love,
Grace x