Top Five Ways to Say ‘I Love You’ to Your Fiancé

Do you feel that love in the air? Or maybe you feel that ring on your left hand? Either way, tis the season to celebrate the most fun thing in the world- LOVE! You don’t necessarily have to do a grand gesture (but if you feel like it, our holiday splurges would work just fine!), sometimes it’s the little things that mean the most. We’ve got five sweet ways for you to say ‘I Love You’ this weekend that are sure to get you brownie points.

Snack Attack

Have you heard the phrase “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”? Yeah, it’s an oldie but a goodie for a reason. If your fiiancé is a snacker, swing by the store and grab his favorite snacks. Keep a stash in a secret place like in your car or in your purse, and surprise him with them. Sneak them into his lunch (if he brings it to work), into the center console of his car (as long as it doesn’t melt), or surprise him while he’s at his computer or watching tv. It’s one of those little things that reminds them you care and you like spoiling your sweetie.

But First… Send Him a Selfie

If you’re feeling cute, write down something cute like “I love you!” on a piece of paper, hold it up, and shoot a selfie to send to him. It’s a more personal way of getting your message across, you remind him how adorable you are, and it’s something easy on your end. Just remember, keep it safe for work in case he’s in public. Always keep it classy, ladies. Just saying!

Do Some Leg Work

It must be a guy thing- so many guys have a TON of clothes that they love that they will never get rid of that are covered in holes and patches. Why do they do that? A lot of guys are sentimentally attached to some outfits or pieces of clothing and will wear them into the ground. So where do you come in? Go ahead and sneak them out to get them patched up by a tailor. Get those hems fixed, those zippers replaced, just go ahead and refurbish the beloved pieces that your fiancé just can’t let go of.

Treat Him to a Guy Date

You always get to go on dates with him, why not let him have a date with his buddies instead? Hint- you may not want to phrase it like that, but the sentiment is there. Something fun you can do is order a big fight on pay-per-view and some beer for your man and his men to enjoy. You can set them up with dinner at a wing joint. You could even (if they’d be up for it) get them manly manicures at a guy-friendly salon (they do exist, and they’re awesome).

Have a Date Night In

You know what every guy loves? Staying at home and enjoying it. Even if they won’t admit it or claim to be outdoorsy, there’s nothing wrong with being at home and having a good time. Tell him it’s date night but stay in. This is the time to get your inner chef on (or even better- order in!) and cater him in the comfort of his own home. Stream a movie you both love, have a good meal, and keep it simple. Sometimes that’s the best way to spend a night with the person you love.

 

Top Five Practical Wedding Gifts

Are you sick of buying blenders? Sure the new Ninja model is fantastic, but what if you want to gift something that goes a little farther than that? We’ve got a few things on our wish list that would be pretty awesome alternative gifts for the newlyweds (other than what’s left on their registry, of course!). We do suggest that you always check the registry first (afterall- that’s EXACTLY what the couple wants!), but if everything’s gone or not in your price range (go figure the four figure silverware wasn’t claimed first) then we’ve got some good gift ideas.

Get Them Going

One handy tool for the new couple? An awesome GPS device. Sure, most people use their phones right now, but it’s much safer to have a mounted GPS rather than looking down at your phone every so often. Plus they’re much less likely to have that awful “re-routing” message when your data comes in or out. It’s easy to find GPS devices for under $100, with fancier models running just over that.

Take Care of Date Night

If you’re anywhere near Southern California, Orlando, or really any major area that has a theme park spring for season passes! They may not be able to register for it, but it’s something awesome lots of couples love to have. Season passes are usually the price of one to four (tops!) visits to the park, so if they go once a month everyone got their money’s worth! It’s a great place for default dates, holidays, and playing hookie from work. You’ll be able to give them a great experience and they may even bring you home a funnel cake!

Personal Touches

If you’re looking for something original that you can do for under $100, put their face on something! There are awesome websites that are able to do personalized wine bottles, beer bottles, flasks, trinkets, you name it! Often times, discount sites like Groupon or LivingSocial will do deals too, so you’d be able to really get a deal. Something sweet like a bottle of wine with their picture, wedding date, and names could be a really sweet heartfelt gift. It’s a great keepsake from their wedding that they weren’t expecting, and bonus points if it’s good wine!

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Join the Club

This is especially thoughtful if they’re just moving in together- get them a membership to Costco or Sam’s Club! If they’re starting a home or family together, a membership to a wholesale store could come in handy. Particularly if the newlyweds will be hosting parties together or just in general getting used to living together.

Foot The Bill

Pick up the tab for  some fun bills, like a Netflix or Hulu subscription. Take care of an Amazon Prime membership or a year’s worth of Audible. Fun little extras like that can be hard to find wiggle room for sometimes, but they’re always great to have. A new couple that has to take care of a wedding may be pinching pennies right now- help out their budget by taking care of some fun extras here or there.

 

Five Budget-Friendly Valentine’s Day Dates

Weddings are expensive, and it’s a wise idea to start saving where you can. With Valentine’s Day coming up, you may feel pressured to spend some extra money on your honey- but don’t! We have a few ideas for those couples who may be saving up for the big day, or just like to be romantic on a budget.

Netflix Picnics

This could be particularly nice if you’re in a colder area right now. Stock up on your honey’s favorite treats, grab a gigantic blanket, and pop open a nice bottle. Go back and forth throwing on your favorite episodes of your guilty pleasure shows (but be sure to keep it light- no need for drama on Valentine’s Day!) and noshing on candy. You can even order pizza and make a night of it. It’s a romantic, intimate, and light-hearted way to spend Valentine’s Day.

Show Deals

Check out sites like Groupon and LivingSocial for any deals on a pair of tickets to local shows. Local theaters and venues love discount sites because it helps get their name out and fill seats.  Comedy clubs and magic venues often have deals for tickets and even package deals that could include food and/or drinks. You can try to schedule something fun on the fourteenth, or pick up a voucher and hang on to it for a later date.

Hit the Arcade

Take the morning off of work and hit up the arcade and mini golf course before the kids get out of school. Pretend you’re high school sweethearts and challenge each other to skee ball (bonus points if you get enough tickets to win a giant stuffed bear!). Light competition is flirty and fun, plus you get to play games you won’t even have realized you missed. Just be sure to be out of the place by three- you don’t want to end up in a line behind actual high school sweethearts just to play whack-a-mole.

Volunteer

It may not be the most romantic or extravagant way to spend Valentine’s Day, but if you’re not into mushy dates this could be a great experience for you. Local shelters and soup kitchens do their best to get as many volunteers as possible, and today could be a great day to volunteer as a team. Working together creates stronger bonds and that ‘feel good’ feeling will make you both feel happy and satisfied with your time.

Go on Safari

It may feel a little silly, but when you look back you’ll both be guaranteed to love it. Grab a camera and go on a selfie safari through your favorite parts of your city. Go to the spot of your first kiss, your favorite bar or park, wherever you went on your first date and snap and smooch away. You can print them out and hang them up as souvenirs, or get creative and make a photo album of your day together. These pictures would also be perfect to use for any announcements, or in a wedding slideshow.

 Author’s Note: HUGE thank you to BHL reader Thomas McLaughlin for giving permission to the author for using his photos. Happy Valentine’s Day, Thomas!

Valentine’s Day Inspired Outfits: Five Hot Looks

Valentine’s Day may be over, but we still want to continue this week of LOVE. We wanted to share the outfits that were part of our Valentine’s Day Inspired Photo Shoot. Each and every look was perfect for a date with your loved one. Whether it is a causal lunch date, a fancy dinner date, or sharing a sweet pastry treat at your favorite cafe, all looks are amazing! Connie Kim from Styled By Connie put together five hot looks.

 

“Sophisticated Dinner Date Look”                                                        “Casual Retro Lunch”

Valentine's Day Outfits
“Casual Boho Chic Date”

                                                                 

“Monochromatic Vintage Dinner Date”                                         “Paris for the Night”                                        

Vintage Valentine's Day Outfits

 

A Valentine’s Day Photo Shoot: Romantic Looks for the Day

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today you have an excuse to get all dolled up, put on that new outfit, and spend the day with the one you love. A couple weeks ago I had an idea to create a Valentine’s Day inspired photo shoot. So I got together with wardrobe stylist, Connie Kim from Styled by Connie. She was thrilled about the idea, and quickly we came up with a concept. Our goal was to inspire and show how to incorporate vintage and modern elements combined to create soft, romantic outfits for a Valentine’s Day date. The idea was to keep with a clean and sophisticated style and use a color palette consisting of muted tones with pops of bright colors.

Here are five fabulous looks for Valentine’s day:

  “Sophisticated Dinner Date”

Here is a look which takes elements of old “Hollywood Glam” styling. Incorporating a high-waist laced skirt, with a peach top for an added pop of color. All paired with nude closed-toe pumps to tie in soft and sophisticated features. Accessories includes a dainty long gold and pearl chain necklace with a black handbag. Confidant and sophisticated, and ready to hit the town!

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Sophisticated Dinner Date

Sophisticated Dinner Date

Sophisticated Dinner Date

“Casual Retro Lunch”

This look combines both vintage and modern details. The dress has a retro chevron print in brown earth tones. Paired with a brass metal statement necklace, open toe wedges, a statement bangle and vintage clutch. Perfect for any “day to evening” Valentine’s Day date.

Casual Retro Lunch

Casual Retro Lunch

Casual Retro Lunch

“Casual Boho Chic Date”

Here is a look inspired by the hot pink maxi skirt. Which by the way, is a 2013 color trend for Spring/Summer. Staying true to the “boho chic” look, the skirt  is paired with a loose white blouse, black laced crop top,  and Grecian inspired accessories.  To complete the whole look, a pair of fun and bold colorful shoes are added.  Stylish and chic, and perfect for a beach-side date.

Casual Boho Chic Date

Casual Boho Chic Date

Casual Boho Chic Date

Casual Boho Chic Date

“Monochromatic Vintage Dinner Date”

This look was brought together by all monochromatic tones of nude. To give it some edge, the pop of plum shoes and studded detail wrist tie is added. The headpiece and high-waisted dress gives the look a vintage feel. This sweet and adorable outfit can be worn for a lovely dinner date.

Monochromatic Vintage Dinner Date

Monochromatic Vintage Dinner Date

Monochromatic Vintage Dinner Date

“Paris for the Night”

An absolute fave! Black and white stripes are coming back into trend for 2013. A Parisian inspired look was created. Staying true to classic French fashion, the dress is sheer and flow-y, combined with bright red heels and a pop of red lipstick. Keeping with a vintage inspired look, the white headpiece ties the ensemble all together.  This amazing look is perfect for a date at your favorite cafe, and sharing a pastry with your love.

Paris for the Night

Paris for the Night

Paris for the Night

Paris for the Night

Paris for the Night

Paris for the Night

Paris for the Night

 

Vendor Information:

Coordinator:  Niloufar Gibson from Perfectly Made Weddings
Photographer: Haley Eirich from Haley Eirich Photography
Location: Old Town Orange
Makeup & Hair: Jessica Rousseau
Wardrobe & Styling: Connie Kim from Styled by Connie
Hair Accessories & Jewelry:  Arianna Garibo from Always Ari 
Model: Farah Omidi